ok, one more dumb kid question. what exactly do all those numbers mean when you say " i have a LT215/85R16 tire" i'm guessing LT is light truck? 215 is maybe 215mm tread width??? then IIRC, it's 85% of something, then 16" from end of rim to end of tire??? i dunno, maybe i'm way off. experts?? help me out, would ya?? thanks!!! jon
tires Jon, LT=light truck (usually a reinforced, higher load tire) 215= 215mm tread width 85=sidewall height, 85% of tread width, or 183mm 16=rim diameter, or 16inches Keep in mind that the actual tread width and sidewall can vary somewhat with different manufacturers, Tires also have a range of rim widths they can mount on, which will also change the effective tread and sidewall sizes slightly. Hope that helps.....Mike
sweet thanks! so i guess it doesn't really matter about all the other numbers as long as it will fit on your rim, right? of course, nate would say tall and skinny, but really it wouldn't matter as far as fitting them on a rim. do wheels come in a standard width? thanks! jon
Hey Sloromon it still matters about the other numbers. You wouldn't want say a 205/55/R16 because that tire would be way to small of a sidewall. You would want to stay fairly close to the same size as original if you're running an original setup under your truck. Plus if you put a lower profile tire on your truck then it will effect fuel economy, speedometer, top end speed, plus look really funny. Hope this gives you a little more insight.
Tire Size Affects Top Speed Jon ; You're on the right track there , the second number (IE : /85) is called the ' aspect ratio ' . Yes , rims come in standard sizes so if you're in a pinch , most any 16" tire will fit your 16" rim -but- if it's too wide or other nonsense you may have troubles with it or it'll just plain look wierd . Tall & skinny is for those who are running stock engine & tranny combos mostly . plus the ' skinny ' part makes the truck steer like it has power steering ~ seriously .
the real question ok, cool. i think i got it. so the real question is, i have LT235/85/R16 tires on the truck right now (not the split rims) and i do have an original tranny and a 235. can i just get some LT215/85R16 tires and slap 'em on there without any problems?? thanks jon
Yes . I assume you old 235's are worn out ? being a Yankee farmer and all I'm way too tight ($!) to throw away tires with good treads... If you're trying to get that last little bit of top speed out of the old girl , measure the outside diameter of both sizes before plunking down your $ , you want the largest diameter possible .
tread actually, they've got plenty of tread left, i'm just kinda planning for the future, seeing if i need to go looking for those junkyard wheels. sounds good, though. thank you!! jon
Could It Be??! i took the spare tire off today, for the first time ever. it does not match the tires on my truck, rather, it's the old split rim type with a vintage tire on it. anyway, i never really took the time to check out this old tire until today. does this mean my split rims are 17"??? and how does it measure out, because from one end to the other, it's not spot on. maybe there's something i don't know. could you guys enlighten me? thanks!! jon
measurements i measured the inside of the wheels today, and they all add up to 17". is that normal for a 3/4 ton? thanks! jon
From what I can find out 3/4 ton over the years pretty much came with 17 inch. I have seen a few with 16 inch but mostly aftermarket wheels never factory.
Steve, i agree with you. I did a little more research, and surprisingly enough, all of the old research material i have, shows 15" wheels and 6 or 8 ply tires as standard on 3/4 tons, no mention of 16" wheels and 2 different sizes of 17" tires. Go figure!
db classics thanks guys! i suppose it makes sense, bigger truck= bigger wheel. so i looked up 17" tires on diamondback classics, and the tallest they have is 215/65/R17, but of course that's a 17" wheel, so it's actually 28" in height. i suppose that'll do if i want to run those ol split rims, eh? jon
For a real eye opener , go look in a salesman's book (there's GOTTA be one on the InterNet somewheres) or get a GM restoration pack as they really went all out to sell the product back in the day so you could order up a special build package with all sorts of oddball mix 'n match tires and final drive ratios , special ' mile high ' carbys that had tiny jets in them for operation in Colorado etc...... I once had a 1963 Chevy II NOVE Super Sport , RPO 347 , it was custom built with a column shift for some goofy lady in Kansas City...... Why the hell would anyone pay for the RPO package and then delete the second most important part of it , I'll never know .
Reviving an old thread I dissected one of my original tires and wheels today. I had always been told that my 1 ton had 17 inch wheels. This is a pickup so it is not a dually. These wheels are the split rims just like you see on the 3/4 tons except bigger. The discovery was that the tires are 8X17.5. Would they have mounted a 17.5 tire on a 17 inch rim? If I measure across the area where the bead fits it is 17 inches. The overall height of the tire is 31.5 inches. I did some measuring and found this: 8 lugs 6.5" bolt pattern backspace 3 3/4" Positive offset of 7/8" The 3 3/4" backspace is necessary because the tie rod ends are close to the brake backing plate and anything that has a bigger backspace will touch. So, I can either buy Pacer aluminum wheels that have a 3 3/4 backset and are 16 inch or I can go to someone like Stockton and have them make me a wheel that mimics my old split rim. My biggest question is whether anyone knows for sure these were 17.5 inch wheels? Thanks, Gater GO Colts!!!
Thanks, Ken. Half time 21 to 6. Patriots own first half. I just now checked and appreciate your taking the time. This is good info. I noticed that, under optional equipment, 17.5 x 8 tires were available. It didn't say anything about 17.5 wheels so I assume they would still fit. My measurement shows 5 inch from inside flange to inside flange and that is what the specs say so I think I understand now.
Gater, i did some more surfing, and there are 8x17.5 tires available at Universal Tire. After more surfing, they seem to be common on Winnebagos. Go figure. All i can think of, is measured vs nominal measurement. I checked my master catalog and all they listed was 17 inch wheels with a 5 inch width. BTW, tied 28-28 in the fourth.
