Author Topic: Fat tires on a '75 chevy!  (Read 4847 times)

Offline ben75

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Fat tires on a '75 chevy!
« on: April 11, 2007, 05:31:05 pm »
I was going too move my spring's inboard and tub it too the frame.  What size wheel and tire will fit in there?  I can get a custom offset rim but not sure what to go with.  I think if I just tub it and leave the spring where it is i can get a 15x12 with 7-inch backspace and a 16.50 31 inch tire in there.  but thats not enough. 

Ben

Offline shpark2

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Re: Fat tires on a '75 chevy!
« Reply #1 on: April 18, 2007, 09:59:39 am »
I was measuring rear clearance on my '80 2WD Heavy Half last night, your numbers look pretty much the same.  My springs are inboard from the wheel tub by about 1.5", I have 6.25" BS to the wheel tub with a bit of a safety factor.  The inner width from the top of the wheel tub to the inside of the fender is a bit less however, are you planning to lower it?  With a bit of tire bulge on a 12wide rim + clearance, even with the tubbing to match the springs - I think you're looking @ 13.5-14" of section width.  If you lower it until the fender lip is ever below the top of the tire, I don't think it will go.  I only have 12" from tub to the lip and that's at the center, even with tubbing 1.5" - the section width on 12's would leave me about 1/4" either side.  Put a bit of weight in the box and take a corner I think there would be rubbing, this pic is with 235-75-15 Arctic Alpin winter tires on stock rims.

With stock tire diameter/ride height, you could put any width on - the openings are so cavernous.  Of course then the tire is sticking out which I don't enjoy too much, but I been having a hard time finding steel fender flares which are big enough.  All the new dually trucks have plastic fenders, there's nothing I can find for repro other than stepside fenders which are insanely $$$.  Does anyone know of someone making plastic, bolt-on dually fenders for a 73-80 ?  I would like another 6" of body around the wheel opening, but all the steel fender behind it has to be cut out for clearance - so the fender/flare can't just glue/bolt on to the wheel opening.  This is why I'm thinking dually/stepside fender, probably need to cut the fender to match wheel tub and then weld on new fender that is big enough to match the hole.
« Last Edit: April 24, 2007, 04:24:07 pm by shpark2 »

Offline Captkaos

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Re: Fat tires on a '75 chevy!
« Reply #2 on: April 18, 2007, 02:48:42 pm »
You should be able to get about 14" under the fender.  Just measure the inside of the fender to the frame and subtract about 2" (1" for each side for deflection).

I used to have a pic of a buddy that did it, but can't find it right now.

Offline ben75

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Re: Fat tires on a '75 chevy!
« Reply #3 on: April 24, 2007, 02:37:24 pm »
I came up with some of my info. from other trucks that I looked at and the measurements they gave me too.  The tire i would be useing  is a 16.50 street tire and isn't 16.5 wide.  I will do more trimming if i have too.  The truck right now it lowered already.  it has 3-inch spindles and a cut coil for about 5 inches and in the back it has a leaf taken out and the long belltech shackles.  I used too have a short frontmount in it but it screwed everything up at the dragstrip so I put the stock ones back in.  I also made a set off cal-trac bars that help.  i have run 325/50 hoosier quicktimes,11.50/28 goodyear slicks, and now 14.50/28 hoosier quicktime pros.  All on the same old 15x10 slots and when it was low low it still never rubbed.  With the bigger tires the outside was in about the same spot as the truck i looked at and the only scuffing i saw was on the spring and that was ony the raised lettering on the tire while cornering