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38x14.5x16

beckmanj@colorado.edu

beckmanj@colorado.edu

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I have searched and I just want to make sure before I purchase the tires.....

I know that many say a skinny 38 will fit with stock suspension and fender trimming but I have no idea what a skinny 38 is.

is a 14.5 a skinny 38 and will this work with trimming?

what would be the best backspacing for this tire?

I plan on a 4 inch lift and would like to know if it would be better to do 4 springs rather then the shackle in the rear due to the stiff springs. I searched and didn't find this one.
I plan on trail riding in colorado and taking the beast to moab.
Any thoughts/input are much appreciated.
thanks in advance
 
allrevup

allrevup

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Assuming you are talking about a CUCV, I'am a flotation school of thought advocate, when it comes to OFF-ROAD tires, the tire should not be much over 4" wider then the rim, with the stock driver side drag link you should use 3"-4" of B.S. but you can clear 5"-5 1/2" if you do cross over steering, drag link clearance is not much of an issue but 14.5" wide tires will provabli rub somewhere even with a 6" lift specially if it flexes well
 
AJMBLAZER

AJMBLAZER

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What he said. That's a wide tire and even with 4" of lift it will require fender cutting to properly clear. Most likely a LOT of cutting.
 
scottc

scottc

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I believe you would have to go to a 6" suspension lift for that tire to work. Fender cutting alone will probably not work. I have got 32-12.50's on mine and had to put a 4" lift on it. Tire are plenty big enough. I think power may be a problem with a bigger tire. Just my opinion.
 
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hobie237

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I'm running 35x12.50s with only minor trimming. That said, if they were narrower, I'd be a bit better off. 14.5 is going to be really freakin' wide, and is going to create more problems.

Scottc, I can't imagine why you needed a 4" lift for 32s, since the stock tires are about 32". I mean, I guess you had some rub, but I'd think at most you'd need a wee bit of front lift if you didn't want to cut the fenders.
 
allrevup

allrevup

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Thank you scottc, Just the point I was tryng to make. With out sayng 4" is not enought lift for 38*x14.5" tires with out a LOT of cutting, not to mention it will end up with a lackluster wrong final gear ratio for truck with a power to weight ratio (40+lbs. to 1H.P.) = not a very good for a 4X4, off-road vehicle then again it will look Tuff on parades or behind moutain hikers...
 
AJMBLAZER

AJMBLAZER

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Pretty much anything below 12.5" wide is considered narrow in a 38" tall tire. Guys talk of my 11-11.5" wide 11.00R16's as pizza cutters.:-D

4" of lift, some front axle moving, and a helping of cutting has been used to make 44's fit so these are certainly doable. Just depends how much work and cutting he wants to do.

38's + 4.56's + CUCV = drives just fine. Power is there in heaps. Only runs out at the high speeds you couldn't do before anyways.
 
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hobie237

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And the bigger tires add some meaningful amount of ground clearance. Sorry to say, but with the stock 32s, the ground clearance SUCKS.
 
allrevup

allrevup

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will on this subject now bruching up about gears, is 5:13:1 the lowest ratio avalible for the GM 14 bolts? The reazon I ask is becouse I don't know if it was typo erors but I have read a couple of times, some where else(?) of lower gears avalible for the 14bolts but have not found any listings...
 
scottc

scottc

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Hobie237, I really didn't want to cut the fenders. The height of the 32's wasn't the issue it was the width. 1" of lift probably would have done it, I went 4"just because I figured if I was going to lift the truck 1" why not 4". Actually gave the truck a good look, and I did not have to play with the steering.
 
AJMBLAZER

AJMBLAZER

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5.13's used to be as low as they went. Might be lower available now. You'd need REALLY big tires or double over drive for them though.:wink:
 
100dollarman

100dollarman

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Is this the tire you are referring to?

Lots of my customers have put this tire on their trucks.

Its a Michelin XML 325/85-r16

On a 10" wide wheel they measure 37-37.5" (depending on how much tread) tall, and 13" overall wide. Most 38s do not measure 38". And 14.50 wide usually ends up about 13.5".

I have them on my Jeep, and plan to put a set on my M1028 when I get to it.

Here are a couple of pics-
 

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beckmanj@colorado.edu

beckmanj@colorado.edu

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The tires were actually the nitto mud grappler. They were the cheapest 38's I could find.
This is my first full size truck so I really just wanted to go big on the tires, I'm used to a land rover where a 33 is big. I'm going to do some more looking around on the web and see about some other tires. I really want a good trail truck that I can take out rock climbing when I want.
 
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