Tires for 15 x 5.5 and 15 x 8 wheels on a 64 Wagon

[matthon]

1964 Plymouth Fury wagon.
Rebuilt front suspension, QA1/Proforged stuff.
Later 8 3/4 rear (not as wide as the 64 rear) new springs etc.

Currently has 14" steelies.

I have a set of 15" steelies that accept the 10" dog dish caps:
Front: 15 x 5.5
Rear: 15 x 8, 4.25 bs

I test fit 2 different wheel/tire combos on the rear:
15x8 4.25 bs with old dry rotted L-60 MT - very squared off, and they just barely fit.
15x8 4.5 bs with new 275/60s (supposed to be comparable to the L-60s) - fit the same, the space between the tire and the quarter/lip are the exact same.

Not sure why a bigger offset with a more rounded tire fits the same?

Trying to figure out the best size tires front/rear.
Not a racecar, daily driver, so I figure the questions are:
Widest tire I can fit on a the front 15 x 5.5 wheels?
NOT the widest tire for the rear 15 x 8, 4.25 bs wheels?

Plan is to buy Cooper Cobra Radial GTs all around.

Any input is appreciated, tires are not cheap.

First 2 pics are the L-60 MT, last is the 275/60 on my 62 Dart (more rounded tire, larger bs, but fits the same on the wagon).

 

[33 IMP]

Ive got a 235-70/15 on a six inch rim for my 62, but tire size.com says to stick to a 225 for a 5.5 rim. Adjust aspect ratio to get the height you want. (Running a 235 on a 5.5 wouldn't bother me a bit)
I'm also using a 255-70/15 on the rear on a ramcharger 15x8 steelie. I wanted a 275-70 but the ram rim didn't have enough bs (4").
Nice tall 255 fills the wheelwell opening nicely.
(Pretty sure I have a 65 8 3/4 in my car)

 

[lewtot184]

I used 215-75x15 on 5 .5" steel wheels and 275-60's on 8"-4.5" backspace steel wheels on my 65 coronet once. No fitment issues.

 

[33 IMP]

I used 215-75x15 on 5 .5" steel wheels and 275-60's on 8"-4.5" backspace steel wheels on my 65 coronet once. No fitment issues.

I like that, nice combo. Especially the nice tall 215s, if you have clearance for the height. But with not QUITE enough backspace on the rear (same problem I had) a 255 is probably a better fit for matthon. My opinion only.

 

[matthon]

I found a pic of the tires that were on the 5.5 wheels when they were on my 64 Belvedere 2 door.
28 x 7.50 - 15LT

That's too skinny for a daily driver, for me anyway.

The current 14" all around on the wagon are 225/70/14 (26.4 x 8.9).

Here is what I found:
205/75 on a 4" wheel
215/75 on a 5.5"
235/70 on a 6"
215/70 on a 6"
The original 28x7.50 on the 5.5"

I would love to run 215/75 in the front with the 275/60 in the rear, both basically 28" tall, however even with the 4.5bs and the narrow later rear, the 275 is very close.

Maybe it would be better to run 215/70 in the front with the 255/60 in the rear, as they are basically the same height at 27".

Not much taller or wider than my current 14" tires, but they're all 15" and I'm limited by the 5.5 front wheels and the tight space in the rear wheel wells.

I still don't get the space in the rear, it measures the same as my 64 2 door, and both cars have had both the 64 rear, the later rear, and both rear wheel/tire combos. Fit fine every time in the 2 door, too close for comfort in the wagon.

 

[matthon]

265/60 with the 215/75 is a good match and gives me ~ 1/2 inch more than the 275/60.

I can do this all day, and have before, but what matters is what sizes are available, 265/60 might not even exist, so I need to call around first.

 

[33 IMP]

255-70x15s on the back, 15x8, 4"bs.

 

[lewtot184]

275 with 8" wheel in back, 215-75 on 6" wheel up front. No clearance issues front or back.

 

[33 IMP]

275 with 8" wheel in back, 215-75 on 6" wheel up front. No clearance issues front or back.

View attachment 1780933

Beautiful car, perfect wheel combo.

