Help me pick some tires please

[bigblock73]

OK gang, getting ready to buy some tires for Yeller...and I need some help with tire information. I already have the wheels, they are 15x7 for the front and 15x10 for the rear. I am looking to get some tires that will fill up the wheel wells nicely, but not be too tall at the same time. My truck is obviously a 2wd, with a 4/6 suspension drop.

So, if you know tires, sizes, and what looks good on our truck...please chime in...cause I need some help.

Thanks in advance!

[gldevall]

I've had 255/60 in back and 235/60 up front that looked good. Now, I have 275/60 out back and 255/60 up front. Looks ok, fills the wells good but that extra inch out back slowed me down. I'm thinking about going 275/50 out back and 255/50 up front next time.

Oh, and the tire....Firestone Firehawk Indy 500. Excellent tire!

[f.monroe]

If you want short tires ....235/60 front and 295/50 rear . If you want them to fill the fenders I would run 235/70 fronts and 275/60 rears on the size wheels you have . Frank

[bigblock73]

Thanks for the help guys. If anyone else has some feedback, I'd love to hear it too.

Also, anyone have any pics with similar setups?

[Grande Rojo]

215/75/15 or 235/70/15 front (taller thinner tire)
285/70/15 rear those will fill-out the rear

[swervin ervin]

Jeff,

sorry can't help much with size of tires. I had 275/60/15's all the way around when I had the stock 8" ralleys. But, this was with a 2/4 drop. I doubt 275/60's would work up ront with 4" of drop. It looked good and filled up the wheel wells very nicely too. I didn't buy the tires so no one call me old fashioned. They were on the truck when I bought it back in July, 1997. Firestone Firehawks.

Now, I still can't believe it when I see it, you dropped it to 4/6. You just couldn't stand it could you? You been bit by the lowered bug for sure.

What kind of wheels you running?

Here's a pic of my truck from long ago with the above mentioned wheels/tires/drop.

[N2TRUX]

I suggest 245/40/20 for the front, and 295/40/20 for the rear...

[82c10]

Originally Posted by swervin ervin

Jeff,

sorry can't help much with size of tires. I had 275/60/15's all the way around when I had the stock 8" ralleys. But, this was with a 2/4 drop. I doubt 275/60's would work up ront with 4" of drop. It looked good and filled up the wheel wells very nicely too. I didn't buy the tires so no one call me old fashioned. They were on the truck when I bought it back in July, 1997. Firestone Firehawks.

Now, I still can't believe it when I see it, you dropped it to 4/6. You just couldn't stand it could you? You been bit by the lowered bug for sure.

What kind of wheels you running?

Here's a pic of my truck from long ago with the above mentioned wheels/tires/drop.

i like how it sat back then.

[live85]

Here is 275/60-15 on 15x10 wheels, but the truck isn't lowered any.

[68Stepbed]

I personally think a 235/70/15 front and 285/70/15 rear looks awesome on a 73-87. Almost a pro-street look without the tubs.

[piecesparts]

Since you already have 15 inch rims, consider a 245/60 in the front and a 295/50 in the rear for a combination. The tires are the same height but the 295 is a 12 inch tread pattern.

[Captkaos]

Crappy pic, but I ran 275/60's all the way around mine on 8" wheels. The front rubbed on serious bumps but nothing else.



If you are running a 10" on the back, I would go with 295's though. The ones Piecesparts posted are the closest in diameter, but they are over 1" shorter than the 275/60/15's. Basically, 26.6" vs 28" overal diameter. I always though the 295/50's were too short...

[stepside454]

225/70s front on 15X7s
285/70 rear on 15x8s

[cliffsta]

I'm running 255/70s on 15x8 wheels, they fill really nice, no drop yet, but in the future i will.

