chevy 3500 tire size?

[ousoonerfan22]

We are going to buy a 2001 chevy 3500 4x4 and it has 215/85/16 tires so when it's time for new tires I'm thinking about going with 235/85/16's. I've never owned a duelly before so I'm not sure if they will even fit? Anybody know?

 

[highgrit]

You will need to put spacers between the back wheels, or they will touch when your loaded.

 

[1982vett]

Goodyear website recommends Tire Size: LT225/75R16/D

http://www.goodyear.com/en-US/tires/sea ... 500-LT_DRW

With a wider tire you have a greater chance of overheating and rubbing.

 

[Brute 23]

Check the weight rating for the size and tire you purchase. Size effects the weight rating.

 

[CottageFarm]

these are what we run on our 2003 3500 8.1
Wear like iron, good ride, fine off road. Not so great in snow, but that's a dually, nothing to do with the tires
We had put larger tires on the 1998 that we had but regretted it. Didn't wear well, mileage was even worse (if you can imagine it possible)


http://www.michelinman.com/tire-sel...LT/Base/-1/BE/BNW/ltx-a-t2/11565/tire-details

 

[saltbranch]

You will need to put spacers between the back wheels, or they will touch when your loaded.

No this is not correct. The 85 is a more narrow tire than the 75 series. The 235 will be taller and same width as you have now. The 235/85/16 is very common on duallys, you will not have any trouble. The 235's will look alot better too.Its the load range that affects the weight rating of the tire, not the size. You can have a 215/65/16 Load Range E or a 235/85/16 Load range E....same weight rating.
Actually what highgrit said is not wrong on older vehicles and if you go from a 85 to a 65 or 60 series tire. If the vehicle came with bias ply tires and you then change it over to radials, yes they will rub under a load. I had this happen on a gooseneck, trailer sold new had bias ply tires, i changed to radials at new tire time. The tires rubbed under a full load and broke the studs and the rim came off the trailer. Bias ply rims have a different back spacing than radial tire rims. I learned that one the hard way.

 

[tripleBfarms]

I have the same truck, except a 2003 model. I have 10 ply , 235/85 on the back, and 10 ply 265/75 on the front. They are exactly the same height, but the 265 is wider, so it fills up the front fender wells, and looks much better. With my truck loaded way down, my back tires still have an inch in between them with 75 psi in the tires.

 

[highgrit]

I am not wrong in the least, a 235/85/16 is wider than a 215/85/16. Saltbranch, and a 235/85/16 will carry and is rated to carry more weight than a 215/85/16. I believe 215/85/16 is what size you meant to type, because I have never have seen a 215/65/16 load range E. Triplebfarms, are your wheels "rims" factory duals. The reason I ask is 235/85/16 will touch when your loaded on a Chevy 3500. I have a 06 now, and I had a 02 3500 and 235/85/16's touched on both trucks with factory wheels. And just a bit of info, 235/85/16's will fit on a Ford F350 dually and not rub.

 

[saltbranch]

I stand corrected highgrit.....I would have argued that an 85 series is the same width whether its a 215 or 235 untill I did more research and it appears I was the one incorrect. I have changed from the 215/85/16 to 235/85/16 on all my Dodge dually's and never had a rubbing issue. these trucks where loaded heavy. I did find this chart showing that the 235 is about .75" wider and it shows what the average your speedo will be off by going to a taller tire.

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/tireca ... -235-85r16

 

[tripleBfarms]

I am not wrong in the least, a 235/85/16 is wider than a 215/85/16. Saltbranch, and a 235/85/16 will carry and is rated to carry more weight than a 215/85/16. I believe 215/85/16 is what size you meant to type, because I have never have seen a 215/65/16 load range E. Triplebfarms, are your wheels "rims" factory duals. The reason I ask is 235/85/16 will touch when your loaded on a Chevy 3500. I have a 06 now, and I had a 02 3500 and 235/85/16's touched on both trucks with factory wheels. And just a bit of info, 235/85/16's will fit on a Ford F350 dually and not rub.

