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Author Topic: tire sizes  (Read 2123 times)

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Offline krazi

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tire sizes
« on: October 29, 2016, 06:09:31 PM »
I'm swapping the 13" slot mags for 14" steelies. I want to run the biggest tire I can get on the rear, and what ever won't rub on the front. what size tires would be best?
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Offline Wittsend

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Re: tire sizes
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2016, 09:43:20 PM »
This is a question that has no definitive answer. Ride height and wheel off-set are two of the most critical aspects as to what tire will fit.  And if by "steelies" you mean a factory steel wheel, they are rather narrow and you will be limited by how wide of a tire you can use. In the mid-80's Ford used a 15" steel wheel on their Police Mustangs that were called SSP wheels.  I have the 14" version off a '88 T-Bird and I can barely get 215-60-14's on the wheel.  And when I tried them on my Pinto wagon they looked awful.  I have them on the back of my Tiger at the moment and I'll include an image for you to see the wheel style (with Aerostar rings). There is another person here with a red Pinto (I'll included a picture) that has real 15" SSP wheels (they are rare and expensive, like $300+ expensive). My recollection was that he was using about a 2" spacer just to get the wheels to look right in the wheel opening. I've temporarily crammed Turbo Coupe 225-60-16" on my "normal ride" height Pinto with minimal rubbing (3/8" spacers on rear) and will include an image just to show the look of such a large tire (not recommending it). The wheel wells are generous. Also note that the tires in my Icon are 225-60-15" alloys that I used for a very short period of time.

Where I'm going with all this is that the widest factory 14" steel wheel (I know of) in the 4X4.25 bolt pattern barely holds a 215-60-14" tire. And the wheel itself just didn't have the right offset. It had a 'sucked to the center of the car, too large of a wheel opening' look.  If you are paying the premium to have custom 14" steelies" made then that is different. You can get them in the width and off-set you desire. But that is something that YOU will have to work out (perhaps with a wheel builders help). Lastly, 14" tires are disappearing and all the sizes that were available a while back are hard, if not impossible to find. I don't know if any Ford factory cars came with steel 15" 4X4.25 wheels and doubt any came in 16". BTW, even 15" tires aren't as readily available as before.

So, while it was wise to ask, your ride height, wheel off-set desire, using Ford  factory "steelies" or having them made need to be considered and THEN someone here might have a configuration that comes close to your need and can steer you towards your goal.

Offline pinto_one

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Re: tire sizes
« Reply #2 on: October 30, 2016, 04:30:09 PM »
After I blew up one hard to find tire I took the Tries and wheels off my Cruze Wagon , they are 205/60/15s , just clear in the front nicely, they do not rubb at all, the rear has the same tires also , as you can see plenty of room for larger tires in the rear ,
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Offline ponyboy

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Re: tire sizes
« Reply #3 on: December 06, 2016, 02:01:03 PM »
I would also like to go to 14" wheels at my next tire change. My '73 wagon now has the 13" Appliance aluminum slot mags. I plan to stick with fairly conservative sizes, but can't find any 14" 4 lug wheels. What I would like to have is chrome smoothies, and at one point US Wheel made 14"x6" ones with the 4 lug Pinto bolt pattern, but apparently they no longer make them. I definitely want old school looking wheels. Would appreciate any ideas.

Offline Mattb

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Re: tire sizes
« Reply #4 on: December 06, 2016, 03:25:59 PM »
The magnum 400 wheels carried by CJ Pony parts are nice wheels. 15x6 inch I believe and are available with 4x 4.25 lug spacing.

Offline krazi

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Re: tire sizes
« Reply #5 on: October 02, 2021, 10:03:17 PM »
I tried 15 inch wheels from an 89 or so mustang last summer. didn't even make it down the street with it. they were rubbing on the ball joints on the front. right now it has 14 inch wheels I pulled off of a fairmont at the junkyard. so far they work fairly well with 205/70r14 tires on it.
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Offline LongTimeFordMan

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Red 1973 pinto wagon DD, SoCal desert car, Factory 4 speed, 3.40 gears, Stock engine, 14" rims and tires, 60 K original miles