Good luck with whatever you get

[boatpuller]

i know you said you already have 15 in.wheels.and if it's a finanancial thing it's totally understandable we've all been there.i was in the same boat as you,i had 15's already but when i dropped it,they would rub badly.so iwas kinda forced into buying new wheels.my son works for a major tire chain out west.and of course him and his tire buddies pushed 20's,i'm to old school for that look,so i settled for 17's and couldn't be happier.a nice compromise between old and new.plus you still have sidewalls for a smoother ride.just a thought.

[bigblock73]

Thanks for the help everyone!

I see everyone has their own opinion on what looks good on these trucks, and that is cool cause we wouldn't all want the same looking truck would we?

I will be heading down to the local tire shop and compare overall height and width on the tires and see what I come up with.

Mike, yeah...I lowered it more. Right now I have a 4" front drop (3" spinldes & 1" spring), and the rear might actually be a 7" drop (flip kit and 2" shackles). I might have to get 2" springs for the front to level it out a little...we'll see. The wheels are Weld Pro Star.

Boatpuller. I am going for the muscletruck theme, something a little older in style...but a style I like none the less. Bigger diameter wheels are cool, and I like them on our trucks...jst not in outrageous sizes (17 is as big as I could go if I did this).

Stepside454, those rear tires look huge...do you have any good rear shots showing them?

[SanitysBane]

I run 295/50/15s in back.

[stepside454]

Jeff this is the best I have right now, I can take more if you need.
the 285/70s are less than a 1/2 wider than 275/60s...but the 285s are 31" tall & the 275s are 28" tall....so it gives the allusion of a huge tire, alot of people think its tubbed at first. John

[boxrodz]

Jeff-
Here's a Blazer with 235/60s and 275/60s on 15s. To fill the fenderwells with 15s may take more sidewall like some of the others have said and like stepside454's truck. For comparison purposes, here's a couple of pics with 17s. He's running 255/60s in front and 285/60s in the rear. The 255/60s in front is a bit overpowering up close.

[bluex]

Here is a very old pic of mine. 2.5" up front 4" out back Western Chassis spindles/shakles/hangers. 255/60 15x8 up front 275/60 15x10 out back. I had 275 on 15/10's all around, but after the drop the front fenders were chewing the tires up so I had to go back down to the 15x8. I could have probably still run the 275, but they look kinda weird on a 15x8.

[stepside454]

I had 275/60s on 15X8s ,I thought they looked fine

[SCOTI]

205x75's or 215x75's up front & the 285x70's out back for a 'bigs & littles' look. For a 'muscle truck' look, 225x70's & 275x60's.

And remember, you can always buy the big-guns after a year of cruising & shows. It will be a fresh change then . . .....

[boxrodz]

Originally Posted by stepside454

I had 275/60s on 15X8s ,I thought they looked fine

Yeah, 275/60s aren't bad. It's just that the 235/60s seem to be fenderwell-challenged...

Originally Posted by SCOTI

205x75's or 215x75's up front & the 285x70's out back for a 'bigs & littles' look. For a 'muscle truck' look, 225x70's & 275x60's.

And remember, you can always buy the big-guns after a year of cruising & shows. It will be a fresh change then . . .....

I suppose buying the 'big-guns' first makes it unlikely that one would revert back to muscle truck look. I guess it's sorta like going back stock height after dropping it.

[DroppedZ84]

235/70 15" in front, and 275/60 15" in back..it'll look perfect Jeff.
What gears are you running again? Aren't they 4.10's? 28" tall tires would be perfect with 4.10's.

[swervin ervin]

Originally Posted by DroppedZ84

235/70 15" in front, and 275/60 15" in back..it'll look perfect Jeff.
What gears are you running again? Aren't they 4.10's? 28" tall tires would be perfect with 4.10's.

I think this might be hitting on the right package. 28" tires and 4.10's would be great with a 700R4. I have 3.73's and a 27" tire. A little more gear wouldn't kill me either. I turn around 2100/2200 or so at 70. 275/60's are a very nice size tire without going too big. I think they would fit a 10" rim perfectly too. A tad too big for 8" though, IMO. Don't wear very well in the middle and cause the tire to be too round on the sidewall.

Mike