Tire size?

this has been asked before, but I am going with Mickey Thompson ET Street Radials. The rims I am using are 15" with a 5" back space.
My question, does anyone know what the stock Econoline well will hold without rubbing? 10" , 11" inch total tire width??
This picture is exactly the tire size / fit / look that I am going for.
Thanks
Donn

When i was talking to one of our local tire gurus at the car show last easter weekend, I asked him about the Crager mags that I would like to run on my econoline, He seemed to think that the best fit for our vans and trucks were a 15 x 10 rear and a 15 x 8 front was about max for these econolines. As for the offset I think he said "0" offset was recomended( not sure on offset though). Any wider then that might create rubbing issues at "stock height" when cornering. I am sure people have used bigger and wider so I hope they will chime in.

I would be willing to bet those rears are 15x8 with a 3.75-4" backspacing. 5" backspacing isnt going to allow any sidewall bulge of flex if they fit at all... Just my two cents

Hey don,I answered you on the other post, never got a response on the green truck. In all the reading I've done the most back spacing I've seen anyone say they have used is 4 3/4". Even though the green truck rear looks stock, I'll bet it's not, it may have at least an inch or two lift block on it as well as stiffer or air shocks (to raise when driving) to keep from rubbing. That tire is pretty dang close to not hit when absorbing a big bump at speed. If you get this figured out, share the info, and I'll do the same, I want the same look, I'll be working on this more after the first of the year, still haven't figured out what rear wheel I want to run yet.

If I remember the biggest tire you can run is 10" in the rear and 8 in the front. Even with those sizes you should roll the inner fender lips to prevent tire cuts. I have put M/T N50's (11 1/2" wide not counting sidewall) on my truck but used a Torino housing which is 2" narrower than stock and sectioned the fenders moving them all the way up to the top of the wheel tub. The tires stuck out a little on each side but did clear.
My latest van has an axle 6" narrower than stock (50" flange to flange). I doubled up two stock sets of wheel tubbs, opening them up to the frame rail lip, and relocated the leaf spring perches over the frame rail and bored the frame for sleeves for the shackels. The M/T 12X15'S on torque thrusts look sweeeeeet under there!!! This is not a project for a beginner!!!!
Stock wheel wells really suck!!!

My wheels ...if I can get this pic to post up.

One more.

66ThunderVan, What did you use to mount the front part of the springs? On mine I used front spring perches that I installed on the rear since the original rears wouldn't work any longer. It looks real clean and original.

It was really easier than I thought it would be. I skinned off the rear perches from another van I had to cut up for body parts and slipped them over the frame rail right next to the old ones. I left the old ones in place for strength and welded the new ones in right next to them. I also welded the two perches together where they touch. The tricky part was boring the holes in the frame rail for the shackel mounts, due to tool access. The 12 X 15 MT's have plenty of room and I think my MT Sportsmans will fit as well if I remove the snubbers. Those are 14 X 15. I didn't use front mounts because of the amount of power I plan to transmit to the pavement.

It sounds like you attached yours similar to how I did mine. My axle was narrowed 9 inches from stock so it's now 54 inches if I remember correctly. I removed the outer lip of the frame rail and took my widened tubs completely over to the frame rail to allow maximum tire width without cutting into the frame. However Im now considering notching the frame anyway since I want to lower the rear end down and the new spring location actually raises the truck height since the perches are under the frame and not next to it like stock. I could use really high arched springs with the axle on top but I think it would look silly that way and it again raises the truck. The way it is now I dont have any clearance(maybe 3 inches) from top of axle to the bottom of the frame. I'll either "U channel" the frame inside the stock widened wells or go with a California rake look. My other truck is highly modified and slammed so I may go with the rake look on this one. Decisions,decisions...........

I know what you mean about decisions. Cheezzzzz the stress!!!