Yes they are stock rims. I can't speak for your truck, but I can have my flatbed loaded with 12 , 1200-1400 lb rolls, with one on the neck, and the tires wont touch as long as they are full of air. I run 75 psi, in Yokahama 10 ply tires with no spacers. My buddy has a 99 f350 and he can run 265/75 on the rear of his without touching. Not sure what they do loaded down.

 

[Brute 23]

Yall need to remember that not all brands run the exact same. Its like shoes. A 285/75-16 BFG will not be the same acuall size as a 285/75-16 Toyo. BFG is notorious for running smaller than other brands.

 

[saltbranch]

The backspacing on the rims will affect the rubbing also. Usually the rims on a truck that came factory as a cab/chassis will have a wider back spacing than a truck that came as a dually with a pickup bed from the factory. A Cab/chassis truck will have a rearend that is narrower than a regular Dually hence the difference in back spacing on the rims. A cab chassis truck will have more room between the duals than a regular dually. So maybe when we are comparing my truck loaded down and no rub to the next persons regular 1 ton pickup that is rubbing....thats the reason or part of the reason why there is rubbing.

 

[tripleBfarms]

The backspacing on the rims will affect the rubbing also. Usually the rims on a truck that came factory as a cab/chassis will have a wider back spacing than a truck that came as a dually with a pickup bed from the factory. A Cab/chassis truck will have a rearend that is narrower than a regular Dually hence the difference in back spacing on the rims. A cab chassis truck will have more room between the duals than a regular dually. So maybe when we are comparing my truck loaded down and no rub to the next persons regular 1 ton pickup that is rubbing....thats the reason or part of the reason why there is rubbing.

I would think the wheels would be the same on a C&C and a Dually, but I don't know for sure. The C&C has an 8" narrower rear axle and frame. The wheel base is 4" longer as well, but those are about the only differences that I'm aware of.

Brute 23, I do agree that the different brands are not Exactly the same in size, so this could be the
Difference we are seeing.

 

[jrn28]

The first number is the width in mm's, second is the Sidewalls height in percentage to the width. Brute 23 is right, most tire manufacturers run different specs, even on the same size tire.
I've sold customers lt235/85r16 on those trucks and some have issues with them kissing under a load and some don't, just depends on tread style(all terrain, highway) and brand. Always try to buy 10ply(LRE) on any 3500 price wise there usually isn't much difference. I kinda sell tires for a living.

 

[coalburner]

we run 3 dually's 2 dodges and 1 chevy. As long as we run 85 width tires we don't have any problems, but with 75 width rocks get in between them and rip sidewalls? Replaced several tires before we figured it out?

 

[ousoonerfan22]

This truck is missing the spare will all chevy dually rims have the same backspace and fit this 2001?

 

[ALACOWMAN]

the truck is programmed for the factory tire size,, it may screw with the antilock brake system and speedometer....

 

[CottageFarm]

the truck is programmed for the factory tire size,, it may screw with the antilock brake system and speedometer....

It did in our '98. The speedometer and the odometer. I don't recall if it had anti-lock, but that truck sure ate brakes in general. Had to replace them about every 30k.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

the truck is programmed for the factory tire size,, it may screw with the antilock brake system and speedometer....

It did in our '98. The speedometer and the odometer. I don't recall if it had anti-lock, but that truck sure ate brakes in general. Had to replace them about every 30k.

they can reprogram the truck to the tire size, at a dealership...

 

[ousoonerfan22]

Bought new tires today and the 235/85/16 10 ply are barely touching with 70 lbs of air and the truck is not loaded so how wide of spacers should I buy? Two rims on one side must have worked loose before because the holes are wallowed out and the studs on that side need replaced. If I do that I could buy longer studs if needed. Truck didn't have a spare when we bought it so now I will need to find three rims. The local salvage yard didn't have rims for the 2001-2007 metric bolt pattern so I hope they're not hard to find.