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As i continue my tire size search, i figured I'd ask this.....

koosh

koosh

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1969 Super Bee.....18" wheels coming. 18x8 front, 18x9.5 rears.
I'm looking for the tallest/widest fat tires to stuff under the rear...if I have to lift rear 2 inches I will.
Ive also "heard" there is a kit? available to move the rear leafs somehow? To make room for fatter tires?
I'm hoping someone with a 69 Bee or Coronet has this already solved!
Thanks!
 
Backspace (youngsters refer to "offset") will determine how much tire width and height you can use.
18x9.5s will have to have exactly the right backspace to fit at all.
Do you just want fat tires, or do you want something like a drag radial for a street/strip car?
 
18 too modern. Personal taste I guess. 295/50 15 pictured.

053AD556-8914-4116-BB82-05FF177E3E85.png
 
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I had 18s all around on my last mopar.....love them.
No drag radials, just street tires
 
33 IMP said:
Backspace (youngsters refer to "offset") will determine how much tire width and height you can use.
18x9.5s will have to have exactly the right backspace to fit at all.
Do you just want fat tires, or do you want something like a drag radial for a street/strip car?
Click to expand...
Yes, backspacing does determine. I believe my rears will be 4.5 or 5 inch backspacing. Should be no prob fitting. Like I mentioned previously, I will lift if needed
 
Does anyone know about these "spring relocater kits" are?
 
koosh said:
I had 18s all around on my last mopar.....love them.
No drag radials, just street tires
Click to expand...
Okay.
Mickey makes a 28x12.0Rx18 sportsman S/R radial that will work on a 18x9.5 wheel
A 285/40x18 might also work, there should be several that make that size.
We have NO IDEA what will fit till you mount the wheels, without tires, on your car.
If you have an idea what the backspace is, it would help us to know that. (The 9.5 better have 5.25 to 5.5 backspace, at least)
 
koosh said:
Does anyone know about these "spring relocater kits" are?
Click to expand...
If you’re talking about the “half leafs” that will give you another 2” in the rear by putting them on your stack - Summit has them. When I bought for the same reason they were $40.
 
koosh said:
Does anyone know about these "spring relocater kits" are?
Click to expand...
Dr. Diff sells them. Requires cutting and welding, probably more involved than you are prepared to tackle...
 
Pretty sure the rears are 5" backspacing, but will double check for sure
GetX'd said:
If you’re talking about the “half leafs” that will give you another 2” in the rear by putting them on your stack - Summit has them. When I bought for the same reason they were $40.
Click to expand...
No, I'm talking about rear leaf spring relocation kit, to fit wider tires
 
koosh said:
If someone chimes in, then their experience should lead me to fitting sizes?
Click to expand...
I have 18 x 10s in the back. 4 3/4” back space. I used to have a 295-45-18. It looked stuffed in the wheel opening.

A9FEDD6A-868A-468B-8D91-0E5A3588DA53.jpeg


That size is listed as 28.5 inches tall.

I wanted a bit of clearance around the tire and didn’t like the taller 45 series sidewall. I wanted to go to a 40 series tire but the wait was way too long. I bought 295-35-18s.

A7D80FFB-0E17-4CF6-AD67-B9D704B1DC1A.jpeg


I like the look now. These grip in the corners. Braking is excellent. Straight line traction is okay but with almost 500 cubes and a manual transmission, it takes patience.
Fronts are 18 X 9” also with 4 3/4” back space. 275-40-18 up front. The fronts only touch the frame rail at the rear on full lock. The rears make no contact anywhere but…. I did modify my outer wheel tub for clearance. This was to clear the taller 45 series tire. If I had these 35 series tires back then, I would have had adequate clearance. I had a thread about how I did it but accessing stuff isn’t easy for me from this phone.
The rear springs are in the stock location.
Good luck.
 
You really have to do fenderwell modifications to gain much from relocating the springs inboard. Their is also tire room to be gained by widening the outside wheel well. If you look at the outer wheel well it is pretty far from the quarter panel.
The inboard spring kit moves the outside of the spring to the outside of the frame. You cut a chunk of the frame out and weld in the new front spring mount. It puts the spring in about 3". Usually guys run sliders on the back. It's what's called minitubbed.
There is also a offset shackle you can buy that that moves the springs in to as close as it will fit wo modify the frame. They use it on the 71 and newer cars with the springs out farther. Not likely to work on a 69, there isn't enough room in the front mount.



Screenshot_20240308_200652_Chrome.jpg


Screenshot_20240308_200122_Chrome.jpg
 
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All great info! Thanks guys!
 
Kern Dog said:
I have 18 x 10s in the back. 4 3/4” back space. I used to have a 295-45-18. It looked stuffed in the wheel opening.

View attachment 1624263

That size is listed as 28.5 inches tall.

I wanted a bit of clearance around the tire and didn’t like the taller 45 series sidewall. I wanted to go to a 40 series tire but the wait was way too long. I bought 295-35-18s.

View attachment 1624265

I like the look now. These grip in the corners. Braking is excellent. Straight line traction is okay but with almost 500 cubes and a manual transmission, it takes patience.
Fronts are 18 X 9” also with 4 3/4” back space. 275-40-18 up front. The fronts only touch the frame rail at the rear on full lock. The rears make no contact anywhere but…. I did modify my outer wheel tub for clearance. This was to clear the taller 45 series tire. If I had these 35 series tires back then, I would have had adequate clearance. I had a thread about how I did it but accessing stuff isn’t easy for me from this phone.
The rear springs are in the stock location.
Good luck.
Click to expand...
Car stance looks great!!
Are you saying the tire middle number (45,40,35) is the height or taller tire?
 
Thanks for the kind words.

The middle number is technically a percentage of the sidewall compared to the width of the tire. The higher the number, the taller the sidewall.
A 30 series tire will have razor thin sidewalls compared to a 70 series tire.
 
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