235/60/15 on front of duster?

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72bluNblu said:
I won't go as far as to say they won't fit. I can tell you that on my '74 Duster when I was running 225/60/15's with 15x7's and 4.25" of backspace with the BBP disks I didn't have a 1/4" of clearance to give up. I wasn't at factory ride height either, but I was a lot closer to it then with those wheels than I am now. So I'd say that combo with a 4" backspace definitely wouldn't have fit my car. I would suspect it wouldn't fit yours either, but body style and ride height make a big difference.
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Yeah, as the saying goes: If you have an A body and the part says universal, move on.
I can always use 50’s instead of 60’s or use a 215. I’m hoping the Barracuda fenders offer a little more space since I already have the wheels and tires - just waiting for the disc swap.
 
Topless69 said:
Yeah, as the saying goes: If you have an A body and the part says universal, move on.
I can always use 50’s instead of 60’s or use a 215. I’m hoping the Barracuda fenders offer a little more space since I already have the wheels and tires - just waiting for the disc swap.
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The Barracuda fenders seem a little bit wider, but the issue is that the lower front corner of the wheel opening is actually more restrictive. Usually it's not an issue if you don't go above 25.7" or so on the tire height. But your results may vary.
 
72bluNblu said:
The Barracuda fenders seem a little bit wider, but the issue is that the lower front corner of the wheel opening is actually more restrictive. Usually it's not an issue if you don't go above 25.7" or so on the tire height. But your results may vary.
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IIRC (and don’t count on it) the tires mounted on the rims are 25.2
 
72bluNblu said:
I won't go as far as to say they won't fit. I can tell you that on my '74 Duster when I was running 225/60/15's with 15x7's and 4.25" of backspace with the BBP disks I didn't have a 1/4" of clearance to give up. I wasn't at factory ride height either, but I was a lot closer to it then with those wheels than I am now. So I'd say that combo with a 4" backspace definitely wouldn't have fit my car. I would suspect it wouldn't fit yours either, but body style and ride height make a big difference.
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I’ve run that combo in my 68 barracuda (same fender dimensions).

the 225/60/15 in 15x7 with 4.25 backspacing was very close. I think it would rub backing up in certain situations. When it’s that close alignment, parts, past body work, all can give you tolerance stack. On one end, it rubs. In the other end it doesn’t.

there was someone years ago here that tried that BBP, 4.25 backspace, 225/60/15 combo and it rubbed his 68 barracuda. He changed to 215/60/15 tires.

I ran offset UCA bushing that moved the upper ball joint back. And I ran 1/2 degree negative camber that brings top of tire in. I also ran poly strut bushing that are less compliant than rubber. That keeps the wheel from pushing toward fender when backing... a bunch of tiny things. Some might have done nothing. But I am stacking stuff in my favor.

last-cuda-trip-sm-pic-6-jpg.jpg


these are 225/60/15 in front

upload_2021-4-30_23-15-18-jpeg.jpg
 
Thanks 72bluNblu and autoxcuda for the advice.

BTW, I love the silver/black finish on the police rims autoxcuda. Seems like most people black them out but I’d rather see the wheels.
 
thanson_mopar said:
So I am asking because when I do a search some people say no way and others say they work fine?! I am trying to run P235/60R15 Mickey Thompson S/T tires on all four corners on my 74 duster. 4 wheel disc brakes if that makes any difference. I am wondering if they are going to work on the front or not. I'm going to run 15x8 steel wheels with 4" of backspacing. Anyone specifically run these Mickey T tires? Thanks

here are specs directly from MT if that helps
Sportsman S/T™
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That's a little big on the front, ain't it?
 
autoxcuda said:
I’ve run that combo in my 68 barracuda (same fender dimensions).

the 225/60/15 in 15x7 with 4.25 backspacing was very close. I think it would rub backing up in certain situations. When it’s that close alignment, parts, past body work, all can give you tolerance stack. On one end, it rubs. In the other end it doesn’t.

there was someone years ago here that tried that BBP, 4.25 backspace, 225/60/15 combo and it rubbed his 68 barracuda. He changed to 215/60/15 tires.

I ran offset UCA bushing that moved the upper ball joint back. And I ran 1/2 degree negative camber that brings top of tire in. I also ran poly strut bushing that are less compliant than rubber. That keeps the wheel from pushing toward fender when backing... a bunch of tiny things. Some might have done nothing. But I am stacking stuff in my favor.

View attachment 1715736734

these are 225/60/15 in front

View attachment 1715736735
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You should bolt the UHaul thing on the roof and go racin with it. LOL
 
Thread resurrection time!

I am just going to tag onto this thread instead of starting a new one because my question is very close to the OP's, however, I am wanting to run a US Wheel 15X7 Rallye with a 4.5" bs.

This is on a OEM front suspension 73 Duster with discs. 340 torsion bars, OEM sway bar. Rear 15x8's with 255/60r15 (dia. 27.01")
Been looking at front tire choices and reading threads like this. I really want to stay with a Day 2 theme ... otherwise I would be doing 17's or 18's. Arthur’s Duster

Tire choices I have seen that I would like to get feedback on are ....
BF Goodrich 225/60r15 (dia. 25.6", section width 8.98", tread width 7.2") $184
and
Cooper Cobra 235/60r15 (dia. 26.1", section width 9.1", tread width 7.6") $153
and
Cooper Cobra 225/65r15 (dia. 26.", section width 8.38", tread width 6.8") $141

There seemed to be some issues with a 73+ Duster with a 235 on a 15x8 / 4.25" bs. Would this be a wheel or tire issue that could be overcome by the 15x7 / 4.5" bs?
I would prefer the 235's. I see a 215/60r15 but don't want to consider that before ruling out the wider tires.

