Wheels / Tires: Real Rodder Halibrand Tribute Wheels - Tire Size Question

[DEEPNHOCK]

Question (for those who bought and installed these wheels)....

What is the largest tire size that will fit a C/K?
Whitewall/redline irrespective. Just want to know what fits.
I like a good sized tire.

Thanks ahead of time.
Jeff

[Slick111]

Thoes wheels are 6 in wide a 215 is max width recommended if you check Tire rack etc.

[bensherb]

215-70-15 fits the C/K really well. I had them on 6.5" wide wheels on my '62 then put them on my dads '53 when I went to 235-55-17's on 7.5" wide wheels.

215-70 -15 on left. 235-55-17 on right.

[StudeRich]

Yeah, when the Car was Green it looked like a Studebaker, and when it was Blue ...

[bensherb]

I see no green car. This one was always blue, although it was Riviera blue from the factory, and was repainted Laguna blue sometime in the 70's.

[Buzzard]

Jeff,
I too always go for the largest tire possible. The six inch width is the killer so I would recommend P225/70r15 on these 6" replica wheels. I use P235/70r15 on my GT Hawk but I have 7" wide wheels. You still may have to roll the wheel lip slightly for adequate clearance.
I must have learned something in my 40+ years in the industry.
Cheers,
Bill

[Dwight FitzSimons]

The original Halibrand magnesium wheels were 5.5" wide, too narrow for today's tires. Both reproducers of the aluminum wheels made them 6" wide -- why, I don't know. I would rather they had been 6.5" wide. AFAIK 6.5"-wide wheels will fit any Studebaker we install them on.
--Dwight

[StudeRich]

The Halibrand clone wheels were made 6 Inches wide because it is the best fit for the Correct Tires for all Studebaker's: P205/75R15, P205/70R15, P215/75R15 or the MAX: P215/70R15.

I believe it was my long time friend Jon Meyer, who was asked and recommended the size on the first copies and also had the first "Knock off Original Type Spinners" made.

NO other sizes are a proper fit, and no larger than 6 Inches X15 inches makes the Car look, handle, track or preform correctly.
That is based on it's (1) Center Point Steering, (2) King Pin Suspension, (3) possible Alignment Settings, and (4) Tire to Suspension and Body Fit.

[bensherb]

"NO other sizes are a proper fit, and no larger than 6 Inches X15 inches makes the Car look, handle, track or preform correctly."

That is a pretty definitive statement I have to disagree with. While it may have been true for putting around town at 50 -55 mph in 1960, it is no longer the fifties, sixties or even the same century. Traffic and road conditions today are not what they were then and changes can make a vehicle more drive-able and safer in todays conditions. In the same way putting the better 1954-55 brakes on an earlier car was a big improvement back in '55, disk brakes were in 1963 or 1980's GM disks today, larger/better tires are also an improvement today. Better brakes are only better if the tires stay planted to the road surface.

Today I would not put a tire as small as 195 or 205 x 15 on any of the Studes I've had except as an emergency spare tire. The cars are too heavy and will push such tiny tires at much too low a speed. Then again, I don't just putt around. When I got my GT it had 205 -75 -15's on it with stock 4.5" wide wheels, they looked silly, too small and handled as such. Going to a 215-70-15 on a 6.5" wheel was a big improvement, with much better handling and far better looking. Now with 235-55-17 " tires on 7.5" wheels the handling is outstanding ; they are only a very tiny bit larger in diameter than the 215 x 70's but an inch wider so appearance is pretty much the same, (yes I know, you don't like my wheels Rich). BTW; the approved rim width chart I'm looking at shows the largest tire for a 6" wheel to be a 215-75; for a 215-70 you need a 6.5" wheel. It also shows the largest tire for a 4.5" wheel (stock on the GT) to be a 165-80; 195's don't come into play until you get to a 5.5" wheel.

I know the Lark is limited in tire/wheel size by the size and shape of its wheel wells and fender openings, at least mine was, so a 6" wheel may be the largest that will reasonably fit; but , I know a C/K will accept a 7.5" wheel on all four corners and an 8" in the rear without a lot of fuss. "Correctly" or not , I've found a larger wheel and tire to be much better performing, in part because better tires are available in the larger sizes, as well as better looking.

