What are the widest tire I can run on a 71 skylark?

Discussion in 'The Hides' started by Psilent Child, Apr 7, 2017.

  1. Psilent Child

    Psilent Child Well-Known Member

    I like the wides tire look on the back what is the widest tire I can put in the back of my skylark without doing a min tubb.
     
  2. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

  3. gusszgs

    gusszgs Well-Known Member

    I run a Hoosier 11.5" wide QT Pro for the track no rubbing issues what so ever. 4.5" BS. I believe you can go even larger but may need to massage a few things.
     

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  4. 300sbb_overkill

    300sbb_overkill WWG1WGA. MAGA

    What size rims?
     
  5. 70 gsconvt

    70 gsconvt Silver Level contributor

    The biggest you can get is a 15x10. Backspacing varies by car. They weren't built to exacting standards back then. Generally 5-1/2" is good. I went 5-5/8" so that I had a little wiggle room to shim them out if needed, but I didn't. At that size, you can run the 325/50R15 tire. But you will have to roll the inner fender lip back to ensure no rubbing problems there. And it helps to put airbags in the rear springs to keep the ass end of the car from bouncing too much as the upper part of the inner fender is rounded and the tire can rub up in there on a big bump.
     
  6. Psilent Child

    Psilent Child Well-Known Member

    The rear tires are P275/60r 15. The front tires are 205/70r 15. I like the look of the 335 mm tire in the rear, but the would require a mini tub.
     
  7. 70 gsconvt

    70 gsconvt Silver Level contributor

    325/50R15. No minitubs. Factory wheel wells with the upper fender lip rolled back.
     
  8. Psilent Child

    Psilent Child Well-Known Member

    So that's what less than an inch difference in width between 335 and 325?
     
  9. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    It's 10mm, that's less than 1/2". One inch is 25.4mm.
     
  10. 70 gsconvt

    70 gsconvt Silver Level contributor

    Yes the difference is that small. But it's all the difference in the world as you can have a 325 in the rear. I have for years now. And so have others. I was actually the guinea pig that had a total of three sets of rims before I got it right.
     
  11. Psilent Child

    Psilent Child Well-Known Member

    Would you still keep the 205-70r-15 on the front?
     
  12. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    No, I would run a wider tire, like a P235/60R-15, or a P245/60R-15. Both will fit no problem. I run a P255/60R-15 with no problem, but some have reported rubbing.
     
  13. Skippy597

    Skippy597 Silver Level contributor

    Hey so I have a 71 lark that I am dropping 2" (probably about the same height as it is now because my springs are done) and was planning on a 295/50R15 rear and a 245/60R15 front. Has anybody run this combo that has any input on it? Wheels will be 15x10 5.5" bs rear and 15x8 4.5" bs fronts
     
    41speciman likes this.
  14. 70 gsconvt

    70 gsconvt Silver Level contributor

    You should be fine. Consider running airbags in the rear springs to keep it from bouncing too much. I run mine about 8-10 psi on the street and load the pass. side up to 15 at the track to help preload the rear.
     
  15. Skippy597

    Skippy597 Silver Level contributor

    Right on, I was already thinking about running them after reading docs tricks post.
     
  16. Esasky's85GN

    Esasky's85GN Car Poor!

    I am planning on getting some new wheels and tires for my 72. 295/50/15s fit decent under the rear of our cars then? No rubbing issues if its stock height?

    See the post about the air bags but is that specific to a lowered car?

    Chris
     
  17. LARRY70GS

    LARRY70GS a.k.a. "THE WIZARD" Staff Member

    It is impossible to answer your question definitively. That tire should be on a 10" wide rim. Optimum B.S. for a 10" wide rim is 5 1/2 - 5 5/8". You are getting close to the maximum with a 10" wide rim. It is not uncommon for the car body to sit unevenely on the frame resulting in more clearance on one side then the other. No one can predict that for your car. There are no guaranties. You may need to trim back the fender lip or use air bags, or not.
     
  18. 87GN_70GS

    87GN_70GS Well-Known Member

    I dont see how folks are getting away with 0 or 1/8" offset (5.5" BS on 10" wide wheel). With 11" wide wheels and 295 tires on my car, the first set were built wrong and had 6" BS (0 offset). I had 1" clearance to the frame but 1/32" to 1/16" to the already trimmed fender lip (trimmed to the arch trim screw holes) with the suspension completely bottomed out (rr springs removed). An extra 1/2" inset (6.5" BS or 1/2" offset) split the difference at 1/2" to the frame and 1/2" to the fender lip (when bottomed out). This is with a 12-bolt (aluminum drums) but has been measured at stock width. I'm thinking my car is built funny but there is no other explanation for why I don't get the same results.
     
  19. Esasky's85GN

    Esasky's85GN Car Poor!


    Larry, would it be more beneficial to just get 15x8s and run 275/60/15s then?
     
  20. rkammer

    rkammer Gold Level Contributor

    I run the 245s in front on stock 7" rims and the 295/50 x 15s in back on 15 x 8 inch rims. I know 10 inch rims are recommended with this size tire but I dropped the air pressure down to 28 pounds and still get a full width patch of rubber when I burn them out.
     

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