 

[matthon]

Not sure why the 275/60 on the 4.5 bs wheel seems a little tighter fit than the L-60 MT on the 4.25 bs wheel.
The 275/60 must just be a bigger tire, although the L-60 MT looks bigger when comparing the two:

 

[63MaxCar]

What a great topic. I have the same issue with my 1962 880 wagon. I'd like to use the original hubcap but for me the 14's don't give enough support for such a heavy car. So I'm open to suggestions as what options I have to use 15's with a hubcap or wheels that gave that same original feel. What was Mother Mopar thinking?

 

[lewtot184]

Not sure why the 275/60 on the 4.5 bs wheel seems a little tighter fit than the L-60 MT on the 4.25 bs wheel.
The 275/60 must just be a bigger tire, although the L-60 MT looks bigger when comparing the two:

Wheel houses may be different on wagons. I have good tire clearance.

 

[matthon]

Wheel houses may be different on wagons.

I measured both wheel houses on my 64 Fury wagon and my 64 Belvedere 2 door, both are the same.
I had heard that wagons have a smaller wheel house, but every way I measure it I'm getting the same measurements.
Used both a measuring tape, and a small laser thing.
Also scraped all the undercoat off the wagon, 2 door has minimal.

Keep in mind, I pulled the later rear that was in my 2 door, that fit both wheels/tires, and put it in my wagon.
Wagon has new wagon springs, 7 leaf.
2 door had SS springs, sat a little higher, not much.

There is also the idiot factor, as in me being one, and I could be off in my measurements.

 

[matthon]

I'm open to suggestions as what options I have to use 15's with a hubcap or wheels that gave that same original feel.

In my case, my 2 door came with 15" powder coated wheels that accept the 10" caps.

Fronts were specially made using original 10" cap centers. I imagine this would be costly.

Rears were made by welding 'tabs' on a newer wheel, looks like just welds added on and shaped.
Crude, but caps fit very well, stay on, and easily pop on and off. Also probably cheap to do.

 

[33 IMP]

I do NOT mean to insult you, but are you sure of your bs measurements? The way you have the square laying, you're not measuring from the tire to the wheel face are you? (I'm positive you know what you're doing..... but I hadda ask)
The one wheel you show looks identical to my 15x8 ramcharger wheel, and mine has 4" bs.

 

[matthon]

I do NOT mean to insult you, but are you sure of your bs measurements?

No worries. I actually thought it might look like I measured from the tire when I watched the video back.

I absolutely 100% only measured from the edge of the outer rim to the center, multiple times.

The one wheel you show looks identical to my 15x8 ramcharger wheel, and mine has 4" bs.

The wheel with the M/T tire, my guess is it's a Ferd wheel, I have no idea though.

 

[Dave6T4]

"70" series tires might fit better, as they are a little narrower and taller than equivalent " 60" series. I have 215/70 X 15 tires on the front of my '64 Polara. The trailing edge of the front fender curls in quite a ways, and the tire was snagging it at full turn. I had to trim away some of the fender by the brace rod so tire would clear.

 

[Dave6T4]

I do NOT mean to insult you, but are you sure of your bs measurements? The way you have the square laying, you're not measuring from the tire to the wheel face are you? (I'm positive you know what you're doing..... but I hadda ask)
The one wheel you show looks identical to my 15x8 ramcharger wheel, and mine has 4" bs.

I found that the 15 X 8 Ramcharger wheels did not have the right backspace to use on cars.

 

[33 IMP]

I found that the 15 X 8 Ramcharger wheels did not have the right backspace to use on cars.

I can agree, sorta, with that. If my 15x8 ram wheels had 4 1/2 bs instead of 4", I could have got 275s on em fairly easily.
As it is, the 255s work, but they are almost as tight on the fender as my 10.5 slicks.

 

[halfafish]

My 72 currently has 215/65-15 on 15x6 for the fronts, and 255/60-15 on 15x7 in the rear. Tires are Cooper Cobras, wheels are Wheel Vintique 63's. I have TONS of additional room to play with in every direction. These tires and wheels were stolen from my 69 Dart just to get the wagon rolling on decent tires.

I'm going to go to 235/70-15 on 15x6 in the front, and 275/60-15 on 15x8 in the rear, real soon. Wheels are getting ordered this week, tires in a few weeks.