Changed it's shoes
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Joined: Jul 2011
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From: DFW Texas
Changed it's shoes
Well, when I got the truck it had some chrome Boss wheels on it. 20 on the front and 22 on the back. I have had the truck for about a month and been fixing the long list of crap the seller did not disclose. Anyway, I like big wheels but really prefer billet aluminum stuff. Chrome is not really my color when it comes to wheels. The Boss wheels had really low profile tires on the front as well and it rode HORRIBLE! So I saw a few trucks with the dodge steelies on them and went on the hunt. Found the wheels to my door for a decent price and here we are. The fronts have a 255/45/20 and the backs have a 285/50/20. It rides WAY better now and has more of a hot rod look to me. Wish I could get the truck down another 2 inches but I can live with it until I get a Must II or CV or bags. That will be a while though because I need to get back to building my 65 Comet. Anyway, I am going to put some mid sixties dog dish hub caps on them for a little different look. I will post some pics in a few weeks with those. enjoy---
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From: DFW Texas
No, there are no provisions for hubcaps and no one makes a hubcap for a 20in dodge spare that I know of. Would be nice though! I am going to fabricate provisions and put on a Galaxie dog dishs' or something similar
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From: Deltona Fl
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Bassett Virginia
Truck looks cool. I would like to have the boss wheels for myself to run from time to time.......the chrome wheels would look good with my black truck!!! 
Here is a pic of mine running 1960 galaxie hubcaps, you will like them. My daughter just had woke up and wanted in on the pic, lol.
Here is a pic of mine running 1960 galaxie hubcaps, you will like them. My daughter just had woke up and wanted in on the pic, lol.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2011
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From: DFW Texas
Thanks for all the compliments. My buddy picked up some late 50's dogdishes for me today. I saw a small text of them and I think they will work. They are NOS and he got them for free; long story. The truck was lowered with the DJM beams in front and the DJM axle flip in back. It has air shocks in the back as well. When I got the truck it rode horrible. Part of it was the rear axle was about 1 inch from the frame; so every little bump hit it. Big bump rattled your brain. I had some plate steel laying around so I broke out the plasma and notched the frame above the axle. Boxed it back in with the plate. It rides WAY better now and the axle doesn't hit the frame. Now the tires rub a little on the lip up in the wheel well where the fender and the bed wheel well meet. Not bad though. I am going to cut all that out and make the wheel tubs go straight across instead of dip where they meet the inner bed wall. The air shocks were too long for the stock mounts as well so I extended the mounts on the axle. Much better now. I am going to install a compressor, tank, and bags in the rear over the winter; can't put much in these trucks! More pics---enjoy.
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Posting Guru
Joined: Jul 2011
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From: DFW Texas
Truck looks cool. I would like to have the boss wheels for myself to run from time to time.......the chrome wheels would look good with my black truck!!! Here is a pic of mine running 1960 galaxie hubcaps, you will like them. My daughter just had woke up and wanted in on the pic, lol.
Here is a pic of mine running 1960 galaxie hubcaps, you will like them. My daughter just had woke up and wanted in on the pic, lol.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 884
Likes: 13
From: Bassett Virginia
Thanks! Yep, thats the only thing keeping me from getting some bigger wheels.......low profiles dont help the ride any, lol. I still might get something later on to just ride around town and to some car shows with. I dont know, we will see!
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From: Alton, MO
It is all a system. Low profile tires ride just fine if you have the suspension that goes with them. I Beams/leaf sprung truck suspension was designed when tires were taller with more give so the suspension had less give in relation to the tires. Our 70 rides just fine with low profiles BUT we have a 05 CVPI IFS with 1 1/2" drop springs. The low profiles also give better handling but if you don't have at least the hint of a handling pkg on your truck you will never notice the benefit. In other words if you have so much body roll (typical old truck) that you need to remember it when you drive you will never stress the tires enough to see the difference in handling.
