Rim and tire fitment for 70 Charger

[MoparSlim]

Looking to change out the 5 spoke Cragar wheels on my Charger...They look like donuts in the big wheel wells. 15x7 P235 60 all around.
My favorite wheel is a 5 spoke Cragar...but, with more of a deep dish look.
However, looking to go with a Cragar Street Pro look to change it up.

https://www.jegs.com/i/Cragar/260/3905105/10002/-1

15x8 front and 15x10 rear 4 1/2" backspacing. I like a lot of sidewall showing (not low profile tires) therefore, anyone have suggestions on sizes of tires that would work on these rims?

Probably going with Hoosiers tires. White letters out.

Want to get air shocks for rear to lift it also.

Opinions welcomed.

Thanks.

 

[tmaleck]

Looking to change out the 5 spoke Cragar wheels on my Charger...They look like donuts in the big wheel wells. 15x7 P235 60 all around.
My favorite wheel is a 5 spoke Cragar...but, with more of a deep dish look.
However, looking to go with a Cragar Street Pro look to change it up.

https://www.jegs.com/i/Cragar/260/3905105/10002/-1

15x8 front and 15x10 rear 4 1/2" backspacing. I like a lot of sidewall showing (not low profile tires) therefore, anyone have suggestions on sizes of tires that would work on these rims?

Probably going with Hoosiers tires. White letters out.

Want to get air shocks for rear to lift it also.

Opinions welcomed.

Thanks.

I went with 17x7 Cragar up front and 17x8 in the rear for my 68. They'll go on last, so no pics yet. They are the one piece chromed SS 610C series. I got all four off Ebay for just over $400, with free shipping. Gives the classic look with a more modern size. Haven't bought tires yet, but looking at Sumitomo 225/50r17 front and 245/45r17 rear. Shorter sidewall for better handling, but not so much it looks like there is none. I'm not a fan of the 20-22 inch wheels on a classic musclecar.

My car has Hankook tires on it now, most likely similar to the sizes you'll want for 15" rims
Tim.

 

[MoparSlim]

I'm with you, tmaleck, I don't especially like the 20-22 inch wheels on classic cars. I do like the look of a full wheel well...thus, bigger wheels in the back. 15x10
I had 17 in. 5 spoke Boyd Coddington's on my old 67 chevelle that looked pretty darn good IMO.

Sorry for the chevy, Mopar friends...just check out the wheels.

 

[747mopar]

I've got 19X10" wide rims on the rear of my 69 Charger with zero offset, centered nicely with 285's. Already test fitted 305's as well, tight but they fit. Anything other than zero offset and the 305's wouldn't fit.

 

[rlem1977]

Probably going with Hoosiers tires. White letters out.

Which Hoosier white letter tires are you considering?

 

[MoparSlim]

Which Hoosier white letter tires are you considering?

I actually am having trouble finding the Hoosier tire I had in the past...

 

[rlem1977]

I actually am having trouble finding the Hoosier tire I had in the past...

Yuup. Bought by Continental in 2016. Hoosier has some RWL racing tires. From what I've seen, there are about 4 radial tire brands with RWL - BFG, Cooper, Hankook, and Mickey Thompson (owned by Cooper). There may be some others out there. Some of the old bias plys are being reproduced, but they are expensive. I plan on running the M/T Sportsman S/T:

 

[Torkmnstr]

295/50/15's are your ticket. I ran them on my roadrunner, but with the lip rolled. That 4.5" back space will push them out pretty far, I was running a 15x10 with the same BP and it looked great.

 

[MoparSlim]

Yuup. Bought by Continental in 2016. Hoosier has some RWL racing tires. From what I've seen, there are about 4 radial tire brands with RWL - BFG, Cooper, Hankook, and Mickey Thompson (owned by Cooper). There may be some others out there. Some of the old bias plys are being reproduced, but they are expensive. I plan on running the M/T Sportsman S/T:
View attachment 604009

Thank you rlem1977...I was wondering what happened to Hoosier. Your wheel and tire combination look great.

 

[MoparSlim]

295/50/15's are your ticket. I ran them on my roadrunner, but with the lip rolled. That 4.5" back space will push them out pretty far, I was running a 15x10 with the same BP and it looked great.

Excellent Torkmnstr...thank you for your suggestion. Lip rolled? Also, what tire size would you run on the front with 15x8 wheel?

 

[rlem1977]

Thank you rlem1977...I was wondering what happened to Hoosier. Your wheel and tire combination look great.

Sorry, to be clear, I found that on the interwebs. Couldn't find a Street Pro wheel with the Mickeys, so found and S/S.

 

[Torkmnstr]

Excellent Torkmnstr...thank you for your suggestion. Lip rolled? Also, what tire size would you run on the front with 15x8 wheel?

The inner fender lip was rolled flat to the body to give extra clearence. The fronts I was running 265/50/15

 

[MoparSlim]

Sorry, to be clear, I found that on the interwebs. Couldn't find a Street Pro wheel with the Mickeys, so found and S/S.

Gotcha...would like the lettering to be a little bigger...like the old school Mickey Thompson's.

 

[Malicious]

Have a look at Mastercraft Avenger GT's great sticky tire.

 

[747mopar]

In a nutshell 4.5 backspacing is the generic one size fits all rim. Rim manufactures offer plenty of options with this popular backspacing simply because they can mass produce them for many classic cars driving the cost down for us. As Torkmnstr said it cost you a bit of width (having to roll the lip) but saves you $$. Mine were custom ordered from US Mag and they couldn't be more perfectly centered meaning you can fill the wells full on both sides. Question is how much is that little extra width worth lol.

