[KNanthrup]

I'm just curious what the narrowest wheel a 26x10 slick can be safely mounted on? I know 15x10 is optimal, 15x8 I have heard works fine, but I might be forced to use a 15x7 if I cannot come up with something else by this weekend. Is it unsafe and bad for the slick to run on that narrow of a rim?

Thanks

[willys36@aol.com]

In the old days of 'cheater' slicks all they had were 7" max rims. Granted the tires were recapped stockers with 10" rubber vulcanized on but they did OK on the skinny steelies.

[KNanthrup]

Well that sounds positive, but these slicks might have a little more of a stiff sidewall? Anyone else know?

[Oljoedog]

When I bought my M/T 26 x 10 inch tires the rep told me an 8 inch rim was the minimum width.

Oljoedog

Live long race hard

[KNanthrup]

Originally Posted by Oljoedog

When I bought my M/T 26 x 10 inch tires the rep told me an 8 inch rim was the minimum width.

Oljoedog

Live long race hard

hmm. well i dont know what to think. i know it would warp the tread some because of the tight fit, but my main concern is safety

[xntrik]

Originally Posted by KNanthrup

hmm. well i dont know what to think. i know it would warp the tread some because of the tight fit, but my main concern is safety

Besides distorting the ground contact patch, too narrow of a wheel makes the tire unstable at speed. The rear of the car will get wishy washy and try to fish tail. Low pressure does this anyway, but the effect is accentuated by the excessively narrow wheel. Ever watch those drag strip wrecks happen?Replay those videos and watch the rear tires before you see the fishtailing start.

Consult the tire manufacturer, but I bet you should have at least a 9" wide for a 10" ground tread width, or I would prefer 10 on 10.

[Max Keith]

Ive always gone by the rule of thumb that you dont run a rim more than 1 inch narrower than the tread width or 1 inch wider.
Draw backs to running too narrow of rim. This causes the tread to curve outward, giving more contact to the center of the tire than the edges. This requires running abnormally low air pressures, which requires running either bead locks or putting screws through the rim into the bead of the tire.
Drawbacks to running too wide a rim, have to run excessive tire pressures to get proper tire contact patch on pavement. Due to the tire not wanting naturally to seat on a rim wider than the tread width will also require running bead locks or screws through the rim into the bead to keep the tire from spinning on the rim, just as it would on too narrow of rim.

[Bob C]

What ever brand you are using, if you look in their catalog it usually states min. and max. wheel width for each tire. I would think an 8" wheel would be fine but you should follow manuf. suggestion.
Bob