Are 15” wheels worth it, or do I need to jump to 16” or 17”?

[Pentroof]

The tires on my 14” styled steelies are over 10 years old. Time to say good bye. I could just order another set of BFGs, but I was never impressed with them. They are not the stickiest tires on the block.

Due to lack of tires in 14” size, I’m nearly convinced new wheels will be needed as well. So, do I just move to 15”, or straight to 17”?

I love the Ford Styled Steel wheels on this car, and they are available in 15”. There are larger sizes available that are meant to “look” like these, but they don’t do it for me. I’m not big on the low profile modern look on a 66 Cyclone, but I need to do something. I still see plenty of 15” tire options, but not many in a 245 width.

[BruceS]

Jim, I think you just answered your own question!  My age is definitely showing but I don't like any wheels on our cars over 15".     I went with American Racing Torque-Thrust Ds on the Fairlane 6" and 7" width, and Wheel Vintiques chrome steel 7" and 8" with Ford 10" hubcaps on the Galaxie. All available thru Summit.  No strip, just street and I've been happy with the looks and performance. 

[GerryP]

The problem, as you've identified, is a real lack of choices when you are working below a 17" rim.  If you want a lot of options, you need to go with an 18" rim.  This is where it gets subjective, but an 18" rim is the biggest I would run on a classic.  Bigger than that and you start to look like a gangsta rappa.

I'm in a similar situation as you; Tires aged out and need replacing.  This is on two cars, both with 15" rims.  Choices are limited.  So, do I just get the BFGs, which I really don't want, or do I plus size the rim and get tires I do want?

I was thinking some steelies in 18" with dog dish caps would probably look okay on my '67 Fairlane.

[fryedaddy]

i would like to go from 14s to 15s on my 66 comet.still plenty of choices if you shop around.jmo but i dont think i care to much for tall rims and thin tires on my 66.plus if you ever want to drag 15s are still used for drag racing.i guess im old school and always will be.

[1968galaxie]

I am with you.
I like the 15's - certainly on a 66 comet.
16" at most, if one can get a period correct wheel.

[338Raptor]

I agree. 15” all the way on a vintage car.
They’re expensive but you could use Avon CR6ZZ tires. They’re super sticky and come in 15” sizes with a 60’s era thread design. 

[gregaba]

I went with the Crager GT wheels and ordered the Micky Thompson tires. To me they just look right. The big rims just don't look right on the older cars.
Just my opinion.
Greg

[garyv]

I think the 15's look the best on the older rides but the issue I am faced with now is being able to put
larger front brakes on my 66 Fairlane.  The 12.5 in stuff won't fit with my 15in Weld Rodlite wheels.
Let me know what wheels you all are running and what size disc brakes worked with them.

garyv

[Heo]

Let me put it the otherway around. How big discs do you need?
Going roadracing with the Fairlane?
Mercedes had cars weighting 2 tons plus with topspeed over
150 mph with brakes that fit in a 14 inch wheel no problem with to small brakes
No idea to have brakes that outperform the tires by miles, just
a lot of dead weight to transport around

Now I'm assuming! 66 Fairlane Weld Rodlight wheels sound like frontrunnerisch tires?
don't need a lot of brakes to outperform the tires

My Galaxie have the 11x3 Police drums. With just whitebox shoes they are totaly worthless
With high quality shoes i have not yet got them to fade and i drive hard
what im saying is, better to have highquality parts than BIG shiny stuff from the bottom  to the right
on the catalouge page

Just my opinion whatever its worth.

[plovett]

I vote for the 15".   They were available back in the day and look right on older cars.   Bigger wheels ruin the proportions of 1960's cars.

JMO,

paulie

[TomP]

I wrestled with that on my 62 Ranchero. I had plans for the 13" Cobra brakes on the front and Bullitt wheels. Until I sat wheels under the car and decided it looked like the cars in old Popeye cartoons, the tiny wheel openings just looked overwhelmed by the 17's. On my 66 Caliente convertible the 17's actually looked good and using a taller tire, like 215/55-17 up front it avoided the rubber band look.
 16's have very few sizes in the wider range unless you want tall heavy truck tires. I had 16x 10 Centerlines for my Pinto years ago and then put them on my Ranger, I couldn't get anything wider than a 245 after about 1995 and maybe you can't even get those now.

On the Ranchero I used 15 x 5 and 15 x 8.5 TorqThrusts and the front tires are a small 195/60-15 and fill the wheel nicely. The 275/60-15 rears look huge and the worry there is replacement on that size, there may only be drag race tires available in that size when I go to find replacements. The fronts are a common size for modern little cars.

[Rory428]

I don`t think finding 275/60-15s should be a problem anytime soon.Last year I bought a new pair of BF Goodrich T/A 275/60R15 for my 59, they were in stock locally, so I got them the next day. Earlier this year, my boss bought a set of Cooper Cobra GTs for his ERA Cobra, and they were also in stock locally.
As for the big diameter wheel look on older cars, personally not a fan at all.

[garyv]

I have Mickey Thompson Sportsman Radials ,235/60/R15s on the front.  My front brakes are the old Granada stuff and I want to get rid of them.
On the rear I have MT ET streets 275/60/R15's and Wilwood 11" disc brakes.  I want more braking power for this Tunnel Port I'm going to install. I'd like to 12.5 in discs on the front if possible.
I may look at a plain steel wheel and see if they have more clearance for larger disc brakes.

garyv

[GerryP]

As Heo pointed out, drum brakes using quality parts and properly adjusted do a pretty good job.  Any of we old-timers who grew up on drums know from our experience.  I never experienced fade in normal use.  I have experienced wet brake fade but, again, old-times know if you drive through deep puddles to give the brakes a couple of applications to clear water out of them.  This is just simple math, but if you look at the friction surface area, drum brakes have more apply area than all but the biggest disc brakes, so you have much higher static friction and, up to the point of fade, higher dynamic force.

So, am I advocating a return to drum brakes?  No, of course not.  I point this out only to raise the most important issue in building a braking system:  Tires.

A lot of the down side to drum brakes back then weren't brake problems, but tire problems.  The drum brake period was also the belted bias-ply tire period.  Those tires were as crappy as you could get.  People talk about how you had to be careful with drum brakes and avoid lock-up.  Yep, you sure did but that was a tire inadequacy, not a brake problem.  And remember how much mileage you routinely got from those tires?  If you got 20k miles, you were a hero.

So, where am I going with all of this?  Tires.  Brakes will easily overcome the traction of most road tires.  I know I can easily skid the tires on my non-ABS vehicles.  So, do I solve this by upgrading the brakes...you know;  bigger discs, more aggressive friction material, more brake pressure?  That doesn't seem effective.  Maybe a stickier tire would help here.

Which brings this to a circle back.  The tires available to you in 15" and smaller rim sizes are not very good for traction.  If you want more stopping power, more cornering force, more forward bite, you need a stickier tire and for those reasons, you generally have to go to the bigger rim diameters to open up the availability of tires.

Of course, if you're just cruising around, then your tires could be made of wood and you'd probably be okay.

[Falcon67]

If you want "sticky" at all, then you are talking some sort of drag radial type.  Then - 15" IMHO.  OR possibly a wider type tire with a lower tread wear rating.  Still, I'd go with 15".