35" Tires for 16.5 slots
 

Afternoon all! I'm wanting to run a set of 16.5 8 lug slots I have on hand for my k20 , but tires seem to be extremely limited and expensive . I plan on daily driving it with a lot of towing. Any thoughts? I have a few ideas.

1. Suck it up and quit being cheap. ( Although not sure I'm being cheap since a set is $2,000)
2. Try to find a set of the 90's Mickey Thompson challenger/Alcoa's , although not sure I'm sold on the look.
3.We have some fantastic lathe guys and a new machine capable of holding these. It would take some R&D to make sure it would work but I may be able to modify the taper to accept a 16" tire. Not sure there is enough meat to do that.


Open to other suggestions!

Thanks as always,
Nick

Re: 35" Tires for 16.5 slots
 

Just my personal opinion - I would not attempt #3. Reminds me of “yah.. my old man’s got a gnarley set of tools..” Doesn’t matter how fantastic the lathe guy is.
Between #1 & #2, slots all day, every day, and twice on Sunday.

Re: 35" Tires for 16.5 slots
 

That would be my thought as well, just not sure I can swallow $2,000 for a set of tires on a daily driver. Mickey seems to be one of the only brands that sell them readily for them. Plus the alcoas look a little modern imo.

To add- I dont plan on just slapping 16" tires on a 16.5" wheel. I would need to reverse engineer the bead design from a 16" 15 degree taper then transplant that onto the 16.5 wheel with a 5 degree taper. Luckily I have the ability to be able to check that with a CMM to verify that it is the same. My only other concern would be that the wall would get too thin.

If only someone made an affordable 16.5 tire. lol.

Re: 35" Tires for 16.5 slots
 

Is your truck lifted? STA makes a nice ~33" tire if your slots are roughly 9.5-9.75" wide (some were). If the more common ~8.25-8.5" wide slots, then 31" was about the tallest option I've ever seen.
I gotta say (again, my opinion only), not much looks better to me than stock lift with ~31" tire. It just seems right to me. I understand some folks like em lifted though, everyone has a favorite stance and look for their own truck :)
https://www.stausaonline.com/tires/sta-super-traxion/

EDIT: there's also these, but they're $$$ and don't exactly look even remotely period correct.
https://ntwonline.com/35x12-50r16-5e...RoCxxUQAvD_BwE

Re: 35" Tires for 16.5 slots
 

Mickey Thompsons are rare ish but they hold a polish being forged alcoas

Re: 35" Tires for 16.5 slots
 

Have brand new set of Challenger 6 lug 15x10 MT Alcoa's + two sets of center caps I was going to use on my K10 truck. Purchased right when they stopped producing the wheels many years ago. My build direction changed and I went 8 lug so I cannot use them. Purchased a set of US Mags Indy U101's a couple of years ago in a 17x10 to use on my truck now. I found some 16.5's used but the 17's are more common and the size difference will probably not be noticeable.

Re: 35" Tires for 16.5 slots
 

There are 16" slots made now. I forget who offers them but they're around $500@, maybe more now. It may be US Wheel. But that added expense when you already have wheels would cancel out, by far, the added cost of 16.5 tires. I sold off my 16.5 slots a while back when I saw that 16s were made. I held out with 16.5s a long time but by the time I'm ready for tires the tires will be even more expensive. That day may never come anyway

Re: 35" Tires for 16.5 slots
 

Tim, do you have the link to them? As far as I know they only make 17x10's for 8 lug.


Thanks
Nick

Re: 35" Tires for 16.5 slots
 

If you have the room, military hummers run 37x16.5 and are readily available in my area for reasonable. I just bought another set of 4 last month.

Re: 35" Tires for 16.5 slots
 

Maybe this thread will help.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=330740

Re: 35" Tires for 16.5 slots
 

https://www.jegs.com/i/MHT/608/U1011...xoCZxIQAvD_BwE

Since you mentioned 17x10's I'm assuming you already know about these. I saw on here a post from 2018 about a guy wanting 8 lug slot mags and he bought 16 slot mag blanks and had the machine work done, but they do not sell the blanks anymore from the link that he had posted, maybe American Racing? I guess another question is do you need 8 lug? 5 or 6 lugs would be easier to find I suspect.

Re: 35" Tires for 16.5 slots
 

I was the one who mentioned the 17x10's. Those are the wheels I purchased. A shame about the price now. I payed under $200 each from Summit with free shipping not long ago. US Mags does not offer center caps for the wheels anymore. I had to source them from elsewhere.

Re: 35" Tires for 16.5 slots
 

Since you seem concerned about cost, getting 16" rims and tires will always be more expensive than even the priciest 16.5" tires (and no rims). And your slots are vintage mags, money can't buy that coolness :)

Re: 35" Tires for 16.5 slots
 

no I don't, Nick. I just remember when they came out. Now that you mention it I think I was wrong about them being 16s. You're right about them being 17s, which is a good thing with 17" being the new 16". And the 17s will appear more like 16.5s, being only 1/4" bigger radius

Re: 35" Tires for 16.5 slots
 

Do you remember where you got them from? Link?

Re: 35" Tires for 16.5 slots
 

Just came across your post. Had to look for a bit as I did not realize purchase was back in 2019. Purchased on Amazon, 5.12" caps. Eagle branded.
Front open - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Rear closed- https://www.amazon.com/Eagle-3117-06...s%2C156&sr=8-1
Edit- do a search on part number. Amazon price is $10 each more than I paid now. Found them for less elsewhere. Ebay is a start.

Re: 35" Tires for 16.5 slots
 

I have the same problem as you. My truck has 16.5x9.75 steel wheels. I have 33-12.5R16.5s on it and no one makes that anymore aside from interco. The same with 35 16.5s. As far as I know no one offers 16x10 aluminum slot wheels in 8 lug either. I've been buying up good 33 16.5s as I find them but that will dry up and end eventually.