Kevinh111

My current tires are 265/75/R16 114S. I am not totally sure what the first two numbers and the last mean. Anyways, I want to get a levelling kit and put on some bigger tires.

The levelling kit I am looking at adds 2"-2.5" in the front and 2" in the back. It say that the tire size that will fit is 285/75R16 (33x11.4x16) without any trimming or 305/70R16 (33x12.2x16), which may need trimming. Id like to have the biggest tire possible without trimming after putting in the levelling kit. I'd like something that will stick out from the side of the truck a tad bit if possible on stock rims

If anyone knows can you tell me the biggest and widest tire size that will still fit on my stock rims and will not recquire any trimming asumming a level kit is installed on the truck? I have checked a sizxe calculator (http://www.wheelsmaster.com/rt_specs.jsp) but dont completely understand what the offset size would be?

silverado08

The 305/70/16 will rub, but not anything on the outter part of the truck.
Tire sizes are metric. the first number is how wide the tire is in millimeters and the second number is an aspect ratio for the sidewall. (the sidewall is 70% as tall as it is wide(305mm).
tires don't stick out on factory wheels. Factory wheels are designed to sit in a little so only minimal amounts of crap is thrown on the side of the vehicle.

Kevinh111

So would it be best to go with a 295/70/16 or 285/70/16 so that there is no rubbing?

K1500notSilverado

Before buying that leveling kit, I would look into cranking up your torsion bars first. I don't know if regular 4x4's have them, but I know Z's do. My Z has them cranked up and the truck sits level. I run 265/75/r16's which have managed to get me out of the worst messes (like pushing mud with the bumper); and they do stick out to the sides, barely, but that could be a Z71 thing, I think they have a slightly wider track but Im not sure. As for tire size I would go with the 285's to be safe.

-George

Kevinh111

Yea, my truck is a Z-71 and im sure it has torsion bars. The kit i was looking at comes with keyways for in the front. What is the purpose of these keyways? Can I not just crank the torsion bars and get the same result?

SilveradoJo

The keyways are to replace the existing keyways that came from the factory,... the hexagonal slot for the end of the torsion bar on the factory ones are clocked for the factory torsion bars (strain limits, ride stiffness, etc) When you crank on the adjusters, the front end is going to get stiff and 'hop' after ever bump,...the more you crank, the more it will hop. The leveling kit keyways are 'clocked' to give you more ride height - if you bought the kit with the torsion bars, the hexagonalends are most likely clocked a little different also - picture the hexagonal ends and keyways as being a stop sign - as you turn a stop sign, the top flat edge rotates and forces the front suspension lower or higher depending on which way you crank - this can actually be seen if you put your truck on jack stands (ABSOLUTELY RECCOMENDED!!!) and then cranking on the adjusters.

Before I installed my leveling kit, I bought different keyways and noticed that
A.) with factoy torsion bars and different keyways, I would barely adjust them in, and they would ride the same as when I had the factory torsion bars and keyways maxed out. (needed different torsion bars that were rotated the same as the keyways.
B.) I used the different keyways and leveling kit torsion bars, and had MUCH MORE adjustment than before.... then you have to align the whole mess to try and get back straight. Remember to align it using the set of tires you'll be driving on, not the old set - you don;t want to eat the edges of your tires off driving on them thinking your truck is aligned,...

My leveling kit - rear lift leafs, front drop kit (Pain In The A$$ or P.I.T.A.) was a normal kit, but I wish I had gone for a larger kit for future builds, but went with the leveling kit for a mostly stock look, just a tad higher - tires will come soon. You'll have to remove the front axle, cut off the lower driver's side diff mounting tab, drill a hole, mount the new tab for the kit, bolt in a top moiunt lowering bracket,...not for the faint at heart - and you just may not be done in time to go to work on Monday morning - so start early on Friday! Also - the kit will leave the front skid plate looking wierd,...spaced down, I used a piece of Aluminum Angle (L brackets) with holes in it as a 'guard' for the newly created space - it matches the factory alum skid plate and looks fine... Don't forget your pullers and install tools from the parts store - GOOD LUCK!!!

Jeremy canaday

The first two numbers are of the tires themselves, the last set is your rim size