I already have the rear 15x8 rallyes so I would like to go that route. I understand that I may be able to go with another period correct choice like a Cragar S/S which may have more fitment options. That would be satisfactory but I am money ahead if I can nail a front tire choice for Rallyes.
 
IF the 15x7’s are really 4.5” backspace, the 225/60/15 is the safest choice. The 4.5” vs. 4.25” backspace flat out gives you .25” more clearance.

Otherwise 235/60/15 is tempting on the 15x7 -4.5”. Does the 73 duster have a lower front fender support bar (usually attaches to hole on side bumper bracket)?? If so, you could lengthen that to push the fender out a little for additional clearance. Not sure how comfortable you are with that being new paint.
 
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72bluNblu said:
BBP disk brakes? No way. Not on a 15x8” with 4” of backspace. Not unless you adjust the ride height up so it looks like a 4x4.

SBP disks, maaaaaaybe. Still be super tight on the fender. Probably still have to move some stuff around to make that work.
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These fit and didn't rub. This is a '74 Duster I made to look like a '71 340 model.

D2.jpg
D5.jpg
Duster 1.JPG
 
Your 15x7 with 4.5 bs is MUCH easier to fit than 15x8 with 4"bs. MUCH! I would go with the coopers, cause I like them much better than the bfg's (letters stay white, for one thing), and I would use the 225s, simply because they work better on a 7" rim. I have used 235/60x15 9n a six inch rim, on a b-body..... but it wasn't right.
 
33IMP said:
I would use the 225s, simply because they work better on a 7" rim.
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The 225/60-15 doesn't show up in a Cooper, just BF Goody.
For Cooper it's 235 and 215.
 
autoxcuda said:
IF the 15x7’s are really 4.5” backspace, the 225/60/15 is the safest choice. The 4.5” vs. 4.25” backspace flat out gives you .25” more clearance.

Otherwise 235/60/15 is tempting on the 15x7 -4.5”. Does the 73 duster have a lower front fender support bar (usually attaches to hole on side bumper bracket) you could lengthen that to push the fender out a little for additional clearance. Not sure how comfortable you are with that being new paint.
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There are fender to bumper braces. I definitely want too play it safe with paint. I prefer Cooper Cobras but they don't come in 225, just 215 and 235. I may have to pay the premium for BFG's just to get that fitment.
 
I extended the fender braces 2” after the fenders on my Duster were painted, didn’t have any paint issues from that.

Compared to the 275’s on the front of my Duster the 235’s on a 15x7 with a 4.5” backspace would clear the fenders by an extra 2mm on the width. They’d be a decent amount taller though, so the corner clearance could definitely cone into play.
 
go-fish said:
That looks good. Any fender mods? What are the specifics? My car is already painted and I want to play it safe.
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The front wheels were 15 x 6 1/2". Rear were 15 x 8 from Wheel Vintiques.
No fender modifications. Stock 11" front discs, stock alignment. 235-60-15 BF Goodrich tires, 255-60-15s on the rear.
IMG_3118.JPG


130.JPG


136.JPG
 
Kern Dog said:
The front wheels were 15 x 6 1/2". Rear were 15 x 8 from Wheel Vintiques.
No fender modifications. Stock 11" front discs, stock alignment. 235-60-15 BF Goodrich tires, 255-60-15s on the rear.
View attachment 1715944106

View attachment 1715944108

View attachment 1715944109
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Probably worth mentioning that a 15x6.5” is the narrowest rim a 235/60/15 is supposed to be mounted on. Measuring rim is 7”, so it would probably have been a smidge narrower on the section width than the advertised spec. Probably not a ton, but if you’re cutting it close a little bit can make a difference.
 
go-fish said:
Couldn’t find a 15x6.5” from Wheel Vintiques.
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if the 15x7 are 4.5” backspace you mentioned, you should have similar clearance as kerndog.

The 15x6.5 rallye’s are factory rims on mid-late 70’s B-bodies. Never been reproduced.
 
go-fish said:
Couldn’t find a 15x6.5” from Wheel Vintiques.
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I would not buy Wheel Viniques rims, I bought a new set of 15 x7 with 4.25 back space.
After sanding them down to paint, I noticed a difference in the hub mounting height between the two rims.
I measured the actual back space:
One measured 4.5", the other was 4.4"

So much for quality control, I could not send them back because I sanded them.
 
One tenth of an inch??That is less than an eighth. The factory built these cars on assembly lines with tolerances worse than that. You'd never notice it in the real world.
 
sireland67 said:
I would not buy Wheel Viniques rims, I bought a new set of 15 x7 with 4.25 back space.
After sanding them down to paint, I noticed a difference in the hub mounting height between the two rims.
I measured the actual back space:
One measured 4.5", the other was 4.4"

So much for quality control, I could not send them back because I sanded them.
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No worse than original Mopar build quality. I have heard of 3/8 difference in axle location from side to side to the fenders. I have heard a quarter inch is common.
Select fit your "off" wheels to the side they fit best.
 
autoxcuda said:
if the 15x7 are 4.5” backspace you mentioned, you should have similar clearance as kerndog.

The 15x6.5 rallye’s are factory rims on mid-late 70’s B-bodies. Never been reproduced.
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Good to know. Thanks for the info. Should I go straight for the 235’s with the 15x7 with 4.5” bs? That way I could still go with the Cooper tire.
 
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