[Russk]

This is what I chose
legendary wheel l company, they’re 17 by 7
I’m running to 35- 55-17s

[Dwight FitzSimons]

"I know the Lark is limited in tire/wheel size by the size and shape of its wheel wells and fender openings, at least mine was, so a 6" wheel may be the largest that will reasonably fit."

I suspect that this is the reason Jon Myer advised Real Rodders to make the repro wheels 6" wide.

I am among many who have successfully run 215/70R15 tires on 15x6.5" wheels on my Avantis and GT Hawks for decades. I'm just not going to give up my handling; that's what I live for! One can run wider tires, but, for me, 215s, with BFG Radial T/A tires, give me all the handling that I can exercise on public roads. And, my car looks stock.

--Dwight

[DEEPNHOCK]

Just a fact based FYI...

Coker BFGoodrich Silvertown Radial Tires

Tire, Coker BFG Silvertown, P 225 /70R15, Radial, 1,753 lb. Load Rating, Redline
Fit the '59 Hawk just fine. Real Rodder wheel. 15" x 6" x 3&1/2" backspacing.
Rear: 1&1/2" clearance (tire to frame). 2" tire to rear wheel well (top).
Front: 1&1/2" clearance (tire to the top center of the front wheel well)
Hopethe info helps.
Jeff
PS: Everyone had the tires at the same price. Summit Racing had free freight over $100.

[Hawklover]

"NO other sizes are a proper fit, and no larger than 6 Inches X15 inches makes the Car look, handle, track or preform correctly."

That is a pretty definitive statement I have to disagree with. While it may have been true for putting around town at 50 -55 mph in 1960, it is no longer the fifties, sixties or even the same century. Traffic and road conditions today are not what they were then and changes can make a vehicle more drive-able and safer in todays conditions. In the same way putting the better 1954-55 brakes on an earlier car was a big improvement back in '55, disk brakes were in 1963 or 1980's GM disks today, larger/better tires are also an improvement today. Better brakes are only better if the tires stay planted to the road surface.

Today I would not put a tire as small as 195 or 205 x 15 on any of the Studes I've had except as an emergency spare tire. The cars are too heavy and will push such tiny tires at much too low a speed. Then again, I don't just putt around. When I got my GT it had 205 -75 -15's on it with stock 4.5" wide wheels, they looked silly, too small and handled as such. Going to a 215-70-15 on a 6.5" wheel was a big improvement, with much better handling and far better looking. Now with 235-55-17 " tires on 7.5" wheels the handling is outstanding ; they are only a very tiny bit larger in diameter than the 215 x 70's but an inch wider so appearance is pretty much the same, (yes I know, you don't like my wheels Rich). BTW; the approved rim width chart I'm looking at shows the largest tire for a 6" wheel to be a 215-75; for a 215-70 you need a 6.5" wheel. It also shows the largest tire for a 4.5" wheel (stock on the GT) to be a 165-80; 195's don't come into play until you get to a 5.5" wheel.

I know the Lark is limited in tire/wheel size by the size and shape of its wheel wells and fender openings, at least mine was, so a 6" wheel may be the largest that will reasonably fit; but , I know a C/K will accept a 7.5" wheel on all four corners and an 8" in the rear without a lot of fuss. "Correctly" or not , I've found a larger wheel and tire to be much better performing, in part because better tires are available in the larger sizes, as well as better looking.

I have had MoPar Cordoba wheels on my Avanti with 205X75X15 tires for years, never a problem with around town driving, or when on the interstate.

[Captain Billy]

Nice addition.....now what about the steering wheel up grade?

[DEEPNHOCK]

Nice addition.....now what about the steering wheel up grade?

Here's what was put on.
Still have to do the horn button, Trying to figure out how to use a NOS Silver Hawk horn emblem..

[Andy R.]

Those Halibrands with red lines resemble early Hot Wheels (in a good way). Looks great on that red Hawk.