Stepside Tire Size?

[javadoc]

Spring is here, and this summer's project is the truck. The first order of business is to install the 3/4 (or 5) drop. However, I know that the rear wheel/tire combo is not going to work once the truck is dropped. I currently have 15x10 chrome smoothies with 295s in the rear. When loaded, they rub. Badly. IIRC, they're 4" backspacing.

I have measured the inner area of the rear wheel wells and it looks like I have right at 12" of width under there, between the bedside and the inner edge of the step fender.

So, my question is, what size tire are people typically able to fit on the rear of a stepside? I'm probably going to have to ditch the 15x10s... but I really don't want to if I don't have to.

Thanks guys, for the wisdom!

[bobcostas]

I'm running 225-75-15's all the way around on 15x6 smoothies. but i like narrow tires.

i took off 265-75's on the rear when i got my new shoes. there seemed to be plenty of wiggle room with them if you like the wider variety.

[austex66]

I'm runnin 235/75/15 on stock rim (5" BS?) with a 6" drop, and not much room left on the fender side. Maybe a different back space will allow more tire?

[steveb64]

I'm using 255 75x15 tires with 8" rims, fit is about right, no rub, space on both sides.

[Russ65C10]

I have 265/70R15's on 8 inch rims. No drop and no rub. I ran G60/15 in high school bias plys where fine with a load but my GT Qualifiers rubbed big time with a full load.

It seams that 265 is about as big as you can go once the tire spends any real time up in the fender well.

[javadoc]

Awesome, thanks guys. Now to find a decent 265 tire... 8" rims, and sell off the 15x10s.

[markeb01]

Here are two pics of the rear tires/wheels on my short stepside. The early photo shows 8" rims with 235/70-15's, and the later photo shows 255/70-15's on 7" rims. Both wheels were zero offset. Although my truck isn't lowered, I've had it loaded enough to drop the fenders over the tires and I've never had any clearance issues with 7" or 8" rims as long as the back spacing equals the front spacing.

[javadoc]

I really like the truck in black. Super clean.

[First66]

There has to be more info about this now.

I'm looking to get a wide tire/rim combo on
my stepside '66 with stock rear end. I will be dropping the the truck at least 3" all around, probably more in the front.

Any pics of the of stepsides taken from the rear so the tire meat shows would Greatly be
appreciated. Tire and rim sizes coincinding with pics would be Phenominal!

Oh yeah, Backspace too!

[javadoc]

I ended up with 15x8's with 3.25" back spacing. 245s on the tires, and they fit about 'perfect' in my opinion. Ready for the 3/4 (front/rear) drop that I have planned!

[lakeroadster]

When I originally purchased my truck it had 31 x 10.5 x 15 rear tires and stock 8" wide truck ralley's which have 3-1/2" B.S.









(Ideally, for a budget build, a guy could use some custom offset steelies with a lot of backspacing... these stepside beds are narrow compared to a fleetside. And without inner wheel tubs the inner bed wall reduces the amount of tire width too.)

I wasn't at all happy with the look from the rear of the truck. I didn't want a pro-street look, but those 31x10.5's weren't enough rubber. That's why I ultimately decided to widen the bed 4" and make some mini tubs.

With the wider bed I am running rear 15 x 8-1/2 Indy Aluminum Slots and front 15 x 7 Western Aluminum slots. Rear tires are 33x12.5x15; fronts are 235-75-R15. Even with the widened bed I still ended up flattening the lip on the fender for additional clearance. But I like the look of the tire close to the fender....

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