Whats the deal with super-wide full tread tires?

[BR3W CITY]

This is a random musing from my observation of trends in hot rodding. I don't want anyone to take this the wrong way...but I can't understand the need for suuuper-wide wheels, just to run suuuper-wide full tread tires?

If its "for the look", I'm totally cool with that, I just need someone to confirm thats WHY.

The reason I'm asking this;
I used to see open-wheel hot rods and early "pro-street" cars in the 80's running 12-18" rear wheels, with fully-treaded tires (meaning not slicks or drag radials).

Back then, there weren't as many sizes and sources for performance tires, and the rubber technology wasn't very developed. You could either run Bias-ply drag slicks (expensive, un streetable), or get something like a take-off dirt track tire. They were cheaper, and very available in wide sizes.

But as our hobby evolved, so did wheel and tire technology. You could start to get big traction from sub 10.5" tires (as evidence by the 10.5" small tire limit popular in racing). You started to see DOT street and drag radials, making more streetable, longer lasting tires that still had traction as a priority.

The weird thing is, M&H and Coker and others still make these ultra-wide full tread tires. They are big, heavy, and often more expensive than drag radials or slicks of the same size or smaller. Whats the reason? If you can get as much or more traction out of a cheaper less cumbersome tire, why wouldn't you? OR to the same effect, if you NEED that much traction, why not run one of the drag radial options on that same wheel and have killer hook?

So please tell me, is it for the look, or is there actually another reason?
/rant

[aod92]

My guess would be that it's for looks. Most vehicles I see with that type of tire have the dated pro street look. Like you said there is no reason for that much tire anymore. Guys are going crazy fast on 10" drag radials.

[Willie Makeit]

because they like them

[cochino12]

chicks dig it

[dirtyjim]

I still prefer the big tires and don't care to much for the drag radials unless your trying to build a sucker car.

[racecougar]

That's like asking why people "bag" their trucks. Or why would anyone buy a Roots supercharger nowadays. They do it because they like that look/style.

[dirtyjim]

now that I think about it why are we driving these old trucks when the new trucks are so much more advanced. I'm gonna park my 67 in a field and let it rust away since its old technology.
up until this post I actually liked the old beater

since this is the internet I must also state that I'm being sarcastic, don't want anyone to think I'm actually serious

[BR3W CITY]

Originally Posted by racecougar

That's like asking why people "bag" their trucks. Or why would anyone buy a Roots supercharger nowadays. They do it because they like that look/style.

I get what your saying, but I'm not feeling the comparison. People bag trucks to get physically lower than possible with sprung suspensions, or to make a heavy old car ride smoothly, or to lift a truck, or heck even for performance suspensions these days (ask the ridetech guys). And people buy Roots superchargers because they are cheap by comparison, and allowed in ProMod and Top Fuel level racing classes while screw blowers and centri's aren't allowed.

[dirtyjim]

I've never ran drag radials but from what I've heard from a couple of friends that have is the only advantage they offer compared to the same size slick is the ability to drive to and from the track legally. I cannot confirm this from firsthand experience but another thing I've heard is drag radials do not recover anywhere near as fast as the same size slick does if you loose traction off the line or anywhere else on the track.

I would still rather build a big tire car than a small tire car unless I was building a sucker car.

[racecougar]

Originally Posted by BR3W CITY

I get what your saying, but I'm not feeling the comparison. People bag trucks to get physically lower than possible with sprung suspensions, or to make a heavy old car ride smoothly, or to lift a truck, or heck even for performance suspensions these days (ask the ridetech guys). And people buy Roots superchargers because they are cheap by comparison, and allowed in ProMod and Top Fuel level racing classes while screw blowers and centri's aren't allowed.

The point is that yes, it isn't practical, but neither are the majority of the things we do with our toys. If everyone had the same taste, what a boring world this would be.

BTW, I don't know that any of us are trying to run these trucks in Top Fuel.

[zicc1835]

Originally Posted by dirtyjim

now that I think about it why are we driving these old trucks when the new trucks are so much more advanced. I'm gonna park my 67 in a field and let it rust away since its old technology.
up until this post I actually liked the old beater

since this is the internet I must also state that I'm being sarcastic, don't want anyone to think I'm actually serious

yeah what he said

[Andy4639]

Most people that I know with those monster wheels have 2 things they want. They want a deep dish wheel to look badass and they are going for that look from behind the vehicle of those monster's meats under there!
Mostly Looks!

[BR3W CITY]

Originally Posted by racecougar

BTW, I don't know that any of us are trying to run these trucks in Top Fuel.

I think FastFreddy is a ProMod, but I'd have to verify that. Haha, no, none that I know will be taking a full steel c-frame truck into TopFuel (unless its a pull truck)

[ekgguy]

It is a styling queue. It is like asking someone why they chopped the top on their truck or why did they choose the '67 instead of the '72 or why did you paint it that color instead of the original factory color.

It is all about your vision for your truck.

But, to answer your question directly, it is all about "STEAMROLLIN"!

[alsriv2]

I bought my truck with Mickey Thompson rims and MT white letter Bias-ply tires already installed. 8" wide on the front and 12" wide on the back. Sometime in the past one of the PO's even had to "tub" out the rear wells to accept those wider rear MT rims and tires.
One of the main issues I am having is finding a similar tire in a modern tire complete with the white lettering. MT makes tires, but no longer in a white letter option either.
Bad thing is the current Bias plies are nearly new and my new 396 will roast the bias plies when I put it on the road later this summer so I do need to replace them.

[BR3W CITY]

M&H did white-letter fatty tires for a long time, I'd think them or Coker would be the easier options.

My M/t's fit a 12" wide wheel, but they aren't white letter.