Larger tires on a dually truck

[Uncle Wally]

Is there anyone out there running 235/85R16's on their DMax Dually? My new one came with 215/85's and I have a brand new set of 235/85's on Alcoa's from my old 94 truck. I was thinking about slapping those on the new one to make it fill the wheel wells out. (I never understood why GM never put a large tire on these huge trucks)

So the questions are:
Has anyone done it?
Am I still going to need the rear wheel spacers?
Is there any issues with tires rubbing on the front?

Thanks for the input.
Waldo

[c5dura]

235/85R16's will fit just fine both front and back (no spacers needed).

http://www.cstone.net/~dk/silverado/rear%20gap.jpg

http://www.cstone.net/~dk/silverado/Front%20BFG.jpg

[Craig M]

c5dura, Rear tires look very close. What is the gap when rear of truck is loaded?

[Header]

I just replaced factory 215's on '05 3500 with 235's. I was concerned about DRW gap. The tire shop I purchased them from assured me they do it all the time with no problem. The truck looks like a completely different vehicle...like it should look like from the factory.

[c5dura]

Originally posted by Craig M:
c5dura, Rear tires look very close. What is the gap when rear of truck is loaded? Here is a closeup of the gap w/ the truck hooked up to a trailer w/ a tractor:

http://www.cstone.net/~dk/BFGGap.jpg

And a shot of the tractor/trailer being pulled:

http://www.cstone.net/~dk/Hudson.jpg

I don't know exactly what the tongue weight was in the above shot, but I would imagine well over 1000# and I was running about 70# in the tires at the time.

I've had more than 3000# in the bed before and had to air up to 80#, so you'll likely have to run max pressure (85# in the case of my BFG A/Ts) to prevent the sidewalls from touching when hauling that really big load. But my experience has been that 70# will work fine for "normal" towing/hauling without any worries. That of course depends on your definition of "normal". ;)

[Heartbeat Hauler]

Gee Wally I think lotsa guys are doin' it. Gosh beave don't do it just 'casue other guys do.... :D Sorry couldn't resist.

First, make sure the wheels actually work. I think there is a change in wheel specs that may prevent the older wheel from working....something about the hub....I dunno may be wrong on that. Second, if you aren't gonna tow or haul heavy you shouldn't have any problems, or if you are gonna tow and use the under bumper receiver hitch. This doesn't put a lot of weight on the rear axle. It's when you tow a 5ver or goose neck that have upwards of 2000 - 3000lb pin weights where the tire gap gets too close for comfort. That's my $.02 worth.
JP

[Uncle Wally]

Thanks for the info.

I know the wheels will need a slight massaging to fit somewhere near .02 in diameter of the hub. Otherwise they will work. Not an issue with a mill handy.

I was more worried with tires rubbing on the front that anything else. I'm almost positive I need to use the spacers on the rear. We pull an extremely heavy horse trailer, and I can't chance it when the wife wants to go by herself.

Thanks,
Waldo

[Heartbeat Hauler]

Originally posted by Uncle Wally:
Thanks for the info.

I know the wheels will need a slight massaging to fit somewhere near .02 in diameter of the hub. Otherwise they will work. Not an issue with a mill handy.

I was more worried with tires rubbing on the front that anything else. I'm almost positive I need to use the spacers on the rear. We pull an extremely heavy horse trailer, and I can't chance it when the wife wants to go by herself.

Thanks,
Waldo Sounds like you got it figured out. 235/85/16s are a cinch on the front, as a matter of fact I've seen guys shoehorn 265s on the front stock wheels (265s are the same height as the 235s) and have no rubbing. You said you have a mill are you going to make your own spacers? If not, try this guy:
Fred Goeske
Design Deluxe
21300 Deering court
Canoga Park, CA 91304
Voice (818)992.5700
Fax (818)992.0325
www.wheeladapter.com (http://www.wheeladapter.com)
Later,
JP

[Uncle Wally]

I tried to get Fred to make me some wheel spacers. Seemed he couldn't remember who I was. Talked to him many times over a two week period. So I gave up and made my own. They're a little too wide at 1.9", but they did work. If I use them on the new truck, I'm going to try to narrow them up as much as possible. 2.5" between the tires seams a little accessive.

Waldo

[Heartbeat Hauler]

Originally posted by Uncle Wally:
I tried to get Fred to make me some wheel spacers. Seemed he couldn't remember who I was. Talked to him many times over a two week period. So I gave up and made my own. They're a little too wide at 1.9", but they did work. If I use them on the new truck, I'm going to try to narrow them up as much as possible. 2.5" between the tires seams a little accessive.

Waldo Well, spacers that mount to the factory studs and then have their own studs to mount the outside wheel on need to be at least 2" thich so the factory studs don't interfere with the outside wheel (I think the factory studs stick out 2" past the inside wheel). I guess you could shorten the factory studs then make your spacers any thickness you want. Do you see what I'm saying?
JP