yet another tire thread (295/50R15 on 15x8)

[tony-muscle]

I have read many of the tire sizing threads here, but I did not see anyone running 295/50R15 in the rear with 15x8 Magnum wheels. The information for the BFG Radial T/As say that they will fit on a 15x8. What is attractive of this combination is that if you go with 245/60R15 in the front, both tires are 26.6" tall. However, I am not in the market for new wheels so I wanted to know if someone is running 295s on 15x8. I am curious how is the fit, backspacing and if they look too "bubbly"?

The other combination I am looking at is the more common 275/60R15 on 15x8 for the rear, but this would be 28" tall, or 1.4" taller in the rear, which would lift the car 0.7" more in the rear. This combination sounds appealing because it should not have fitting issues, plus it may take out a little of the negative rake of the car. Also, I don't know how those 295 would look in the 8" wheel.

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

I ran the 295's on 8" Magnum 500's they cleared fine backspacing was 4 3/4 IIRC and tires did not balloon out or look odd in any way

 

[Mister 4x4]

Wider tires will fit on narrower rims, providing there is enough sidewall to accommodate. For instance, I have 33x15.50" tires on my Jeep's 15x10 rims. That's 5.5" wider tire section than rim width. Yes... they are 'bubbly,' as you say... but they're also off road tires on a lifted Jeep having a LOT more sidewall than a 50-series tire.

A tire expert told me once that having the tire section wider than the rim actually helps the bead seat better in the rim as well. When the tire shop wanted to put those tires onto 15x14s, I told him that I asked for 15x10s because the beads would seat/seal better... and he agreed with that sentiment without hesitation. So, there's probably something to that notion.

The backspacing issue is what you'll be concerned with. If the rim has 'half the width + 1/2" of backspacing,' you should be fine. For instance, I recently swapped my rear rims from 15x10 w/4.25" BS, to 15x10 w/5.5" BS, and the tires fit much better - they don't stick out anymore. 15x8 w/4.5" BS will pretty much ensure you do not have any sidewall-to-wheel well issues, even with 295/50R15s.

Hope that helps.

 

[red351]

I have been running BFG 275/50/15 which is about worn out and I don't think there available anymore. A little to wide for 8" wide magnium 500 and flat road tread contact. so 295 might be worst. 235/60/15 on the front is as big as I can use. Rubs a little on the frame steering box bolt heads when hard left turn is made, so that's your call. Also on the back the 275 are real close to hitting the wheel opening lip if the tire was to get tucked up that high.

 

[tony-muscle]

I ran the 295's on 8" Magnum 500's they cleared fine backspacing was 4 3/4 IIRC and tires did not balloon out or look odd in any way

Jeff, would you happen to have pictures of your car when it was fitted with that combination?

 

[Jeff73Mach1]

maybe . . . I'll look this weekend

 

[flstf09]

I have 295/50/15 on my 72.8" Magnum 500 with 4.5" bs.No issues at all other than they won't hook lol.

 

[Otto]

Are those Caltracs? If they are, how do you like them? How is the handling? Very nice by the way. I wasn't brave enough to go that big with the rear tires

 

[tony-muscle]

I guess I never posted a closure for this thread.

I ended up installing the 295/50R15s in the back, and 245/60R15s in the front. All went without a glitch and I am loving this combo. My wheels are 7.5" wide with a 4.25" backspacing. This is probably the lowest backspacing you want to use for this setup. The tires are flush with the top of the fender, any less and they will rub. Actually, I have close to 2" of space between the inner most edge of the tire and the leaf spring. That said, you probably can go with 4.75" or 5" with no problem and it will fit better.

As you can see in the pictures the tires look great in the car and they don't look big by any means. I actually installed the 295s in the 7.5" wheel and although there is a little of a bulge I don't feel it's excessive. I think they look awesome, and they drive awesome.

 

[Mister 4x4]

They DO look good - Congrats! ::thumb::

 

[mach71351c]

I'm a fan ::thumb::

 

[Omar1029]

I guess I never posted a closure for this thread.

I ended up installing the 295/50R15s in the back, and 245/60R15s in the front. All went without a glitch and I am loving this combo. My wheels are 7.5" wide with a 4.25" backspacing. This is probably the lowest backspacing you want to use for this setup. The tires are flush with the top of the fender, any less and they will rub. Actually, I have close to 2" of space between the inner most edge of the tire and the leaf spring. That said, you probably can go with 4.75" or 5" with no problem and it will fit better.

As you can see in the pictures the tires look great in the car and they don't look big by any means. I actually installed the 295s in the 7.5" wheel and although there is a little of a bulge I don't feel it's excessive. I think they look awesome, and they drive awesome.

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Hello Tony. Would a 8.5 wide wheel make those 295/50/r15 have more or less of a bulge?

 

[Austin Vert]

I guess I never posted a closure for this thread.

I ended up installing the 295/50R15s in the back, and 245/60R15s in the front. All went without a glitch and I am loving this combo. My wheels are 7.5" wide with a 4.25" backspacing. This is probably the lowest backspacing you want to use for this setup. The tires are flush with the top of the fender, any less and they will rub. Actually, I have close to 2" of space between the inner most edge of the tire and the leaf spring. That said, you probably can go with 4.75" or 5" with no problem and it will fit better.

