Thread:

Need tire help

I am on the other side of what you want to do. I have a lifted GMC and run a 9ft 6in cabover and drag a boat as well. I will urge you to run a load range E tire. Main reason is for weight and heat. I know finding that for your particular setup may be challanging. I have run the Toyo mudders on my truck. They are rated E. So far I have got almost 30,000 miles on them. Good luck!!

As far as air bags, I have the Firestone ride rite in cab control and love it! I run about 70lbs and it levels out my truck.

Originally Posted by Troublenose

Thanks guys, I am going to run load range E for sure, just want to buy the right size and look tire one time and be done.

Main reason i sold my dodge was I had a 8" lift and it was just too high for a cabover. Now I same problem, just too low now haha... Prive to pay to look good i guess

My new one has 17s now, so I just went a bit wider tire than stock but same height.

My LAST dually ('98) was same drop as you. I ran 225/75/16s and had zero problems. I also wanted to run 225/60 car tires, but couldn't go down in load rating. I use the hell out of my trucks. Now, having a family-owned tire shop, I get to run pretty much anything I want. However, I stick with a LT tire for load ratings and safety.

If you want a bit better ride - run 8 ply (LR D) on the front and 10 (LR E) on the rears. No need for that stiff of tire on the front.

If you want to rotate them, you need to stick with Es all around. I gave up on rotating, since this is my third dually. I just leave the rears back there forever and replace the fronts as they get unsafe. LONG wheelbase tends to push the tires on turns. So, you will always have more edge wear on the steering tires - even with an excellent alignment. More city driving will accelerate this. So, I just let the fronts run 45-50,000 and then replace them. I just pull the rears when I replace the fronts and re-balance to accomodate for wear, but they stay in their respective positions.

225/75/16s are cheap anyway. Since everything is 17 and UP now, you can get them for a song. I have found that my last truck AND this one just love Cooper SRM-II tires. Especially on the steering axle. I started with Michelins, but they were growly and noisy - and were not as smooth a ride as the Coopers. So, I left the Mich's on the rear to wear out and put SRM-IIs on the front. MUCH better.

Here's my old one with 225/75s all around. SRM-IIs, by the way:

Thank you Beer 30 for the info! I have a friend with the same truck that has 225-75's that i can bolt on my truck. I cant see them working cause my 235-60-16 rub in the left front before i rolled the fender thanks to the stupid Chevy lean. However if i need to raise it up some then thats what I need to do. I really want a cabover camper and will make it work.

Also beer 30 both your trucks look very nice!

Originally Posted by Troublenose

Thank you Beer 30 for the info! I have a friend with the same truck that has 225-75's that i can bolt on my truck. I cant see them working cause my 235-60-16 rub in the left front before i rolled the fender thanks to the stupid Chevy lean. However if i need to raise it up some then thats what I need to do. I really want a cabover camper and will make it work.

Yeah, looks like you are a full 6-8.....I left mine at 5-7 because I went off-road occasionally for firewood and such. Plus didn't want to hit EVERYTHING in the road.

Originally Posted by Troublenose

It has tubular a-arms, spindles and short coils, flip kit and shackle rear. I love the look, but it drags the frame everywhere!!

I think stock coils in front and take the shackle out of the back with those 75 series tires ill be good to go. I go to camp far west, berryessa and collins lake to camp so i will need to drop off pavement at some point! Sorry dont want to get into telling a life story guys, I just want to spend money once and be happy with a truck i can use

Yeah, mine was 3" spindles, 2" coils, flip only, appropriate shocks - ALL BellTech. Never bottomed. Very usable.

Here it is after SchiadaTime (on here) bought it from me and repainted it:

Originally Posted by Troublenose

My truck had the same wheels on it when i bought it!Thanks for posting pic, the 5/7 drop still looks really good.

You won't be able to really tell the diff - it's not that big of a change and that bodystyle ALWAYS looks good, no matter how low.

My new one had to go down even lower than YOURS. It's a 7.5" front / 9" rear! DJM 6" A-arms up front with 2" drop keys set at 1.5" / 8" flip kit out back with a 1" block under the axle/spring pads. Shackles would have thrown the angle even further off, so we were able to keep all of the driveline dimensions accurate with an angled 1" block.