Alternative tire sizes

[carpenter_jai]

Hi,

My original rims have my winter tires mounted on them. I would really like to own a second set of rims for summer tires. I drive a 2WD 1990 Toyota Pickup ext cab, 6 foot bed.

What I want to know is: are there any 14, 15 or 16 inch rims out there that fit my lug pattern?

Also, If I were to switch from the stock 195 75r14 to 215 55r16 for example, what changes are there in handling or wheel weight? I already checked that the non stock example is less than 1 percent smaller than stock, so overall wheel well space and speedometer not much affected.

Cheers,
Jai

[jdmccright]

Your truck is fairly common, so I would imagine that there are plenty of aftermarket rims to choose from.

As for clearance when you step up the width, your best check is to look at the tire clearances with the wheels turned lock-to-lock. 2wd setups tend to have less clearance since they are usually not limited by the front axle angle limits when turning. Tires tend to rub against the control arms and the inner fender. However, buying tires that have a flatter sidewall may help with some clearance issues.

Finally, switching to a larger rim tends to increase overall unsprung weight. Your little Taco's (were they called Tacos back then?) steel 14s will probably weigh about the same as new 16-inch alloy rims. But if you're 14s are already alloys then you'll be adding a pound or two of weight for each rim.

Not to trumpet any particular site, but I like Tire Rack because they provide weight information for all the tires and rims they sell. You can get a good idea of how much of a weight penalty you're buying when you up-size.

Hope this helps!