As you can see in the pictures the tires look great in the car and they don't look big by any means. I actually installed the 295s in the 7.5" wheel and although there is a little of a bulge I don't feel it's excessive. I think they look awesome, and they drive awesome.

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Hi Tony,

Just stumbled on this older thread, and wanted to respond with your tire and rim setups you are running.

With all respect, my involvement with tire and rim combo setups for our 1,2,3's over the last 12 years or so running 15inch dia rims, has shown me the correct and safest recommended combos are for a 245/60R x15 inch rim is an 8 inch wide rim, and for a 295/50R x15 inch rim is a 10 inch or wider rim. Anything less wide than these widths is considered not safe to run on. Excessive sidewall bulging is a cool and funky look, but is a telltale sign of running too wide a tire for the rim width selected, and is not a healthy way to go for the tires and the owners. (see this link as reference) ........................................

https://frogwheeler.com/understanding-the-risks-of-tires-too-wide-for-rims/
In my case i have always run on all my Mustangs, and stuck to the combo of up front - 245/60R X15 Tires on 8 inch wide rims, and for the back, 295/50R X15 Tires on 10 inch wide rims, and found that to be the ideal safe, good handling and good looking combo to go for. ( see my enclosed pic below)
For my input here i have left out talking about back spacing specs, as that is another subject for another time. Let me know if this back spacing info is a need to know thing, and i will respond.

It is common knowledge that many folks like yourself run narrower width rims and are happy doing so, but again, they are not recommended as being a safe running setup. For example as a guide, see a chart i popped in below stating correct and recommended tire and rim width setups. Your call at the end of the day, but worth considering here i think.

Thanks,
Greg.

 

[tony-muscle]

Hi Tony,

Just stumbled on this older thread, and wanted to respond with your tire and rim setups you are running.

With all respect, my involvement with tire and rim combo setups for our 1,2,3's over the last 12 years or so running 15inch dia rims, has shown me the correct and safest recommended combos are for a 245/60R x15 inch rim is an 8 inch wide rim, and for a 295/50R x15 inch rim is a 10 inch or wider rim. Anything less wide than these widths is considered not safe to run on. Excessive sidewall bulging is a cool and funky look, but is a telltale sign of running too wide a tire for the rim width selected, and is not a healthy way to go for the tires and the owners. (see this link as reference) ........................................

https://frogwheeler.com/understanding-the-risks-of-tires-too-wide-for-rims/
In my case i have always run on all my Mustangs, and stuck to the combo of up front - 245/60R X15 Tires on 8 inch wide rims, and for the back, 295/50R X15 Tires on 10 inch wide rims, and found that to be the ideal safe, good handling and good looking combo to go for. ( see my enclosed pic below)
For my input here i have left out talking about back spacing specs, as that is another subject for another time. Let me know if this back spacing info is a need to know thing, and i will respond.

It is common knowledge that many folks like yourself run narrower width rims and are happy doing so, but again, they are not recommended as being a safe running setup. For example as a guide, see a chart i popped in below stating correct and recommended tire and rim width setups. Your call at the end of the day, but worth considering here i think.

Thanks,
Greg.

This is a very old thread at 6+ years. I have long parted ways with that setup and I am now running 295/35R18 with 10" wheel. Just to clarify, but at that time I was not going for the bulge look. I was trying to fit the fattest tire I could without buying new wheels so I can get as much traction as possible. Although they looked bulgy, they were still within the limits of the manufacturer. That said, I didn't deem them unsafe. I believe the manufacturer will not risk recommending said combo if it wasn't safe. Further, I did autocross with them for about a year with no issues. Then, as I became more hard core I shifted to 300tw and then 200tw tires where the grip is many times better. However, in regards to lateral grip, I agree that the 295 on 8" wheel combo is probably not better than a narrower tire.

 

[tony-muscle]

Hello Tony. Would a 8.5 wide wheel make those 295/50/r15 have more or less of a bulge?

They should look less bulgy.

 

[Austin Vert]

This is a very old thread at 6+ years. I have long parted ways with that setup and I am now running 295/35R18 with 10" wheel. Just to clarify, but at that time I was not going for the bulge look. I was trying to fit the fattest tire I could without buying new wheels so I can get as much traction as possible. Although they looked bulgy, they were still within the limits of the manufacturer. That said, I didn't deem them unsafe. I believe the manufacturer will not risk recommending said combo if it wasn't safe. Further, I did autocross with them for about a year with no issues. Then, as I became more hard core I shifted to 300tw and then 200tw tires where the grip is many times better. However, in regards to lateral grip, I agree that the 295 on 8" wheel combo is probably not better than a narrower tire.

Sorry Tony,

I did not realize that you had upgraded your wheels a such. My mistake there.

As a cross reference see below sales spec charts from an Australian company selling B F Goodrich T/A radials. Interesting indeed.

Many thanks,

Greg

 

[tony-muscle]

Sorry Tony,

I did not realize that you had upgraded your wheels a such. My mistake there.

As a cross reference see below sales spec charts from an Australian company selling B F Goodrich T/A radials. Interesting indeed.

Many thanks,

Greg

Exactly. BFG recommends down to 8" for those tires. The factor that we should consider here is that these tires have a very tall sidewall which allows them enough space to bulge. If we were talking about smaller profile tires then it would be very different. The document you showed is probably generalized for newer setups with shorter side wall.

 

[70cobrascj]

I like the 10 inch wide Magnum with the 295