5" wide Steelie wheel / tire question

[Love 70 Chevys]

I have a '70 K10. Still has the original 16" factory wheels and drum brake setup and I am keeping both. Truck currently has some ancient 7.50-16 tires on it that still hold air well enough while I am in project stage, but are not road worthy. I have measured the wheels and they are 5" wide. A very similar size modern tire is 235/85/16 which is just a smidge wider and taller. I have an opportunity to buy a new set at a very good price. If you go to any tire site it will always say that a 235/85/16 should go on a 6" wide wheel minimum. I have seen several places on this site where people state they are running these tires on stock wheels, and also found some examples on the H.A.M.B site where hot rodders do the same. Does anyone have recent experience with this 5" 235/85/16 combo?

[sick472]

They will mount on the rim fine and hold air, but this recommendation from the tire experts is so that you don't end up with too much sidewall and nowhere to go. This will cause the truck to feel like it's driving with sporadic cross winds. I cannot comment on your specific tire/wheel combo and how bad it would be, but I have experienced too tall tires on too narrow of rims under a truck and it is a bit nauseating to ride in. It wandered back and forth while driving in a straight line. Since you are just crossing the line by 1 inch in width...it's probably minimal, but beware. I'd choose to stay with their recommendations unless you can come up with reliable advise from someone with the same set up as you are considering. Hence this thread I suppose.

[Love 70 Chevys]

Interesting. What you are saying makes complete sense. I just don't know if your truck was "pushing the limits" more than what I am proposing. Am hoping that someone has experience with the exact combo I have in mind. BTW did your nauseating ride cause you to become sick 472? (I know, really bad joke, but I think it has been too long of a week!)

[sick472]

The truck I was referring to was a friend's and I can't remember his wheel/tire sizes, but they were tall and skinny. I'm betting he was welloutside the recommended parameters.
It was a 4x4 too...his construction work truck. And, no Sick-4-72 comes from my obsession with my 72 C10. You did make me laugh though..it has been a long week.

Hopefully someone has that combo and can advise.

Is it my imagination or does 5" wide rims seem really small for a truck? I bet they set deep in the wheel wells. I have 8" wide wheels with the largest offset I could find and they could use some more to get more even with the sides of the truck.

[Love 70 Chevys]

That's just the way they came. To me our generation trucks look ok in the front with the stock wheels, but in the rear it just seems like the rear axle is not wide enough. The tires do sit inboard of the bed sides by what looks like too much. I like stock though, so I will roll with it.

[Love 70 Chevys]

Found some interesting info on a Jeep forum. The CJ5 that was made from 1955-1983 came with either 4 1/2" wide or 5" wide 16" diameter wheels. Found a thread where quite a few people chimed in with the fact they ran 235/85/16's on the 5" wide wheels and were happy on the highway and off road. Old Jeeps are the champions of the 4 x 4 tall skinny look! I've decided to go for it. Will take some pictures after I get them mounted and will revisit this thread with photos in case anyone else has this question in the future! Need to get my steelies sandblasted and painted first.

[MikeB]

235-85 tires on a 5" wide wheel means the tires are more than 4" wider than the wheel. That's not something I would do. I'd personally try to find a tire that's 205mm wide (no more than 215) and the same height as your 7.50 tires.