When you know you are pushing the tire so hard that a taller tire would blow or break the bead you see the difference. There is no real way to explain it that I can think of. By the end of next week the IRS will be in. I am expecting even better handling & just the way it is I back away from it. I have not pushed it yet to the point of sliding. Yes sliding, my truck has almost 0 body roll.
Maybe next year I will get a course set up with cones and see just how well she does. Will definitely video it if it does happen. I am hoping the 460 won't make it too nose heavy. If so I may cut the firewall and set the engine back some for better balance.
When you know you are pushing the tire so hard that a taller tire would blow or break the bead you see the difference. There is no real way to explain it that I can think of. By the end of next week the IRS will be in. I am expecting even better handling & just the way it is I back away from it. I have not pushed it yet to the point of sliding. Yes sliding, my truck has almost 0 body roll.
Maybe next year I will get a course set up with cones and see just how well she does. Will definitely video it if it does happen. I am hoping the 460 won't make it too nose heavy. If so I may cut the firewall and set the engine back some for better balance.
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From: DFW Texas
Well, I don't disagree about the handling stuff but the fact is the ride quallity of a 15 inch wheel is WAY different than the ride quality of a 20 inch wheel with the same diameter tire; no matter what suspension it is under. The ride quality of a 255/35/20 is way different than a 255/45/20; trust me, I speak from experience. There is a 2 inch diameter difference between those two sizes. I was just saying, in his situation, the 20 inch tire will ride and feel different than a 15 inch tire; and not in his favor. I would recommend a 29 in tall tire or more on the front of these trucks that have the I beams. Basically, the taller the side wall the better.
On another note; I have read your thread on the cv install and you have inspired me to go look for one or at least a MII. I am just not sure how I could use these wheels on the CV because of the bolt pattern. What is the bolt pattern of the CV?
On another note; I have read your thread on the cv install and you have inspired me to go look for one or at least a MII. I am just not sure how I could use these wheels on the CV because of the bolt pattern. What is the bolt pattern of the CV?
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From: Alton, MO
5x4.5 There is no doubt that a taller tire will have more give in the sidewall giving the vehicle a "softer" ride. If you couple that with a "softer" suspension it would feel sloppy. I was totally against the low profile tires for my truck until I tried them with the CV IFS. I think I would be afraid of much taller tire just because as I have grown accustom to driving with the suspension I push it harder in curves. I have gotten so accustom to the way my truck handles I would bet I would flat be dangerous in a stock bump. Would probably roll it in the first curve.
The TBird IRS has a 4.25 bolt circle but the bearings can be swapped out for Mustang units giving it the 4.5 circle to match the front. It is one of my planned alterations to the rear. When I can say I am finished with the rear suspension it will have a larger sway bar, HD axle shafts, large bolt circle bearings & aux. third member support.
I am always keeping my eyes open for spindles or lower control arms to lower the nose even more. Maybe someday somebody will start manufacturing them. I just had an idea! I know scary. I think I can drop the nose another 1 1/5" with minimal work. I will be looking at this idea next week while doing the IRS.
The TBird IRS has a 4.25 bolt circle but the bearings can be swapped out for Mustang units giving it the 4.5 circle to match the front. It is one of my planned alterations to the rear. When I can say I am finished with the rear suspension it will have a larger sway bar, HD axle shafts, large bolt circle bearings & aux. third member support.
I am always keeping my eyes open for spindles or lower control arms to lower the nose even more. Maybe someday somebody will start manufacturing them. I just had an idea! I know scary. I think I can drop the nose another 1 1/5" with minimal work. I will be looking at this idea next week while doing the IRS.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 884
Likes: 13
From: Bassett Virginia
I tend to disagree. I have a 2010 GT that came with 19 inch wheels and a modest tire size.......I cant remember the size tire right off but not a low profile sized tire. I went to a 20 inch wheel with a low profile tire......There was no suspension change at all and there was a quit noticable difference in the quality of the ride! So I know that if there are no suspension changes that a low profile tire rides like crap compared to a regular tire, as the original poster of this thread can say the same thing I am sure.