Rear Tires Tucked More Than Front (2wd)

[Billy BA]

The rear wheels are tucked about a half-inch more inside the fenders on each side than the front wheels on 2WD Sierras. If one were to be so anal retentive as to correct this difference so that the tires meet the fenders equally, the obvious options are:

 

1. Half-inch wheel spacers out back, which would create a greater load on bearings and other components, reduce payload capacity, etc. Not to mention being a massive PITA due to the small size change--longer lug bolts...

2. Half-inch wider wheels out back. (Not an option with my aftermarket wheel choice--20"x8.5" with 6" backspace Centerline Vectors: Centerline Wheels.)

3. 305/50/20's (32" total) out back, since there is no clearance issue, with the standard 275/55/20's (31.9" total) up front. This would make the rear tires roughly one inch wider than the front tires, pushing them out about half an inch on each side. This would keep the wheel centerline the same, make the tires fit the fenders about the same front to back, but limit tire rotation to side-to-side, and cost a little more every time I buy the lower profile 305's, versus the one-time cost of spacers and installation.

 

Any thoughts, opinions, other options, or suggestions on any of this? Anyone else done anything similar?

Also, opinions on that wheel choice? Centerline? Forged aluminum? Chrome versus Hi-polish?

Personally, I like this wheel because it looks like a truck wheel--not a hot rod wheel or anything too fancy--no offense to anyone else's taste. And the price sure beats GMC's accessory wheels--or even "replacement," plastic-faced RO8's, etc. This is a better image, IMO (different center cap):

 

Thanks, all.

[Superperv23]

First off it isn't just 2wd version it is all of them and it is most every vehicle you see on the road as a wider front track helps with direction change and straight line stability. So just not if you change this you will slightly alter the driving characteristics of your truck.

 

Staggered tires would likely look good if you have drop shackles in the rear

[Billy BA]

First off it isn't just 2wd version it is all of them and it is most every vehicle you see on the road as a wider front track helps with direction change and straight line stability. So just not if you change this you will slightly alter the driving characteristics of your truck.

 

Staggered tires would likely look good if you have drop shackles in the rear

OK, I thought I had read somewhere that 4WD's were even. Would driving charecteristics be noticeably different? Just wondering if I'd kill myself or anyone else. I do plan to at least remove the block, which may or may not be thicker on my Z85 suspension--depending on the source. Still only about 1.25" though, if that. If that doesn't take it down enough, drop shackles are definitely in order. The gap's at about 11" now. Whatever that's about. I can fit my big head in there easily.

[Superperv23]

You're not going to kill anyone by doing it, you have a better chance killing ppl buy turning your electronic nannies off and pinning it on a turn from a dead stop into traffic. It might wander a bit more on the highway or understeer more on the limit into a corner, I mean with suspension the theoretical application into a real world scenario is usually takes going beyond what most people will ever do in the vehicle. Just be prepared that it might feel different when you do it, it is one of those thing you cant listen to others people experiences because it all depends how the vehicle feels you.

[Billy BA]

You're not going to kill anyone by doing it, you have a better chance killing ppl buy turning your electronic nannies off and pinning it on a turn from a dead stop into traffic.

LOL I do that all the time! Not really. I suppose the same would apply to the spacer scenario as well. Sigh. Maybe I'll just smash the fenders in a bit with my trusty earthmover. Solved. Seems the engineers might have made the fenders narrower in the rear just for aesthetics. Thanks for the info.

[Billy BA]

Correcting my former statements:

"Still only about 1.25" though, if that."

That block is actually just about 1.5" thick. Measured it. So the height should be just about right for me when I take it out--slight redneck lean for loading/hauling.

 

"I suppose the same would apply to the spacer scenario as well."

I see that track width is measured from the centerline of one wheel to the centerline of the opposite wheel. Since the centerlines remain unchanged with the 305's out back, that would clearly be a better option than wheel spacers in terms of handling. And certainly no worse than driving a dually.