Wheels / Tires: Can I use a 225/70/15 tire on a 5" wheel?

[Dougie]

I have the stock 4.5" wide wheels on my 62 Lark Chevy V8 project and want to mount wider tires on the rear. The way I bought it, it has currently has 215/75 tires on the rear. I have 2 choices because I want to keep the Studebaker poverty caps. Either send the wheels out to get them widened to wahtever I want at a cost of about $140each, or I could get some 5" Stude wheels for a lot less. From what I've read the 215's on the 4.5" wheels are too wide, but they look fine. What about the 225's on the 5" Stude wheels? Thanks.

[Bud]

In my opinion they are still too wide for a 5 in rim. The 225/70/15 tire will fit, but it isn't the best choice. A 195/75/15 is the correct size, but I've used 205/75/15's on a 5in rim. Bud

[PackardV8]

What about the 225's on the 5" Stude wheels? Thanks.

They'd probably be OK on a show car. I've got those on a set of 5" Dayton wires and they work OK However, from personal experience, if the 225s are run hard through the corners, the Stude rims are likely to eventually split at the bead area.

FWIW, I had some old Ford cop car/taxi 6"x 15"s on which the Stude dog dish caps fit fine. Naturally, they may be NLA.

jack vines

[junior]

short answer...no. most tire manufacurers will give you all the info required for appropriate wheel widths, load rating, actual mounted widths, revs per mile etc. for example, I went to a BFG site and here is the info.... (6 to 7.5")

http://www.bfgoodrichtires.ca/tire-selector/size/pmetric/225/70/15/OE/BNW/radial-t-a/tire-details

also, as Jack has noted, strength of the old Stude wheels is suspect with wider radial tires loading them on corners, and has been discussed in previous posts. I would follow what the tire company says and not take a chance. Better to find some older crown vic wheels (not the later series of crown vics as they had totally different offset/back spacing more like a frontwheel drive car) or maybe check some places like wheelvintiques. Regards, Junior.

[Dougie]

I am dead set on keeping the white wheels and Stude poverty caps so I think I am going to spend the bucks to have the Stude wheels widened to 6.5". They will remove the center and weld it to a new shell. Should be fine then but more costly.