Help! With wheel size selection. Should I go 18 or 20

[AustinBelair]

I can't decide. I see some trucks and think 18" look too small on these squares and I like 20's but I know the 18's would ride a little better with more sidewall. I already have a pair of 295-40-18 tires and a pair of 285-35-20 so I can go either way and only really need to buy another pair in whatever size I go with.

It's an 87 short bed that will have a 2/4 drop on it soon.

[zach_carver]

IMO 20s just work on these square body c10s. I have 20s on my 65 C10, and it rides really good actually. Very little difference between 20s and 15s. The lower profile tires definitely handle a lot better also. I would only use 20s!

[SCOTI]

20's..... But, sell those 20" tires you have & get something appropriately sized. That planned 2/4 drop is mild & would work well w/some 245-45's in front & 295-40's (or 295-45's) out back.

The 285-35's are 27.8" tall which is kind of short vs amount of planned drop.

245-45's = ~28.6"
295-40's = ~ 29.2"
295-45's = ~ 30.4"

[AustinBelair]

Yeah good call. I thought about a 315/35/20 rear and 255/40/20 front but might go for a 295/40/20 rear and 255/45/20 front

[SCOTI]

These trucks have large wheel well openings. They just don't look right IMO w/a tire package that's shorter than stock. Just something to consider. The 245/295 combo would work well on 8's & 10's too.....

[Rich84]

I am trying to figure 18's or 20's too...I do want to stay with something about the same size as my 255-70-15, which are 29.1" tall. I am happy with the way it sits now.
Please follow up with your decision and pictures too.

[AustinBelair]

Originally Posted by SCOTI

These trucks have large wheel well openings. They just don't look right IMO w/a tire package that's shorter than stock. Just something to consider. The 245/295 combo would work well on 8's & 10's too.....

Yeah I think that is what I'm going with. I'm going old school and doing the grey center American Racing Torque Thrust. Normally I avoid them but I love the look of them on a square body PLUS nobody around here really has them.

[zach_carver]

You cant go wrong with torq thrust wheels. I will always advise 20s on any squarebody truck. The bodys are so big and 20s just seem to fit well also.

[lolife99]

The key is finding the sizes you want in the same brand of tire.
Nitto 420s has 255/40 and 285/40 tires.
Toyo Proxes ST II has 255/40 and 295/40 tires.
Either one of these would be a good choice for 20x8.5 and 20x10 wheels.

Some people with more drop run 245/40 and 275/40 tires.
The best way is to find a truck you like with the size tires you like and use that for your visual reference.

[AustinBelair]

Does anyone know if 295/40 rear and 265/45 front will work? I ordered the wheels and now need to figure out sizes I need.

[lolife99]

265/45-20 is a 29.4" tall tire up front.
Take one of your front wheels off and measure (with the weight of the truck on the suspension) from the center of your brake rotor up to the inner fender.
Approximately 14-3/4" will be needed just for the tire height.
I'd want a couple more inches (16-3/4") to allow for suspension travel.

[lolife99]

A lot also depends on the wheel backspacing you order,... aka how much the wheel will "tuck" inside the fenders.

[AustinBelair]

I ordered:

20x8 with 4.5 Backspacing
20x10 with 5.75 Backspacing

I really thought about 315/35 rear and 275/40 front as I've run on a lot of other vehicles but with only a 2/4 drop I'm afraid it might look a little funky

[SCOTI]

Originally Posted by AustinBelair

I ordered:

20x8 with 4.5 Backspacing
20x10 with 5.75 Backspacing

I really thought about 315/35 rear and 275/40 front as I've run on a lot of other vehicles but with only a 2/4 drop I'm afraid it might look a little funky

That rear back spacing might be an issue.

10" wheels w/5"bs keep the wheel tire centered in the well. 5.5"bs tucks it in a little more but gets close enough to the inner tub wall that it can buzz on inclines (pulling into a steep driveway). 5.75"bs is only going to buzz even more.

[AustinBelair]

Dang really. Billet Specialties claimed their 20x10 with 5.74 BS would work. Hmm I might be screwed indeed.

[SCOTI]

20x10's..... Polished had 5"bs. Coy's were 5.5"....