ok how hard would it b to get 8 lug 15s to clear on a 77 f250 highboy w disk brakes? is there alot of grinding? is it safe? im so sick of 16.5 wheels!!

 

I have them on. You need to get 2.75 in backspacing for it to work and i still had to grind about 1/8 in off a couple places on the caliper. Also having that little backspacing they stick out quite a bit just FYI

 

they the ones in ur gallery? they dont stick out bad at all.

 

Yea they are. I can get you a pic from the front tomorrow where they stick out more. I dont think they stick out to bad but some people dont like the look. Basically they will stick out about 1.5 inch more than your average tire/wheel with a 12.5 wide tire on it.

 

I have 15" Diamond racing rims with 2" of back spacing on my 78 F-250 4x4 front is dana 60 with disc, fit with no grinding.

 

I agree if you went with like a 2.5 inch backspacing you probably wouldnt have to grind at all but the tire would really stick out. I wanted to have it in as far as i could without to much work to make it fit.

 

yea id like a pic. i got a set of 36in iroks i want to use. their 13.5 wide.

 

I cant get the other ones to load right now or i would post more.

 

You could always go with 16's.

 

I'm still really confused on what the issue with 16.5's is.

 

first you cant buy many tires for a 16.5 any more. second 16.5 wheels have no saftey bead. so when running low air psi, the tire can fall off the bead, and a leak of any sort and the tire goes low, it can just fall off. they were not the safest wheel design.


I am using 8 lug 15s on my dana 60s and the front i had to grind the calipers down. My wheels dont have much backspace, so i cut a decent amount off the calipers. its close now but no rubbing. I happen to have stumbled on the wheels in my shop. At first i thought they were 16s but tried to put a tire on and they ended up being 15s.

 

I just looked up several tire manufacturers and there were plenty of 16.5 tires. I've been hearing 16.5 tires were going to stop being made for years and yet they're still here....

I think you may be thinking of the old 16.5 split rims when talking about the bead falling off. And some 16.5's have a safety bead.

And if the OP is going to run less than 15psi he needs to invest in a set of beadlocks anyway.

 

I'm with what blown 331 said, go with 16's no grinding and that's a common size tire these days. 8 lug 15's might get $$, that's not a common size/lug count setup IMO.

Also with 16"s your option's should be off the scale as far as rim choices. See attached pic.

You can always get Goodyear Wrangler MT II's old military HUMVEE takeoffs in a bias ply 36X12.50X16.5 can re-groove to fit your needs or a radial in a 37X12.50X16.5.

All day long for cheap, I run them on ol Red, cause I have a ton of 16.5 rims Aluminum mags/spokes/hurricanes and old style white spokes. Dodge 3/4 16"s will fit too.

You can always get some bead-locks for your 16.5's and never worry about it again.

MRW Bead-lock Wheels

 

Do you have single piston calipers or dual. And can you grind duals to fit 2.75 backspacing?

 

I have dual piston, i think all highboys did. They might clear on single piston im not sure.