46 vs 53 inch tires on a bobbed deuce?

[GPappy]

I was able to get a nice set of 5 Michelin 46" tires for my Bobbed Deuce project and started looking for some rims. Ran across a set of Michelin 53" XZLs on the rims that I want and was thinking about buying the set and peddling the tires.

Before I do that, I wanted to solicit some opinions on the pros and cons of the different tire sizes and what impact the larger tire has on the build. Might just want to use the 53s instead.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Did you get the 46's out of Zeeland? I seen a set of five of them over there a while back.

 

[RANDYDIRT]

There are a few guys on here that say 53's are too tall and affect gearing so bad that the deuce can't pull them in 5th gear.

 

[gimpyrobb]

If you plan on doing any wheeling at all, you don't want the 53s.

 

[Recovry4x4]

If you do decide on the 1600 tires, switching to the 3052 tranny will help your power a bunch.

 

[Unforgiven]

XZL's are much stronger. 53's would require a significant frame lift.

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce-modification-hot-rodding/50778-lifting-bobbed-deuce.html

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce-...er-seen-crew-cab-m35-16-00-20s-b-cummins.htmll

 

[tm america]

i wouldnt do anything bigger than a 48 . the brakes just arent up to the job with that much leverage ans weight working against them .i have 46s on my truck and think they are great offroad but would like something smaller on there for when i have a trailer behind the truck

 

[GPappy]

Did you get the 46's out of Zeeland? I seen a set of five of them over there a while back.

Yes I did. They are about 90% on average and the XZLs are brand new. Can you give me some insight on the comments about lack of power and breaks since you have a bobbed deuce with 53s? I know you lifted yours but I talked with a guy near Flint that is finishing up a truck with 53s and no lift. He hasn't seen any interference Issues but wasn't planning on any off road use.

 

[rwbrown72]

Yes I did. They are about 90% on average and the XZLs are brand new. Can you give me some insight on the comments about lack of power and breaks since you have a bobbed deuce with 53s? I know you lifted yours but I talked with a guy near Flint that is finishing up a truck with 53s and no lift. He hasn't seen any interference Issues but wasn't planning on any off road use.

The 15.5's rub the exhaust when offroad under some conditions. I love mine on road. I have the XL pattern. They are right about the gearing issue. My deuce with the taller tires doesn't pull near as well as the standard 9.00 tires. Just a simple matter of physics. I would stay with the 46's for a bobber. You will be able to run almost 60 mph (50 on the spedo) and still be able to do some offroading. They also look tall enough and big enough on the truck. In my opinion the 53s would be a little big for the scale of the truck. Just my opinion. One thing about it, you can try out the 46's and then trade up if you don't like them. Remember, anything is possible if you have the time or the money! Have fun which every way you choose.

 

[tm america]

rwbrown what wheels do you have ?I have 15.5s on mine and have flexed it everyway but on its roof and i have never had the tires hit the exhaust.Mine will hit the drag link at full cut to the right and they hit the inner fenders when flexed and turning .i can only imagine what all 53s would hit i bet they would just about rip the fenders off unless you put some serious lift on the truck.

 

[rwbrown72]

rwbrown what wheels do you have ?I have 15.5s on mine and have flexed it everyway but on its roof and i have never had the tires hit the exhaust.Mine will hit the drag link at full cut to the right and they hit the inner fenders when flexed and turning .i can only imagine what all 53s would hit i bet they would just about rip the fenders off unless you put some serious lift on the truck.

My wheels are custom MRW wheels. I did not have them built. I bought them mounted with the tires. Mine rub when turned full right and a load on the front end. It isn't bad, but I can only guess that the 53's would knock around the exhaust pretty bad. I have no issues with the drag link. I bet we have much different offsets.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Can you give me some insight on the comments about lack of power and breaks since you have a bobbed deuce with 53s? I know you lifted yours but I talked with a guy near Flint that is finishing up a truck with 53s and no lift. He hasn't seen any interference Issues but wasn't planning on any off road use.

