I am trying to decide on some radials for my 69 Barracuda. Mounted a single 215/70/14 on my 14x6 Keystones and find it looking small. It’s about equivalent to a F70 one size up from stock. Always thought a G70 or 225/70 would be too big but there looks to be plenty of room. Original fenders are modified so this may be why there is room. Anyone have 225/70/14s on a 67-69 Barracuda? Any rubbing issues? Does it look proportionally right on an A-body? Show a pic. Thanks.
Anyone running 225/70/14 radials on 67-69 Barracuda front wheels
- Thread starter Xgoldfish
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Here’s a 225/70/14 on my daughters car.
AJ/FormS
68 Formua-S fastback clone 367/A833/GVod/3.55s
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your Barracuda has room to run a lotta rear tire, but a lotta tire needs a corresponding lotta rim-width.
In the back,
the 7/8/9 Barracudas will accept 295/50-15s in the back, if you move the springs over a bit, but you may need a custom backspace wheel. These are about 27" tall.
If you don't move the springs, then 275s will slip in on 8.5s. these are 28 tall on 60 series, 27 in 50s.
The point is that in the back you can run almost any street tire with very little effort.
>A225/70-14 is about 26.4 tall, which is about 1 inches taller than stock, but looks correct and good, in the back at stock ride-height. Being a tall profile, it may be ok on a 6" rim.
>On the front,
you gotta stay fairly close to the stock height on a zero-offset wheel, so as not to get into steering issues. IIRC the stock front height was 24.5/24.7. So a 225/70-14 is really about an inch too tall for the front.
On a 6" rim the biggest tire that you should consider is 195/70-14. This has a profile width of ~7.7 inches on a 5.5" rim, and a height of ~24.7. It will be a tad fatter on a 6. But again, if you run a taller sidewall, you can get away with a more narrow wheel. So lets say a 205/70 is tops for a 6" wheel.
235/60-14s on 7.5s fit on the front, at zero-offset; these are about 25" tall and on my car, I think they look great!, lol.
>Here's some things to think about;
As the tire gets wider, on a given rim, it will not sit flat to the road at standard pressures. As the pressure is lowered the handling goes away. If the tire is not flat to the road, it loses footprint and thus, grip, during braking.
If you have to pump a tire up, it will wear out the center prematurely.
If you have to drop pressure to run it flat to the road, for long tread-life, then, in the turns, the tires will roll over onto the sidewalls; bad news as this will cause handling issues. Plus lowered pressures suck fuel-economy, But they do ride nicer on the hiway.
In the back,
the 7/8/9 Barracudas will accept 295/50-15s in the back, if you move the springs over a bit, but you may need a custom backspace wheel. These are about 27" tall.
If you don't move the springs, then 275s will slip in on 8.5s. these are 28 tall on 60 series, 27 in 50s.
The point is that in the back you can run almost any street tire with very little effort.
>A225/70-14 is about 26.4 tall, which is about 1 inches taller than stock, but looks correct and good, in the back at stock ride-height. Being a tall profile, it may be ok on a 6" rim.
>On the front,
you gotta stay fairly close to the stock height on a zero-offset wheel, so as not to get into steering issues. IIRC the stock front height was 24.5/24.7. So a 225/70-14 is really about an inch too tall for the front.
On a 6" rim the biggest tire that you should consider is 195/70-14. This has a profile width of ~7.7 inches on a 5.5" rim, and a height of ~24.7. It will be a tad fatter on a 6. But again, if you run a taller sidewall, you can get away with a more narrow wheel. So lets say a 205/70 is tops for a 6" wheel.
235/60-14s on 7.5s fit on the front, at zero-offset; these are about 25" tall and on my car, I think they look great!, lol.
>Here's some things to think about;
As the tire gets wider, on a given rim, it will not sit flat to the road at standard pressures. As the pressure is lowered the handling goes away. If the tire is not flat to the road, it loses footprint and thus, grip, during braking.
If you have to pump a tire up, it will wear out the center prematurely.
If you have to drop pressure to run it flat to the road, for long tread-life, then, in the turns, the tires will roll over onto the sidewalls; bad news as this will cause handling issues. Plus lowered pressures suck fuel-economy, But they do ride nicer on the hiway.
AJ, Thanks for that analysis. The 215/70/14 fits fine on the front and is just over 25” tall.
cosgig, thanks for the only pic posted. Any rubbing on those front tires on your daughter’s car? I may just mount a 225/70 and see how it fits. I would like to do the same size on all, but won’t mind a staggered look. Right now I’m running E60 and F60 14s.
cosgig, thanks for the only pic posted. Any rubbing on those front tires on your daughter’s car? I may just mount a 225/70 and see how it fits. I would like to do the same size on all, but won’t mind a staggered look. Right now I’m running E60 and F60 14s.
AJ/FormS
68 Formua-S fastback clone 367/A833/GVod/3.55s
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In 1970,belted Fs replaced bias ply 7.75s. These where both tread-width measurements, F being the alpha equivalent of the numeric 7.75.
When radials came out, they were measured differently, now by cross-section on a 70% checking rim.
So then; a 215 is a section width on a rim that is 70% of 215=150mm which is 5.93 rounds to a 6" rim/wheel. 215mm/25.4mm=8.46 inches of section. If you put this tire on a different than 6inch rim, then the section width will also be different.
But there is no specification for the treadwidth .
The profile measurement is a ratio of tire section width to carcass height. So then; on a 215/70 series tire, the carcass ht should be .70 x 215=150.5mm; adding another carcass ht, and the wheel size gives; (150.5 x 2) +14=301+(14 x 25.4)=656.6=25.85 inchestall.
So yes it fits fine.
But it is nearly 1.5" taller than the factory wheel assemblies. This changes where the contact patch hits the road relative to the design point, and sometimes causes wandering that is hard to get rid of.
When radials came out, they were measured differently, now by cross-section on a 70% checking rim.
So then; a 215 is a section width on a rim that is 70% of 215=150mm which is 5.93 rounds to a 6" rim/wheel. 215mm/25.4mm=8.46 inches of section. If you put this tire on a different than 6inch rim, then the section width will also be different.
But there is no specification for the treadwidth .
The profile measurement is a ratio of tire section width to carcass height. So then; on a 215/70 series tire, the carcass ht should be .70 x 215=150.5mm; adding another carcass ht, and the wheel size gives; (150.5 x 2) +14=301+(14 x 25.4)=656.6=25.85 inchestall.
So yes it fits fine.
But it is nearly 1.5" taller than the factory wheel assemblies. This changes where the contact patch hits the road relative to the design point, and sometimes causes wandering that is hard to get rid of.
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The results are in and 225/70/14 Coopers radials fit well on 67-69 Barracudas. I had a set mounted on 14x6 Keystones and all fits, no rubbing, not even close on the front fenders (fenders modified 40 years ago). Thanks to local tire shop (Beggs) for test fitting and working through the process.
hartsnet
Member
hartsnet
Member
I ran 215/70 R14's for years and recently changed to 215/75 R14's. I like the ride better and the non-power steering is a bit easier. The 75's are an inch taller and approximately 3/4" narrower tread (I recall). I bought the Hankook HK Kinnergy ST white walls from tire Rack. Clearance in the front is close but they do clear.
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