CicliDevotion Posted January 16, 2015 Report Share Posted January 16, 2015 Forgive me if I need a little hand-holding, fellas...this is my first time buying wheels for ANY vehicle that I didn't have to pedal or push... I want basic chrome steelies for my '84 2WD 720, riding at stock height. I just want to gather all of the info I'll need to avoid buying the wrong thing. So here are some sizing questions. I'm looking at these (ignore the pic, peep the specs): http://m.summitracing.com/parts/usw-97-5760p 6 X 5.5 The closest to stock, with a bit more meat, seems to be 14 X 7 or 15 X 7... Aside from aesthetic, any advantages of one over the other? For instance, will I be drastically limited with tire selection by going with 15" as opposed to the stock 14"? Do I need to be particularly concerned with center bore? Or will a pretty "basic" chrome steelie like this probably fit my 720? Lastly, what offset and backspacing should I be looking for? 1 Quote Link to comment
CicliDevotion Posted January 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2015 Ultimately, I want to get the centers powdercoated and go for this (super 80s) look: 1 Quote Link to comment
DanielC Posted January 16, 2015 Report Share Posted January 16, 2015 I was under the impression 14" tires are harder to find than 15" tires. Be aware that changing the overall tire diameter will affect the speedometer reading. A bigger tire will have you travelling faster than what than what the speedometer reads. 1 Quote Link to comment
CicliDevotion Posted January 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2015 It's an 80s 720! The speedo is already off by average of 8mph! ;-) 2 Quote Link to comment
CicliDevotion Posted January 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2015 Wait a minute. It's currently reading slow...Maybe this can help me *calibrate*?!? Lol 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted January 16, 2015 Report Share Posted January 16, 2015 Only the rim diameter changes. You buy a smaller tire so that it matches the 14" tire for diameter and nothing changes. For example the 720 tire is 195/75R14 so it's 25.5" diameter and about 7" wide. A195/70R15 is 25.7" tall and 7" wide.... no speedometer change. If your speedometer is out then someone replaced the tires in the past with the wrong size. In 35 years this is very likely. Quote Link to comment
Lockleaf Posted January 17, 2015 Report Share Posted January 17, 2015 Like Daniel mentioned, sometimes 14s can actually cost more for tires because they aren't stocked much any more. Do some tire research and see if that helps you make your decision. Personally, I say 15s look better. 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted January 17, 2015 Report Share Posted January 17, 2015 On a truck... I think so. Quote Link to comment
CicliDevotion Posted January 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2015 Okay. I'm sold on 15X7... But what offset/spacing do I need? Is the set up I linked in the original post gonna work out? Quote Link to comment
84720FourWheel Posted January 17, 2015 Report Share Posted January 17, 2015 If I understand offset correctly, you'll need roughly a -2 offset to put the back edge of the rim in the same place as the OEM rims. Assuming they are 14x5. If they are 14x5.5 you'd need -1.5 offset. I could be mistaken, though. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted January 17, 2015 Report Share Posted January 17, 2015 You have a stock rim now??? Take it off and set a straight edge across the back side and measure down to the wheel mounting surface. (WMS) If your rim is 6" wide and you measure down 3" then the offset is zero. A 7" rim (zero offset) will sit 1/2" further in toward the truck and 1/2" outwards. (if there is room) If (for example) you have no room to move inwards (suspension or frame in the way) then the 7" replacement rim must have a 1/2" negative offset to move all of the extra width to the outside. If instead the body is in the way (fender) and if you have room a 1/2" positive off set will move the extra width to the inside so it fits inside the fender. 2 Quote Link to comment
Lockleaf Posted January 17, 2015 Report Share Posted January 17, 2015 Check out willtheyfit.com. It will allow you to put in your factory rim and tire specs, and also new rim and tire specs and it draws a diagram overlaying them both. You can change new rim specs until you get it sitting where you want in comparison to the old specs, then find the rim that is closest to those measurements. It will also tell you things like overall diameter change, speedometer error percentage, wheel arch gap change, poke change etc. It's one of my favorite fitment tools 3 Quote Link to comment
petercscherer Posted January 21, 2015 Report Share Posted January 21, 2015 Hey Cecli, I happened to be browsing eBay and stumbled on the following rims, they are 15x7s and are actual NOS models from 1982! Check em out! http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Western-Wheels-Rims-in-Boxes-Chevy-6-Lug-15x7-Chevy-Pickup-55-57-Chevy-/141543123084?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Wheels&hash=item20f4a0a88c&vxp=mtr ~Peter 1 Quote Link to comment
CicliDevotion Posted January 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 21, 2015 Incredible!!! Thanks so much for the heads up! Quote Link to comment
CicliDevotion Posted January 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 Big shock that these didn't sell for $1000! ;-) Quote Link to comment
_chiefjt Posted January 26, 2015 Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 So did you get the wheels yet? Quote Link to comment
CicliDevotion Posted January 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 Nope! Quote Link to comment
_chiefjt Posted January 26, 2015 Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 LOL! Somebody sell this guy those wheels. Haha 1 Quote Link to comment
CicliDevotion Posted February 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 Call off the search party, dudes! Look at what arrived today! (NOS from 1983) 6 Quote Link to comment
petercscherer Posted February 27, 2015 Report Share Posted February 27, 2015 Hell yeah! Glad you found what you were looking for! :D ~Peter 1 Quote Link to comment
CicliDevotion Posted March 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 The seller of these, a tire/wheel shop in Wisconsin, has another NOS set and some chrome styles as well. If anyone is interested, holler! Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 Vintage Western Wheels Rims in Boxes Chevy 6 Lug 15x7, Chevy Pickup 55, 57 Chevy While the bolt pattern is correct for a Datsun and the size you want, is the back spacing? Quote Link to comment
Greased monkey Posted March 1, 2015 Report Share Posted March 1, 2015 The seller of these, a tire/wheel shop in Wisconsin, has another NOS set and some chrome styles as well. If anyone is interested, holler! How much is the set? Quote Link to comment
CicliDevotion Posted March 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Just under $200 shipped to CA from WI! Quote Link to comment
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