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Tires / Wheels Opinions Needed Please!!

79Fordpilot

79Fordpilot

50
0
Can you help? Your opinion is appreciated-
I will be purchasing tires / wheels for my project truck, a 1979 F-150 4X4 short wheel base, no lift kit. It will be painted red candy (U6) and will have chrome bumpers front and rear. No other chrome or trim etc. I am looking for your opinion for tire and wheel combo for proper stance and appearance on this truck. Any thoughts? Thanks!
 
taxreliever

taxreliever

Licensed to Represent!
14,695
287
Maine
Is it going to be a stock restore, or are you going to jazz it up for shows?

I'm a fan of chrome either way, but it not having a lift kit gives you much more options for sizes, however, I know when I shopped for wheels, the hub bore gave me problems and kept my options limited....keep that in mind if you have the hubs for the 4wd.

Chrome and red go together well.
 
LEB Ben

LEB Ben

Arrogant A-hole At-Large
34,919
1,124
outside your house
I think I'd start out with a 15x10 wheel (maybe a 15x8) with a 3.75" backspacing. Chrome is easier to clean, but I prefer the finish of a highly polished aluminum wheel. Personally, I'm a fan of bullet hole rims and turbine rims. With the turbine rims, I'd polish the face of the fins and paint match to the truck between the fins. Then for a tire, I prefer a more aggressive look and stance, so I'd go with a M/T at least...probably in the 33x12.5x15 range. If you go with a 15x8 rim, you'll be able to run anything from a 10.5-12.5" wide tire and still look good IMO.
 
C5backup

C5backup

C5backup
49
1
Kingston, WA
What Tires and wheels?

Well, if your truck was a 3/4 ton I would say the 15x10 American racing 5 spoke or 8 hole polished aluminum wheel. BFG or Goodyear 33x12.5 tire. That would be a combination very simmilar to Ken's (utfball68), red and white77 F250. I think that truck also has the perfect height and stance....But.....Yours is a 1/2 ton so...what I like on a half ton from about 1967 on up is the 1994 - 96 Gen 9 OEM polished aluminum 15x7 rim. It has eight 2" or so round holes in it, not a radical off set, 5 lug, and the polish has a durable clear powder coat over the whole works. They retain their shine with no real effort. They are strong enough, under normal to heavy use, they will remain true and they take a wheel weight better than some of the aftermarket rims. In my opinion, I think the 94-96 years look a bit better than the 92-93 wheel. The 92-93 version has a bunch of unnecearry fake rivits around the rim, they are in the same proximity on the rim as the holes. The rivited version is a little more to keep real clean, not a real big deal. Again strictly personal preference, I am partial to the 94-96 center caps, their center plastic medalion is black and gold, as opposed to red and gold 92-93. Those wheels came on many XLT F150. They came on most Eddie Bower trucks and Broncos at that time as well. The aluminum rim, the 3 bolt mount center cap, and chrome lug nuts are available also as an aftermarket OEM replacement wheel. I bought my last couple sets of replacement lug nuts at Les Schwab @1.50 each. I have seen the exact wheel as I have described in the LMC truck catalog and others. They are quite proud of the wheel, based on price. I have been lucky through the years, I have not paid over $200.00 for a nice set, used.

Tires. I think you have to start at a 32"x 10.5 at a minimum to try to fill enough of the fenderwell. That combination will work in most applications, 1977 to 1996 F-150 2 or 4 wheel drive. My experience has been 31s go up front with no mod and 32 on up require a trim at the bumper or air dam.
Almost never an issue on any of them on the rear.

If you go to my gallery, you will see a couple of examples of ones that I have and currently have.

Good luck on your search.
 

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