More Wheel Questions

Inspector71

Original poster
Member
Jan 17, 2012
11
Can I fit a 31.70 diameter tire (265/65/16) on my 04 Trailblazer LS with just wheel spacers and no lift?

Also, is it possible to fit 15x7 wheels on my truck (I would be using a MarkMC adapter to change the bolt pattern from 6x5 to 6x5.5)?
If so, what is the max tire size I can use with them (both with spacers and without)?

If I have to use 16" wheels then I would like to go with the 265/65/16 tires, but if I can use 15" wheels then I'm guessing I would be able
to fit even fatter tires.
 

The_Roadie

Lifetime VIP Donor
Member
Nov 19, 2011
9,957
Portland, OR
265/65/16 are not 31.7" diameter. Which tire size calculator are you using?

But if you did have 31.7" tires, they might fit, but you'd rub on the fender metal I predict without a lift. Is a lift out of the question?

The only reason you might want 15" rims is to get more sidewall proportion, which is of benefit only when airing down for challenging trails, and I question why you would be aiming to do that without a lift.

In any event, no 15" rims fit on EXT/XL vehicles because of the slightly larger brake rotor, but *some* members have fit them on SWB vehicles, but it depends entirely on the design of the rim's interior surface and how the spacer moves it outwards. It's impossible to tell in advance without a fit test. Sorry.

I would take 15" rims off the list of possibilities unless you have a very good reason to want them for performance. I went down from 17" to 16" and run trails that you would not BELEIVE when aired down.
 

Inspector71

Original poster
Member
Jan 17, 2012
11
I was actually hoping to get back to edit the tire size before anybody noticed. Hahaha. I meant to say 285/70/16.

I was only wondering about the 15" rims because I haven't been able to find anything on them. I'm just going for
the thickest, widest tires possible with spacers or less. I don't want to do a lift.
 

The_Roadie

Lifetime VIP Donor
Member
Nov 19, 2011
9,957
Portland, OR
If this is for appearance only, it's gonna look pretty dumb when your tire bends your fender sheet metal when it catches. Especially when the suspension compresses in a turn. Even on pavement.

If you don't want a functional lift, I recommend aiming your sights on smaller tires with OEM size rims. Too many risks in the compromises you're going to be stuck with. Just trying to save you frustration and money.

Lifting is fun, though. The air's better up here!
 

Inspector71

Original poster
Member
Jan 17, 2012
11
Hahaha yeah it's more fun for us but less fun for our wallets. :sadcry:

But I thought that any tire with a diameter of < 30.5 would fit without modification.

285/65/16 tires are a little bit over that, so I just want to have the spacers there
to give me some room to clear the ball joint easily. Plus I like taking my truck through
mud, and in Miami there's plenty of mud and swamp to go around.

So would a 285/65/16 tire on a 16x8 wheel with the 1.5" spacer (or converter) work?
 

djthumper

Administrator
Nov 20, 2011
14,950
North Las Vegas
It is likely that you will have to trim the fender
 

fadyasha

Member
Dec 21, 2011
1,134
djthumper said:
It is likely that you will have to trim the fender

:iagree: 285's are too wide. I wouldn't go beyond 265's as a max with what you're looking for! Go for a lift, it is much more fun and not as heavy as you think on your wallet :tongue:
 

Inspector71

Original poster
Member
Jan 17, 2012
11
Okay. Good to know. I know lifts aren't that expensive, but it's not something that's high on my priority list. I'm going to do one eventually. Remember, I'm in Miami. The only hills we have here are on the expressways. I'm not going to be climbing over rocks. Lol. Really I just want to make it a mean looking and sounding truck that can go through the mud we have on the vacant lots in my neighborhood and will be able to handle some swamp where we do bonfires (not like waist high water swamp, like muddy grassy swamp).
 

navigator

Member
Dec 3, 2011
504
265/70/16 are borderline (30.61) of not needing wheel spacers at all.
If you were to get wheel spacers with that width I would think that would make it look "meaner" and should fit fine without a lift.
 

HARDTRAILZ

Moderator
Nov 18, 2011
49,665
265-75-16 on 16x8 with adaptors and a suspension lift rubbed on mine.
 

Inspector71

Original poster
Member
Jan 17, 2012
11
navigator said:
265/70/16 are borderline (30.61) of not needing wheel spacers at all.
If you were to get wheel spacers with that width I would think that would make it look "meaner" and should fit fine without a lift.

Thanks. That's exactly the answer that I was going for. :wootwoot:
 

fadyasha

Member
Dec 21, 2011
1,134
Inspector71 said:
Thanks. That's exactly the answer that I was going for. :wootwoot:

to confirm what navigator already confirmed. Yes they'll fit I have 265/65/17's which is just about the same diameter of what you're looking for at 30.56. They fit fine without spacers.

I went with a custom 2" lift and no spacers for now, but I agree on the spacers making it look better and that's where i'm going with mine soon enough :wootwoot:
 

Inspector71

Original poster
Member
Jan 17, 2012
11
fadyasha said:
to confirm what navigator already confirmed. Yes they'll fit I have 265/65/17's which is just about the same diameter of what you're looking for at 30.56. They fit fine without spacers.

I went with a custom 2" lift and no spacers for now, but I agree on the spacers making it look better and that's where i'm going with mine soon enough :wootwoot:

Yeah like I said I'm going to do that lift eventually, but for right now there's no point to me doing it really. I'm also going to be changing the exhaust and adding other stuff to it too. If it wasn't for the list I have, I would probably just get the lift out of the way now.
 

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