Tire/Wheel questions

[wxmn6]

I have done quite some searching and if I am not mistaken, the stock forged polished aluminum wheels on my 2500HD has rim width of 6.5", correct? If so, is that why alot of you switched over to aftermarket wheels in 16x8 size, so you could go with bigger tires? Thanks.

[Heartbeat Hauler]

Yes to the first question, and hard to tell on the second. Some folks are going as large as 315s on stock wheels(very crazy), but going up a size to 265s is quite common on the stock rim.
JP

[afp]

To get the best on road performance out of a tire, you need the correct sized rim. Even 265/75s on stock wheels are not the best in terms of stability, much less the 285/75s, 295/75s or 315/70s.

I went from 265s on stock wheels to 285s on 8" wheels and the difference in stability and handling is significant. I didn't know I had a problem until I made the swap.

I don't think the extra 20mm of tread width made the diference. I think getting the sidewalls of the tire out to where they are supposed to be is the key. A tire on too skinny a rim tends to "crown" a bit, which limits the amount of tread in contact with the road. If you lower the air pressure to get the tread flat on the road, then your sidewals don't have enough air pressure to properly support the vehicle and handlig get's a little squirrely.

Blaine