Gen1 Wheel Tire advice -- 1988 D250

[David Tittle]

Hi Y'all,

First, I'm brand new here and looked for wheel/tire info and couldn't find it. If this is the wrong place please help.

Next, I'm working on a 1988 Ram D250 2WD Long Bed and looking for age appropriate looking wheel/tire that will fit under the fenders and PROVIDE TRACTION as what I have is sorely lacking. I like the wheels that are on the truck, but they are simply overwhelmed by the power combo.

6.4 Scat Pack Hemi and 8 speed auto swap with 4.71:1 (first gear) and 3.:92:1 rear gear.

Last, any advice/tips would be appreciated.


P.S. It has been years since I've been on a forum so please be gentle when I'm a dope!

 

[Treburkulosis]

I dig that swap! My dad went with some I believe it was crager wheels that looked like the weld drag lites on his 77 ford step side. We wedged a 428 cj motor in that thing and he suffered with traction issues as well. I would go that route unless you want some sort of blinged out appearance. If you stay within a 15" tire there are tons of drag radials available or even good sticky street tires. I personally ran Kumho 15" 295/50/15s on my drag lites that I ran on my foxbody mustangs back in the day. I was up around what your truck was pushing out power wise probably a little more. They hooked fairly good on the street, but not at the track. That was what slicks are for. I really like the Mickey Thompson ET street drag radials. They hook good. Goodyear used to make one that was very similar, but I have been out of the drag racing game for about a decade now.

 

[David Tittle]

Thank You Sir, and yes, I want to stay old skool'ish if possible but this thing has issues for fitment. It takes 18" wheels to clear the front suspension, but that's kind of the wrong direction. I don't like the daily ride of drag slicks, but they stick better. I was going to make it appear like a dually with a super single tire in the back, so I bought 18"5" wide Mickey Thompson ET's before my wife said she hated the look! . This truck is F A S T with the swap and the 8 speed auto is sheer perfection. It is absolutely faster than my TRX and I beat a Gt350 Mustang recently in multiple pulls by 12-15 lengths. It's very much a sleeper, but will change lanes if you gas it at any speed up to 80 mph -- so, I gotta do something!

 

[Fatbob Frank]

What a cool truck!

 

[GTyankee]

To run those 18" tires,
to keep the rubber inside the wheel wells
Wouldn't you have to TUB the inner fender & bed sheet metal & cut about 6" off of each side of the rear axle housing ??

That would make it real trick

this covers bolt patterns & other info

https://www.roadkillcustoms.com/wheel-bolt-pattern-cross-reference/

 

[GTyankee]

You can buy shortened axle housings & the axles to fit from companies like Strange & Moser
or you can do it the hard way

 

[Treburkulosis]

I agree with the above post. I had a 70 el camino ss 454 and they had pro streeted it. With modern suspensions, you should be able to go a more modern route. Running that wide of tires is going to require so alterations to the bed to tuck it. Now as far as the 8 lug route, that is where you are going to run into issues with the wheels. Most of your wheels that look half way decent are 4,5,or6 lug.

 

[David Tittle]

To be clear gents the big tires pictured were when I was pursuing a 'dually look' which would put the tire way outside of the bed and would need a fender to cover it. They'd just look like dual wheels. I have researched narrowing the rear axle and tubbing the bed to get those inside, but that's about a $5K no matter how you slice it, but would sure look awesome. My original question was about a new set a wheels that would fit under the fenders without mods.

 

[reek]

if you're not lowering the truck, you could probably fit the tires in 'faux' dually mode without rolling/cutting the wheel arches if you adjust the bumpstops down farther to hit before the tires hit sheet metal.

with all that power turning all that rubber, any concerns with axle wind? old mopars used to use pinion snubbers or an extra leaf in the passenger side stack. or you could go old school and put some traction bars on the truck!

 

[u2slow]

What do you have for a traction aid? And is it holding?

IMHO, you need more weight on the rear axle. Its the usual problem with a pickup. Start with 500# of concrete blocks, firewood, or lumber and add more if needed.

I'm doing a 2wd ramcharger build (also D250 grade, but 6BT). I'm glad it has the extra superstructure weight over the rear axle, in addition to the aft fuel tank, and the battery is going out back too.

 

[David Tittle]

Right now there's no extra weight, but I've been planning on moving some around. Presently nave no axle wrap/hop as the tires break loose. Truck is very smooth and straight due to Yukon posi, but good rubber/traction may change all of that. A sticky set of tires and weight may be a good start and Caltrax bars could be an option.

I'm considering a narrowed axle and ladder bars to fit that big rubber under there, but that's a $5K project.

Right now though, the truck is faster than the TRX ... so there's that!!!!

 

[G-Ride990]

CalTracs 100%

One of the best upgrades I did to my Dakota r/t.

No need for weights, stickier tires and crank the preload a couple turns on the caltracs and call it a day.

 

[reek]

Right now there's no extra weight, but I've been planning on moving some around. Presently nave no axle wrap/hop as the tires break loose. Truck is very smooth and straight due to Yukon posi, but good rubber/traction may change all of that. A sticky set of tires and weight may be a good start and Caltrax bars could be an option.

I'm considering a narrowed axle and ladder bars to fit that big rubber under there, but that's a $5K project.

Right now though, the truck is faster than the TRX ... so there's that!!!!

love it! I have a short bed single cab with a 5.2 pumped up to just over 300 hp at the crank. it definitely tests the frame structural integrity and it'll go. I can't even imagine what the 6.4 motor would feel like in one of these old trucks!

will be watching your progress!

 

[GTyankee]

When i used to spend all of my spare time watching automobile racing of every kind.

I recall seeing metal weights that came off the rear frame of the race cars, i think they were made of lead.

 

[u2slow]

I recall seeing metal weights that came off the rear frame of the race cars, i think they were made of lead.

I would think a guy could do a weight trial on every trip from the lumber yard, feed store, or garden center. Pre-cast concrete slabs/pavers add weight in a hurry; not much bulk.

 

[GTyankee]

I believe that they are trying to figure out how to get power to the rear wheels without losing too much traction.

Race cars use weights in or on the frame