Widest fitting tire for 16x7 Thunderbird SC Wheel

[bigpoppa822]

I have a 1990 Thunderbord SC and I'm looking to put some wider tires out back and still keep the stock rims. They are 16" diamter 7" wide with an offset of 39mm and the backspacing is 5.54".

Will a 255 tire fit on these wheels? Or is that way too wide?

Also, what is an affordable tire with good grip that would suit this application?

 

[Matt@DTD]

I have a 1990 Thunderbord SC and I'm looking to put some wider tires out back and still keep the stock rims. They are 16" diamter 7" wide with an offset of 39mm and the backspacing is 5.54".

Will a 255 tire fit on these wheels? Or is that way too wide?

Also, what is an affordable tire with good grip that would suit this application?

Where you thinking of running 255/60-16s?

 

[bigpoppa822]

Where you thinking of running 255/60-16s?

I want to have something as close as possible in height to the stock 225/60/16 so my speedo is as close to accurate as I can make it.

 

[Matt@DTD]

I want to have something as close as possible in height to the stock 225/60/16 so my speedo is as close to accurate as I can make it.

Thank you for the information, I just want to make sure you and I are on the same page. The best size keeping the 255 width in mind is the 255/50-16. This tire is only 1/2" shorter compared to your oem size. This size is approved for a 7" wide wheel. This fitment is only semi aggressive. It should work with little or no modifications. You may want to do some measuring to be certain. With the new tire size, you will loose 15mm (0.6") clearance to the inside and will gain 15mm to the outside. When your speedometer reads 60mph the actual speed will be 58.8mph or 2% slower. Here's a link with all the tires we have to offer in this size.

Tire Options

The Falken ZE-512 is a great option to consider. It's well priced and offers great wet and dry traction. It is all-season rated so if you plan on running your vehicle in snow, these will provide some additional traction. You can expect around 30K miles out of these tires. If you are looking for something just wet and dry oriented, the BFG g-Force Sport is a great option. The life span is comparable to the Falkens but you this model has superior dry traction. It still handles wet conditions pretty well but as the tire wears down you will see a decrease in wet traction.