Wheel size advice

[mminnick]

New post here and I'm sure this has already been covered in many other threads, but..

1985 Chevy 2wd shortbed. All original Custom Deluxe w/ 56000 miles. getting ready to begin upgrades (slowly) and want to start with tires/wheels. My teenage son will be driving and we want to stay relatively conservative/classic look, but improve ride, stance and handling over the narrow steel wheels that are on currently. Thinking about 15x8 and 255 width tires, but need some advice on offset, backspacing, spacers etc. to get wheels/tires more flush with body sides for the proper look.

[lolife99]

My opinion is to ALWAYS do the suspension mods first.
Then measure for wheels.

[mminnick]

Would do that if money allowed. But the truck needs new tires anyway and that will improve handling, etc. for my son. It may be a long time before the suspension work gets done. But I understand the advice and appreciate the idea behind it.

[skyphix]

What wheels are you looking at? Rallyes or otherwise?

15x8 with 4" backspacing like the stock Rallyes/Corvette Rallyes will work with a 255 up front. I was running a 265/75/15 (31x10.5x15) up front even after a 2.5" drop spindle but with stock and sagging springs. No rubbing anywhere. Much lower and I dont think a 31" tire would fit. I am currently running a 235/75/15 with a TON of extra space, so something like a 255/70/15 is a safe bet that it would fit without issue and the extra height will keep you from having the too-small-tire look.

This is my truck with 265/75/15's - 2.5" drop spindle and stock original whooped springs.


Here's with the 235/75/15's which are the same overall height as 255/70/15's (roughly)





I do have a 5/8" spacer in the front to help the 15's with stick on wheel weights clear the drop spindle, but I decided to go 17's ultimately and those are on their way.

I went 17x9 with 4.25" backspacing for the rear and 17x8 with 4.5" backspacing for the front - tire sizes I am unsure of, but probably 275/60/17 in the back and 255/55/17 or 255/60/17 in the front - whatever I can find that either matches or will work well as rear tires and front tires separately.

[Loco83]

Running 15x8 with 4" BS on the front and 15x10 with 5" BS on the rear, 245/60-15 and 295/50-15 Radial TA's.

[Dead Parrot]

IMO, just get a good set of tires for the rims you have now. Buying wheels when you don't know what the end look will be could well result in wasted money. Also, getting larger tires could decrease performance if the engine RPMs wind up out of the good torque range. Might want to take your rear end ratio, possible tire sizes and transmission type and run some numbers on one of the on line RPM calculators.

Nothing says you can't refinish the stock rims to make them look new.