16.5 Rims.. HELP! | Joined: Aug 2018 Posts: 1 stranger | OP stranger Joined: Aug 2018 Posts: 1 | First off, happy to be new members of this blog, and hello to everyone!
We are midway through our conversion and are in need of new tires for our 1989 Chevy G30, but are quickly realizing that 16.5" tires are few and far between. Anybody have suggestions as to the most budget-friendly way to come across all-terrain tires? Wiser to start looking for 8-lug rims somewhere or suffer with the two options on the internet.
Thank you!
| | | Re: 16.5 Rims.. HELP! | Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 18,308 Likes: 569 | Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 18,308 Likes: 569 | Welcome to the site Velma ... the 16.5 rims are on there way out, even I went to 16" rims as Ive had 16.5 for a long time but the choices are few for those.
Again welcome
SUNSHINE VANS-VAN DIEGO ADRENALIN BY THE GALLON & CHASIN RACIN ONE FOR THE DIRT & ONE FOR THE STREETS '93 CHEVY G30 454 4X4 SPORTVAN EXT 146" WB '92 CHEVY G30 454 BEAUVILLE EXT 146" WB | | | Re: 16.5 Rims.. HELP! | Joined: Mar 2011 Posts: 514 Likes: 55 addict | addict Joined: Mar 2011 Posts: 514 Likes: 55 | I went with 17X9's black rock wheels, 80 bucks each and went with general grabber AT2'S. Locally I got the tires for 147 each installed. https://www.flickr.com/photos/151407392@N07/shares/2V27Y6 Sorry not good at posting pics, stick with a 30" tire or less with fresh springs or it will rub. | | | Re: 16.5 Rims.. HELP! | Joined: Nov 2013 Posts: 2,320 Likes: 156 veteran | veteran Joined: Nov 2013 Posts: 2,320 Likes: 156 | VelmaTravels, Welcome to the Site!
Yes! The 16.5's have absolutely got to go. GM didn't keep them for too much longer, lots of tire and wheel options when you switch.
On my 1990 G30, I went with GM Factory Alloy wheels, Ebay. Going rate is around $100 ea, but I do see them for less. These are stock width wheels, I believe, 7, or 7.5 inches. You;ll need caps and lug nuts too, for this option..
I also see stock 16 inch eight lug wheels on CL often. Jegs, and Summit Racing have lots of wheels. I bought a set of black steel spoke Cragar wheels for my little B250, a little over $200 for 4.
Also running a General Grabber tire, HTS 245/ R16's M+S load range E. Which is a not very aggressive at all street looking tire. I run them on my Doge B350 MH too. Very smooth. They hold the road very well. The G30 platform performs really well in the high winds we have here. The 245's fill the wheelwells up. Looks good, and works well.
Don't inflate them all the way with no load on that Chevy though. Ha!
Have fun, and Welcome!
| | | Re: 16.5 Rims.. HELP! | Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 2,030 Likes: 51 veteran | veteran Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 2,030 Likes: 51 | I have western cyclone RVs on mine in 16.5" and I really don't want to have to change them. I wonder if it's possible to have them machined down to 16".
79 chevy G30 cobra camper conversion. | | | Re: 16.5 Rims.. HELP! | Joined: Jan 2018 Posts: 22 stranger | stranger Joined: Jan 2018 Posts: 22 | Sorry I'm a bit late to the party here - I researched this a while ago.
As I understand it some of the 16.5" aluminium rims can be machined to work with 16' tyres. In common with other "half sizes" (17" vs 17.5", 20" vs 20.5" etc.) the 16.5" rim has a truck style bead angle which gets increasingly tighter as the tyre seats outward. The 16" rim has a passenger car style "safety bead" which dips down at the outside edge - that's why car tyres go with a pop when they are fitted - it's the inner edge of the tyre slipping into the dip in the bead, and that helps to hold the tyre in place. With a truck tyre it's more reliant on the air pressure to hold it on. My local truck tyre place said they make truck rims like that so the tyres can be changed at the roadside without having to bring a huge tyre changing machine.
I don't think steelies can be altered in the same way as there's not enough meat there. | | | Re: 16.5 Rims.. HELP! | Joined: Jan 2018 Posts: 22 stranger | stranger Joined: Jan 2018 Posts: 22 | I should have added, apparently it's only the bead angle that is different, the other dimensions are the same between 16 and 16.5, hence why they can be made to work by only machining the bead.
Also hence why 16" tyres will physically fit on a 16.5" rim but with potentially catastrophic results - instead of the tyre popping into the recess the bead angle continues to stretch the tyre out 1/2" too far and it explodes !!
Last edited by LazySteve; November 12th 2018 7:15 am.
| | | Re: 16.5 Rims.. HELP! | Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 2,030 Likes: 51 veteran | veteran Joined: Apr 2004 Posts: 2,030 Likes: 51 | Thanks for the reply Steve ....Great info!
Now to find a machine shop that can do the job.
79 chevy G30 cobra camper conversion. | | |
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