Yet another wheel/tire post

[Cam-Shaft]

Hello all, I have searched high and low and found much usable information on tire size, rim size, backspace, offset, etc. I still haven't found enough to give me the confidence I need to put in an order for 2k worth of shoes that may or may not be what I want. I am only home once or twice a year for a few weeks at a time, so I rely on the time I'm off deployed to plan, order parts, and come up with a game plan for the time I do have.

Truck is a 69' Chevy K10. Currently had a 6.2 n/a diesel, sm465 with a T221. I'm happy with the drivetrain as it's not a highway truck and will be used for mild off roading, around-town transit and towing as well as a mud bog once a year or so. Currently has an 8" lift with the stock half tons with which I'm not satisfied. I have a pair of CUVC 1 tons lined up and I'm planning for new driveshafts, crossover steering, and 4 wheel disk brakes.





Currently have 315/75R16 MT Baja claws on MT sidewinder II wheels with 2.5 wheel spacers, which were a short term fix and I plan to eliminate then.

The pictures show the tires and while they don't look awful, they're undersized and will be not much fun with the 4.56 CUCV gears not to mention are 6 lug so I will need wheels at a minimum.

I don't mind road noise but I don't want tires that are complete garage on the road. The goal is an aggressive mud tire that is at least 15" wide. Current contenders are as follows

385/70R16 Nitto Mud Grapplers - good tire and a radial which is my preference. This is the largest one offered on a 16" rim. I know it'll fit just not sure if it's going to look too small.


39.5x16R16.5 super swamper - width and size is about right but not a fan of the bias or the balloon look.

38.5x14.5R16 super swampers radial - like the radial just not sure if it's wide. enough for my taste.

Hoping to run these on a 14" wide steel wheel. I want it to stick it a few inches so the plan is a 3-3.5 inch back spacing.

What am I missing? Another aggressive tire out there that fits the bill? My wheel/backspacing going to look good or am I wasting my time with the width?

Thanks in advance

[B. W.]

the 385/70 is a 37" tire but it's only 15" wide on a 14" wide wheel that's a little too skinny. the 38.5x14.5R16 super swampers are also too narrow for a 14" wide wheel. General rule of thumb - tire should be about 2" wider than wheel. IMO, I'd back off the wheel width & run the Nittos. But, tires a light paint, everyone has their likes & dislikes!

[Cam-Shaft]

Originally Posted by B. W.

the 385/70 is a 37" tire but it's only 15" wide on a 14" wide wheel that's a little too skinny. the 38.5x14.5R16 super swampers are also too narrow for a 14" wide wheel. General rule of thumb - tire should be about 2" wider than wheel. IMO, I'd back off the wheel width & run the Nittos. But, tires a light paint, everyone has their likes & dislikes!

I'm having an issue finding 16x10 or 16x12 wheels in anything with a backspace less then 4.5. There's always the steel wheels that you can get in any backspace you wish, but any good looking alloy wheel with a 3" backspace is an arm or a leg

[B. W.]

All the wheel companies are marketing to the newer trucks. When the OEM's went to IFS it pushed the backspacing out ( like front wheel drive cars). But there are still plenty of solid axle trucks running around, guess we don't matter anymore.