16.5 inch wheels
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16.5 inch wheels
I am looking for some input or suggestions on an alternative. I have an 82 f250 that I recently purchased. It has a couple inches of lift and noticed I needed a spare tire... So I google the tire size: 33x12.50R16.5 and nothing! I find a lot of stuff about the 16.5 inch wheels being not safe and all that. The tires are great but I do need a spare and a plan b for when I do need tires. I want to keep the same look of the truck. Thanks!
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Joined: Feb 2013
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From: Roseville, MN
I am looking for some input or suggestions on an alternative. I have an 82 f250 that I recently purchased. It has a couple inches of lift and noticed I needed a spare tire... So I google the tire size: 33x12.50R16.5 and nothing! I find a lot of stuff about the 16.5 inch wheels being not safe and all that. The tires are great but I do need a spare and a plan b for when I do need tires. I want to keep the same look of the truck. Thanks!
An exact match for 33x12.50-16.5 in a 16" would be 317/68-16. In a 17" it would be 317/64-17. Neither of those is a real size, but if you look on a tire chart you ought to be able to find something close.
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From: Virginia
You can still buy 16.5 inch tires. There is not much selection, but mine has BF Goodrich 35-12.5-16.5 and I think you can still buy them.
For a spare, just get a plain ugly steel wheel and find a decent used 16 inch tire to put on it.
Only the 16.5 split rims are dangerous, and only dangerous to the person mounting the tire. You probably have aftermarket rims like I do, and they are not split rims and are not dangerous.
Here's a link to the ones I have. They are good tires. But I see they only make my size in 16.5 inch size anymore. I have a 4 inch lift for mine to fit.
All-Terrain T/A KO | BFGoodrich Tires
For a spare, just get a plain ugly steel wheel and find a decent used 16 inch tire to put on it.
Only the 16.5 split rims are dangerous, and only dangerous to the person mounting the tire. You probably have aftermarket rims like I do, and they are not split rims and are not dangerous.
Here's a link to the ones I have. They are good tires. But I see they only make my size in 16.5 inch size anymore. I have a 4 inch lift for mine to fit.
All-Terrain T/A KO | BFGoodrich Tires
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From: Roseville, MN
I've also heard that 16.5" rims don't have a safety bead to help retain the tire bead. I'm not sure if that's true of all 16.5" rims. And I'm not sure how big of a safety issue it is either. But that's the main issue I've heard about 16.5" rims not being as safe as others (although yes, split rims would introduce another potential safety issue).
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From: Virginia
You only run into problems with the lack of a safety bead if you run very low tire pressure, for instance running in the sand on the beach. The rims I am running are aftermarket aluminum rims, so I would assume they have the safety bead feature, though I have never looked at them to see.
The "safety bead" feature is the grooves on each side of the wheel where the bead sits.
The "safety bead" feature is the grooves on each side of the wheel where the bead sits.
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From: Stockdale, Tejas
I ran into this (selection of rims and tires with my daughters truck) she has 16" on it now only because I found some (tires/rims) for a song (cheap), however trying to find replacement tires are difficult. 17" tires are all over craigslist, this will be the next set. The 16.5s dont exist down here unless you want military grade Hummer tires (37s)
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From: forks
i asked les swab about this a year ago and they said the cross over for the 9.50/16.5 was 265/75/r16
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From: Virginia
Does this look like plan b in this link? Convert to 16 inch.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/crr-3157880/overview/
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/crr-3157880/overview/
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Does this look like plan b in this link? Convert to 16 inch.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/crr-3157880/overview/
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/crr-3157880/overview/
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From: Roseville, MN
You only run into problems with the lack of a safety bead if you run very low tire pressure, for instance running in the sand on the beach. The rims I am running are aftermarket aluminum rims, so I would assume they have the safety bead feature, though I have never looked at them to see.
The "safety bead" feature is the grooves on each side of the wheel where the bead sits.
The "safety bead" feature is the grooves on each side of the wheel where the bead sits.
With the exception of the H1 double-beadlock wheel, a 16.5-inch wheel should be avoided completely. This is because of the unique shape of the 16.5-inch wheel. Specifically, the 16.5 lacks what's known as a safety bead around the edge of the wheel. This is the ridge that helps keep the tire's bead in place. Where you can dabble in the 10-12 psi range with a regular non-beadlock wheel doing so with a 16.5 is almost certain to result in a tire dislodging from the rim. The fact that tires are more difficult to find for the 16.5 is making them more obsolete as well
So it sounds like even newer 16.5" rims don't have the safety bead (at least according to Ali Mansour). But also, yes, it does sound like the biggest "safety" issue with 16.5" rims is losing a bead at lower air pressure. Probably not an issue for most trucks, but if you do any trail riding (not just sand), airing down to around 15 psi on a half ton (maybe 20 psi on a 3/4 or 1 ton) will result in a much better ride as well as better traction if it's needed. A 16.5" rim probably wouldn't be a good choice in those cases.
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From: Virginia
They still sell 16.5 inch rims. Here's a link to one at summit racing's site.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/cl...1208/overview/
If you click on the picture and enlarge it, you can clearly see there is a groove where the bead sits on the outside of the rim.
I am not doubting there are 16.5 inch rims with no beadlocks, but I don't think they can make a blanket statement that all 16.5 wheels do not have beadlocks and thus must be avoided.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/cl...1208/overview/
If you click on the picture and enlarge it, you can clearly see there is a groove where the bead sits on the outside of the rim.
I am not doubting there are 16.5 inch rims with no beadlocks, but I don't think they can make a blanket statement that all 16.5 wheels do not have beadlocks and thus must be avoided.
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From: Arkansas
they still sell BFG All terrains in 33x12.50x16.5 or you can put some tire from Interco, they have a very wide selection, just might take awhile to get a full set as it seems they are having trouble keeping up with orders.
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From: Dryden, ON, Canada
I run 9 psi in my 44's without issue, but I also have an 18" wide tire on an 8.75" wheel... LOL
A 305/70R16 is the metric equivalent of a 33x12.50, 315/75R16 is a 35x12.50.
Non split rim 16.5's are really a non issue other than availability for the average truck owner who runs normal tire pressures. The .5 designator does indicate no safety bead, but, go look at a big rig, you will find 22.5 and 24.5 are the common rim sizes, no safety beads there either
A 305/70R16 is the metric equivalent of a 33x12.50, 315/75R16 is a 35x12.50.
Non split rim 16.5's are really a non issue other than availability for the average truck owner who runs normal tire pressures. The .5 designator does indicate no safety bead, but, go look at a big rig, you will find 22.5 and 24.5 are the common rim sizes, no safety beads there either