The biggest thing I noticed with putting the 53's on the Deuce was, I now use first gear when taking off from a dead stop. It turns first gear into a normal usable gear, instead of being such a "creeper gear" It works out quite well in that manner.

Fith gear is more slugish with the 53's compaited to the stock 40" NDT's. On flat ground, you'll have no problem running fith, and maintaining speed. On an incline, you'll drop it a gear to make up the difference in gearing, compared to before, fith would pull up the same incline.

My IP is not turned up on the truck. So if you turned up the fuel, performance might come back some, to where it was with stock tires? I never messed with the IP, because I drive my truck for the fun of it, not because I want to get some place fast.

As for the brakes, I stops better than I thought it would with the 53's mounted. I don't have any issues or concerns with the way it stops, other than the single master cylinder issue, that every other Deuce owner has. My Deuce does have all new brakes and hardware on it, so yours may very from mine.

Your J-pipe will definetly rub with the bigger 53" tires, and a good chance that contact will happen with the fenders in a full turn. Either re-route the exaust, or lift the truck. A 4" lift would be sufficient for clearance, and you wouldn't have to change/modify your steering, brake lines or driveshafts.

I think the 46's would complement the truck best, looks wise, if you are not up for lifting the truck. The 53's just don't look proportionate to me, when stuffed under a stock Deuce.

These are all my opinions, so take it for what it's worth.

I live just a few miles from where you got your tires in Zeeland. So If you make it over this way again and want to stop by to see my truck, and what I did it to it to fit the 53's, just let me know.

-Paul

 

[Billy Bobbed]

I couldnt make up my mine which tires I wanted.I keep wanting the biggest tires I could put under it.I figured I was going to buy one set of tires,so I bought the 46 XMLs.In my opinion the 46" tires were the best tire to get.They fit the truck great.But I still want 53s.

 

[Unforgiven]

When you build your lift kit, just add another 2-3 inches to it just in case you want to change to 53's in the future. To get full articulation off road you'll probably want to lift it anyway, even with 46" tires. 53-46 = 7 /2 =3.5 inch less clearance w/53's.

If you go with a 6" lift instead of a 4" lift I bet it would still look good w/46's & still provide the option of 53's if you ever choose to do so.

 

[GPappy]

I picked them up so it looks like I need to make a decision. Had a couple people say they wanted them, one even told me what he would pay so I purchased them with that in mind and then they backed out. Guess I might just have to see if I can get them to work on the Duece. These things are huge!

 

[Unforgiven]

You bought the 46's or the 53's?

 

[GPappy]

You bought the 46's or the 53's?

Had the 46's and bought the 53's on rims. I went from not knowing what to do about tires to having too many options LOL. It will be fun to see what these 53's look like on the truck once the bobbing is complete.

 

[Unforgiven]

Well, you picked the best time to decide ... before remounting/modifying the spring hangers.

53's are absolute monsters. I think they might even be re-gooveable, but I'm not sure. I hope you are going to do a lift when you bob it. Are the 46's also xzl? You should post pics of the two sizes next to each other.

 

[mudguppy]

you want it to look cool or be functional?

functionally speaking, i believe that you can't run the 53's without a lift. i think everyone that puts them on without a lift has just built a truck that can't ever leave the pavement.

you need a lift for 53's. 4"? no.

i have a 6" lift and the tires will still rub the j-pipe under mild articulation - note that i said mild, not severe. for the 53's to fit appropriately you'll need 8" of lift.

if you run less than 8" or 6" at a minimum and one of those lugs catches your fender, it'll rip it right off of the truck.

also, you will find the need to turn up the fuel when adding the 53's. braking isn't severely hampered, although it is definitely more taxed. and you'll be wanting power steering if you plan to use the truck offroad.

 

[Unforgiven]

mudguppy, how did you lift it? Is it bobbed or tandem? any pics? steering arm issues?