Lifted Dually Suburban wheels/tires?

[Girth]

The wife has taken the leap, she ordered fenders today (from Hannemann Fiberglass. Curious to see what those look like) so it looks like her dream of a Dually Suburban just landed on my to-do list. She was looking at adapter kits too, talking to a gal at Arrowcraft. I got home from work to a slew of questions and now a headache, trying to figure out adapters/wheels.

1989 V2500, semi-float 14bolt in the back. The headache I have now, is because it's got a 4in lift on it, with hideous 20in heels and 35s. Happy to see those wheels go........ BUT I know most narrow dually wheels (and the space between the sidewalls on the duals) don't really play well with wide tires. To get a TALL tire, you usually gotta go a tad wide too. How is that done on your typical dually? A bolt on spacer and wider wheels with a bit more offset? We're looking at bolting on an adapter already though, so I'm sure that's not gonna work.

How screwed am I? It wouldn't be easy, but I suppose the most surefire solution is I find a dually rear end, move the spring perches and shock mounts, and stab it under the burb, THEN add a spacer for wider wheels? We don't NEED to put 35in tall tires back on, and I'm sure it'd look just fine with something 32ish tall, looking beefier overall anyways with duals. Who's got a lifted dually and how'd your tire/wheel choices work out?

 

[Girth]

Hmmm looks like there are some decent tire options in a 255/80-17 and that section width MIGHT work..... maybe. At 33ish tall, probably look ok. Still a bit wider than I'd like to run on a 6 or 6.5 wide wheel, but I have a feeling this is just gonna be one of THOSE journeys. Good enough might be good. She isn't hauling heavy...... unless she takes the kids to Costco and goes buck wild. lol

 

[Turbo4whl]

To get a TALL tire, you usually gotta go a tad wide too. How is that done on your typical dually?

Typical dually does not use spacers in the rear, one wheel/tire hangs over the drum or rotor. The other faces out to the fender. No need for a spacer.

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A 225/70R19.5 is about 32" in diameter. 245/70r19.5 is 33" The front hubs on a dually are cast with a spacer so all 6 tires will fit any wheel location.

 

[Copymutt]

I ran duals on my 74 for a couple years. Simple screw on fender extensions made from black 24 gauge flashing.
In combo w/ the overload leafs they really settled down the roll from our 2700# Eldorado cab over. They looked tuff and got a lot of compliments. Once a month I ran to Pueblo over Wolf Creek to grab a 1 ton skid of copy paper.
Rode like a Caddy. Once I sold the camper I sold the dual set up. There’s not a worse set up for snow. No choice but to follow the crown of the road to the shoulder.

 

[Girth]

Typical dually does not use spacers in the rear, one wheel/tire hangs over the drum or rotor. The other faces out to the fender. No need for a spacer.


A 225/70R19.5 is about 32" in diameter. 245/70r19.5 is 33" The front hubs on a dually are cast with a spacer so all 6 tires will fit any wheel location.

I understand how they work in stock form, bolted on plenty in my days, but spacers are pretty common I think when running larger tires. Kinda hard to squeeze two 10in wide (or wider) tires in next to each other on the duals. I do NOT like the idea of bolting on the adapter to widen the track width on the axle, AND bolting up a spacer between the wheels to clear big tires. If it was a DRW axle to begin with, this would be easy.

Going to 19.5s WOULD solve the height issue, and width wouldn't be an issue. Might be an option, if the wife likes the look. I gotta show her pictures I guess. I was looking at 16 or 17in wheels though. Dunno..... I'm still reading/researching, seeing how much section width I can realistically get away with on stockish duals.

A friend suggested the 9.00-16 Super Lugs.... I dig it. Wife gave me a funny look though.

 

[Girth]

One headache eliminated, hopefully. Picking up a DRW D70 tomorrow. He had a front D60 too, but it came attached to a standard cab K30 dually. Too much $$$, I didn't need the rest of the truck, and it seemed a shame to gut it just for the axles.... so the plan will be running a front adapter from Arrowcraft for now.

 

[bucket]

Good choice on the D70 axle. Spacers and duals on a semi floater seems like not the greatest idea.

You're probably going to need a spacer (3") to run most oversize tires. If you desire a radial tire then you will be limited to a "35" inch tire, a 315/75/16 which is usually a little over 34" actual diameter I think. They are 'recommended' for a wider rim, but do work fine on the stock dually rims.

 

[Svein Knutsen]

Do anyone use 285/75-16 on stock dually wheels without spacer or it must use spacer?

 

[bucket]

Do anyone use 285/75-16 on stock dually wheels without spacer or it must use spacer?

You'll need a spacer. A 255/85 might fit without one, depending on manufacturer and truck usage.

 

[Girth]

Theres a lot of factors at play, mainly wheel width and offset, but I'm guessing I'll need a smaller spacer on stock chebby wheels. A buddy's Dodge, (newer, Long bed Mega Cab and DRW conversion) he's running 285-70-17s on OEM wheels withOUT a spacer..... but different beast maybe. I'm looking at a similar size tire I think.

Same deal though...he did the DRW axle swap, rather than adapters, because he thought a spacer might be a thing. Well, and he tows heavy-ish (24ft GlasPly).

It's gonna be some work getting this axle ready, but I feel a lot better about it and not worrying about the duals, on top of an adapter, and fretting over tire fitment. Work hard now to make life easier in the end.

Fenders ship today/tomorrow apparently, so should be interesting to see what those look like. Worst case, the guy I got the axle from has plenty of truck fenders. I'd just have to do a bunch of glass work to make them to my liking on the Burb. Ick.

 

[PrairieDrifter]

Cab and chassis rear end and spring hangers are the solution to the general dually and fender fitment issue. I can't comment on oversized tires on duals.

 

[SquareRoot]

Please don't be offended, just trying to understand the logic behind the project. Adding the time and expense of changing the rear axle, related fab work (brackets, u-joints, driveshaft), fender flares, paint/body, additional cost/maintenance of two additional tires & rims to create something that further erodes gas mileage, has less traction and doesn't increase hauling /towing capacity?
If it's just the "cool factor" I get it. Otherwise...... And...where's the pics?

 

[Grit dog]

Please don't be offended, just trying to understand the logic behind the project. Adding the time and expense of changing the rear axle, related fab work (brackets, u-joints, driveshaft), fender flares, paint/body, additional cost/maintenance of two additional tires & rims to create something that further erodes gas mileage, has less traction and doesn't increase hauling /towing capacity?
If it's just the "cool factor" I get it. Otherwise...... And...where's the pics?

That’s exactly why he’s doing it. As stated in the first post.
Not like a 3/4 ton old gasser with a lift and big tires gets even decent mileage to begin with. So no real harm there.

 

[squaredeal91]

Heres the pix, 235/85-16 stock rims no spacers cheap Mudd terrains.

 

[Grit dog]

^Yup. Bottom line is you got a bunch of figgerin to do with axle width, wheels and tires, spacers or not, stance and width of the assembly compared to the width of the truck with dually fenders, front axle adapter, etc.

Have you considered a super single-ish look/setup?
Keep the wider 3/4 ton rear axle. Big offset steelies with a 13.5 or wider tire to achieve a similar overall rear track width. Front matching steel srw rim with narrower tire of the same height as the rear?
Would certainly be way less physical work/fabrication and likely the same or less cost. Just missing the true dual look from the rear.
First pic, is what you’re going after I think. Slap the appropriate spacer in between the duals, AFTER doing all the required work and axle swap etc, and roll.
Second pic, srw front, like @OldBlueDually truck. But could go fattie srw in the rear.

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