 

[MoparSlim]

I've got 19X10" wide rims on the rear of my 69 Charger with zero offset, centered nicely with 285's. Already test fitted 305's as well, tight but they fit. Anything other than zero offset and the 305's wouldn't fit.

747mopar...I went to a car restoration shop yesterday, and the guy told me 15x10 rims with a 295/50/15 tire would rub on my 70 charger. I'm not sure he really knew mopars very well but, I did have my car there and he measured inside the wheel well and said the tires will rub if you hit a bump, have people in the backseat, or corner hard. He said I would need to "mini tub" or curl lip which would be expensive because would need paint work.

What do you mean when you say "zero offset"? Backspacing? (thus the custom order of zero)?
I was hoping 4 1/2" backspacing would work.

I am really having trouble finding a tire shop around here that knows what I want to order and if these wheels and tires would even work. I hate to buy these and find out they do not work. $$$ If the 285's work for sure, without rubbing, maybe that's the size I should go.

 

[Budnicks]

with a 10" wide rim & a 295/50/15 tire
you need more like
5"- 5.250"-5.5" {even as much as 6" in some cases, depending on specific wheel lip thickness}
from the mating surface, inside/inner rim backspace
it will fit a shitload better, with little to no mods

there's a crap load of threads here that have the same info
you can use the "search option" on the top right of the page

Anyway;
a 68-70 RR, GTX, Satellite, Charger, Super Bee, Coronet, RT
Mid size 5 in both Plymouth's & Dodge's
all pretty much fit the same way, they're very similar/sizes & shapes
of all of them "in the rear & front well/housing dimensions"

buy a fitment tool like a Percey, it's like $70
you can also make a cardboard template of the tire
when using the fitment tool
get them from Summit or Jeggs

if you can't do it with a 2' building square
or a 2' level & a string/plumb bob etc.
a tape measure or any simple measuring tools
put the car on jack-stand under the suspension & rear axle housing
so it's at ride height do it on a mostly level surface pref.
use the building square or level etc. flat & against the drum or hub etc.
pull a tape measure off the inside of that,
that mates to the front surface side of the drum or hub
see how much room you have, measure side to side/in & out
deduct about 1/2" to 1"-1-1/2" for sidewall clearance from the rear leafs
{depends on which rim & tire combo} or from the outer body moldings
also measure a bit higher on the back side,
it gets narrower as the wheel well goes up, on both sides
also measure upper inside of the tub near/above the frame
& the inside of the out edge of the lip on the wheel housing
then measure up about 4" above that point it gets a bit narrower
that will make sure you're safe for what you choose for tire size or the
rim & offset/backspacing, probably more important
then just take the narrowest of the measurements, use that to decide

you can do it on the front too, check it lock to lock also,
check shock & sway-bar clearances & frame or strut rod also
shouldn't be as much of an issue up front,
unless you go big in the front too
do the same thing, find the narrowest points & deduct for either rim
&/or tire girth

I hope all that makes sense, it's already a short book
& it doesn't just confuse you too much

IMO the 4.5" on a 15x10 rim for backspace, isn't enough with a 295/50/15

 

[747mopar]

747mopar...I went to a car restoration shop yesterday, and the guy told me 15x10 rims with a 295/50/15 tire would rub on my 70 charger. I'm not sure he really knew mopars very well but, I did have my car there and he measured inside the wheel well and said the tires will rub if you hit a bump, have people in the backseat, or corner hard. He said I would need to "mini tub" or curl lip which would be expensive because would need paint work.

What do you mean when you say "zero offset"? Backspacing? (thus the custom order of zero)?
I was hoping 4 1/2" backspacing would work.

I am really having trouble finding a tire shop around here that knows what I want to order and if these wheels and tires would even work. I hate to buy these and find out they do not work. $$$ If the 285's work for sure, without rubbing, maybe that's the size I should go.

Budnicks pretty well summed it up. Zero offset on a 10 wide rim means it's centered or 5" backspacing (5" in and 5" out from mounting surface). What your guy may be looking at and I honestly forgot all about it is that ridiculous hump in the outer well that limits upward travel? I removed it on mine since mines lowered 2" but other than that it should fit. My 285's have plenty of room, you have to get on some really crazy terrain to crank the axle enough to even touch the inner well. 305's on mine would be fine as long as I keep it on the pavement... no parking on banks, rutted up drives, etc. Like Budnick said 295's with 4.5" backspacing is pushing it... might be alright but with 5" backspacing no problem.

 

[MoparSlim]

Very good information guys...thank you for the advice. I will post pictures when I get the wheels and tires installed.

 

[Malicious]

Budnicks pretty well summed it up. Zero offset on a 10 wide rim means it's centered or 5" backspacing (5" in and 5" out from mounting surface). What your guy may be looking at and I honestly forgot all about it is that ridiculous hump in the outer well that limits upward travel? I removed it on mine since mines lowered 2" but other than that it should fit. My 285's have plenty of room, you have to get on some really crazy terrain to crank the axle enough to even touch the inner well. 305's on mine would be fine as long as I keep it on the pavement... no parking on banks, rutted up drives, etc. Like Budnick said 295's with 4.5" backspacing is pushing it... might be alright but with 5" backspacing no problem.

Not to be picky, but technically 0 offset is 5.5" back spacing. The rim is 1" over size from the tire dimensions. IE a 10" rim will have 10" inside the bead of the rim, once you add in the rim bead it's 11" physically.

I'm running 5.5" BS on a 15x10" with 295 tires on my 68 Coronet - no scrubbing, but I'm not dumped. I wanted 5" but wasn't able to get them in the end, on mine, I'm confident they would have fit.