LS85 Tires

[Loadstar]

Hi, going to start looking around for some good used tires for the 1953 LS 85 I recently bought.....wondering what would have been on this truck originally......and what guys are running now.....tire size is 9.00x20............Thanks

[aspeltz]

Loadstar,

9.00X20 would have been original. You can still find them new for $200 - $250 each. The catch is finding someone willing to work on the split rims. They can be dangerous if not done properly. I'm not sure if you can run a different size tire and/or rim, but I'm guessing anything is possible.

[yarnall]

Yep, 9.00X20. You can put 10.00X20 on it. It might look better that way. I have a type 55 that came with 8.25X20. My father wants to put 9.00X20s on it. It would make it look a little better. We will make that decision when we redo the brakes.

Mike

[thomastractorsvc]

Send the tires and rims to me I aint skeerd of split rims, the problem with split rims is they are work and nobody wants to work so so its a catch 22 find an old tire man or do them your self.

[Brocky]

You will have to find a tire man that services container chassis. And there are a lot of the one man / one truck tire service men out there, It is the big tire companys and chains who will not touch snap ring tires. OSHA scardicats. The majority of the containers are still running 10:00 X 20 snap ring tube type tires. Just be sure they are in a cage or mounted on the truck snap ring facing inside or another tire before inflating them.

Brocky

[Loadstar]

Thanks for the help......so 9.00 x 20 (bias) tires......If anyone has a nice used set let me know.

[fxfymn]

If you go with a bigger tire it will increase the cool factor and the steering effort. I'd stick with the original. Split rims are pretty easy to work on. When it comes time to inflate them put a clamp type chuck on them, turn them upside down and turn the fill valve on from a remote location. As long as you were careful about getting the rings seated they are not a problem.

[Maddog13407]

they are NOT split rims, split rims are old school Buds like on olds Fords, Chevy's, Dodges and Studebakers where the whole rim split down the middle and was dangerous as all hell. what you have are Lock ring type rims. some might even be Safety Rims. Goodyear made the Safety rim i think along with Firestone. they were where u put the rim down, slide tire over, hammer or pry the other side of the ring on, then hammer or pry the safety lock ring on. they can be dangerous to if mismatched rings are used. the trick is to make sure the grove and the rings are clean and NO rust. if they are really rusty, scrap them! if they can be cleaned up and fit tight they are fine to reuse just dont mix and match the lock rings and rims. old guys frown upon that.

[aspeltz]

Maddog13407,

Good to know. I just assumed everything that used the six spoke hub was a split rim. I think they called them Dayton or Budd wheels.

[Loadstar]

Hi, On the way home from work i stopped in a local tire shop. Asked about 9.00-20......he didnt have any, but he did have some new 10.00-20, That he said would fit the same rims. Although i would like to stay with the same size i have....The price...150. ........a piece...for new tube...flap and to take the old tires off and to re-installed the new ones, didnt seem to bad to me. Like fxfymn mentioned it makes sense that it would effect the steering.......Not being a tire guy it seems strange that different width tires fit the same rim. Wondering if anyone runs this size on their truck? Also currently i have pretty aggresive treads on the rear tires......should I stay with that style for traction or change over to a more "All Purpose" Tread........Thanks

[fxfymn]

Make sure you do not mix radial and bias ply. As to the snow type treads on the rear; they may make the ride a little less comfortable, but I cannot imagine you will drive it enough to notice.

[Maddog13407]

as far as i remember a 10 hundred 20 takes a wider rim than a 9.00 20 or 8.25 20. dont remember the exacts but i thought they were different. maybe the only one smaller is an 8.25 20 and the 10s and 9's do take the same width rim.thought the 10.00 20's take an 8 inch rim or 8 1/2 and the 9's and 8.25's are 7'' or 7 1/2 '' wide. someone else on here will chime in and know. just the many 9.00 20's i have junked we usually take the air out and cut the rim in three peices. makes it a lot easier than beating the tire off the rim and i recall the 9's havin a narrower rim. not sayin it wont fit, but might just not be right.

[41chevy]

My old time tire man showed me the Good Year tire to rim size chart, 8.25 x 20 are on a 6.5 to 7 inch rim. Said 9.00 x 20 will fit if it's a 7 inch rim with out changing the aspect ratio much.

I've gotten U.S. made new tires from M.E. Miller Tire Co. in Wauseon Ohio. for my White. They carry 8.25 x 20 in highway tread for about $200 a tire or so

1.800.621.1955

http://www.millertire.com/

Tire to rim width chart

.

http://waterstorage.tpub.com/TM-5-3820-256-24-5/css/TM-5-3820-256-24-5_697.htm

[Loadstar]

What about a 10.00-20 fitting on a 9.00-20 rim?

[Maddog13407]

seen many 10.00 20s mounted on a 9.00 20 rim. they will fit, not sayin its right but they fit, just dont look right. sidewall doesnt bulge out as far either i dont think.

[41chevy]

What about a 10.00-20 fitting on a 9.00-20 rim?

Chart says it should be a 7.5 inch. Like MADDOG sys the buldge is off which is the "aspect ratio. That should be 88% of the tire width to be correct. You probably ould do it for limited usage though.