Wheels / Tires: Question about 205/75/r15 tires

[Scott]

I'm wondering if 205 size tires will fit on the stock wheels for 1966. I think there might have been two sizes, but I don't know which ones I have yet. I know about the rim cracking issues, but right now I am more concerned about my tires. The wheels appear to be in great shape. Were 4.5 and 5 inch rims used that year, or is it 5 and 5.5 inch? This car has disc brakes. Thanks.

[2moredoors]

I have 205/75/R15 tires installed on my 1966 Cruiser and on my 1955 President. They seem to handle well and the fit the wheels ok. I know of others who have installed the same size tires on similar cars. I don't think that Studebaker offered two rim sizes in 1966. They could have back in 1955 as the President model cars had bigger tires than the Commander models according to a tire chart supplied at the Lancaster meet a couple of years ago.

[gordr]

I have seen stock rims crack with 205-75R15 tires mounted. It has happened to me. The Stude rims, either size, are really too small for those tires, and the tires won't look right, as a result.

Having said that, if your existing rims are in perfect condition, and all you do is drive a few hundred miles a years to local meets and cruise nights, you will probably get away with it. If you are going to be doing freeway driving, or plan to put a lot of miles on, find a suitable set of Ford or Mopar rims at the wreckers, and mount the tires on them. Steel rims are cheap!

[StudeDave57]

your results may vary

For a time I ran 205/75R15s, and later I even ran 215/70R15s on my daily driver's stock rims. I did so for many years and many many thousands of miles. I did NOT baby the car at all, and I never had a problem. This may go against reason, but it is the truth. Ask anyone who saw the car in any of the States it has been to in the last 20 years- Washington to California to Florida to Michigan and back...

I do still run 215/70s, but they are now mounted on wider non-stock wheels- for the look~

The stock wheels will one day have 'period correct' tires mounted for shows and what-not.

[garyash]

I replaced the stock 4.5" wheels with the 6" F**d rims, kept the same 205/75/R15 tires - what a difference! My Wagonaire no longer rolled on its side in every turn and the steering was no longer squirrely when I changed lanes. I run them at 35 psi. The only downside was that I have to use the bumper jack on the back end to get the body high enough to get the wheels off the hubs, but that may be because of the Wagonaire's smaller wheel opening in back.

[2R2]

According to the charts I have seen, the smallest recommended and approved rim for a 205-75R-15 tire is 5". If you check your '66 parts book, you will see part way during production, Studebaker switched from a 4'5" to 5" rim. These are nice to have, especially if you want to run the small "dog dish" hubcaps. Of course, Avantis used the 5" rim as well.

[pdrnec]

Two shots of my 63 Daytona - first is with old tired springs. Second is with 'cop car' springs, front & back. Now the 205/60/15s look kinda puny, I'm going to go with 205/75/15s for a better ride, more accurate speedo and to fill up the wheel wells.
Wheels are Cragar 313 series from Jegs, $69.95 each and they clear the stock Stude disc calipers nicely as well as the Turner calipers I have on it now.

http://www.jegs.com/i/Cragar/260/313-5605P/10002/-1