widest tires that fit on 8 1/2'' rims

[charger2fast4u]

i got a question about how wide of a tire you can put on a 8 1/2'' x 20'' rim need tires and would like to know what the biggest tire i could fit in the rear wheel well it will be on a 1973 challenger if it matters would like a 295-45-20 but i think it mite be to wide for my rims

[Musicman]

275 max...

295 will fit on a 9 but likes a 10 better.

[charger2fast4u]

thanks musicman that will leave the door open for a bigger choice of tires then what 295 has to offer. what does everyone like to run for there rear tires? im using  Falken fk452's right now they aint to bad but could be better.

[Musicman]

Actually... Specs for the same tire can vary considerably from one manufacturer to next, so it's always best to check the manufactures recommended rim widths for that particular tire. After all, there are 295 tires that will fit on an 8" rim, it's just not real common.

The tires shown in the image below are both 295/50/15's, but from two different manufactures (BFG & Cooper). Just looking at the image, it is easy to see that there is considerable difference in the sectional widths of these two tires, yet they are both sold as 295's...

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

The "ideal" rim width for a 295 is 9.5"

BFG, Cooper, M/T, Firestone etc ALL list the recommended rim width as 8"-10" & they all measure their sectional width using a 9.5" rim equaling  12.2" wide

As you can see in the pics the larger 10" rim "squares off" the tire, giving it the largest contact patch.  The 8" wheel "balloons out" the tire & lessens the contact patch.

Ill post up pics of mine on a 15x8 when I get them as well

[Musicman]

Huh... BFG use to recommend a 9-11 rim for their 295/50 in the past which is why I bought a 10" rim in the first place. Maybe when and if they ever start producing them again, the design will be changed to a slightly smaller sectional width. I know the older ones like I have are quite wide for a 295, in fact they are wider than some 300 series tires. My BFG's are 13.5" wide at the middle on a 10" rim... I can't imagine putting one on an 8" rim. Maybe they changed them... or maybe not... who knows... who cares... Just use the rim size recommended by your tire manufacture (at the time..LOL).

Ill post up pics of mine on a 15x8 when I get them as well

and don't forget to check the width for us   
We all want to know more about the new MT's

[bull]

Really? Every BFG T/A size chart I've seen lists an 8-10" rim for 295.

http://www.buicks.net/shop/reference/tires.html#chart

[Musicman]

Sorry guys... and my appologies to charger2fast4u as we seem to have strayed off course here... spilling over from another thread.

In the original post we were discussing rim sizes for a 295/45/20 tire, which has a completely different profile than the 295/50/15 that many of us use.

The normal recommended rim size for a 295/45/20 is 9.5"-11"... please feel free to look it up. As I have already stated... folllow the manufactures recommendations for the tire you are interesated in.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Sorry guys... and my appologies to charger2fast4u as we seem to have strayed off course here... spilling over from another thread.

In the original post we were discussing rim sizes for a 295/45/20 tire, which has a completely different profile than the 295/50/15 that many of us use.

The normal recommended rim size for a 295/45/20 is 9.5"-11"... please feel free to look it up. As I have already stated... folllow the manufactures recommendations for the tire you are interesated in.

Woah really?  i thought we were talking about 15's....my bad as well

[charger2fast4u]

it's all good everyone the way i see it the more information the better. may help someone else down the road. i know this won't be the last time i look at the chart bull posted in the link.anyone run into any problems with rubbing the rear 1/4 panel or inner wheel well with there 295's? these will be going on a 73 challenger incase that matters at all. i didn't really want these 20's but couldn't beat the price and they gave me more tire tread options an look better then the rims that were on inmo

[Musicman]

The "ideal" rim width for a 295 is 9.5"

BFG, Cooper, M/T, Firestone etc ALL list the recommended rim width as 8"-10" & they all measure their sectional width using a 9.5" rim equaling  12.2" wide

Sorry, just an interesting side note hear... I did notice today that Cooper has changed their 295 profile rating sometime in the last 2 years. They use to list their tire (the one in the image above) as having a cross sectional width of just over 11". It was pointed out by me in this older thread from 2008 that the Cooper 295 was advertised in the Cooper specs as being 1" thinner than the BFG at the time.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,41200.0.html

Again... sorry, off subject... just thought it was worth pointing out that things do change from time to time, so it's always best look first.