I'm getting ready to buy some new rims, and I wanted an opinion on size/backspacing. I have read through just about every piece of information about BS and size on this forum over the past several years and I am still coming up confused about what to get. This post is going to be long because it covers multiple questions. I'm going to bold the actual questions.
First of all, this is what I understand to be true about the stock wheels:
-original wheels are 15x5.5 in size with a 6x5.5 bolt pattern and a 4.2" center bore hole
-new "OEM" toyota wheels that are currently sold are 15x5.5 with a 3.25" backspacing
What I am not 100% clear about is the backspacing. What follows is a list of things I have read in various places that do not all agree.
-original BS is 3.5"
-original BS was 3.75" for earlier FJ40s with drum brakes and 3.25" for later trucks with front disc brakes
-original BS was 4" for earlier FJ40s with drum brakes and 3.5" for later trucks with front disc brakes
Does anyone know for 100% certain which one of those statements is true, or what is true if they are all false?
What I am hoping to do is to buy some 16" wheels that will fit on my stock FJ40 and be able to fit if I upgrade the front to disc brakes.
Here are the conditions/constants:
-1971 FJ40 with 2.5" lifted leaf springs
-Currently has drum brakes but will someday see an upgrade to front disc.
-They will be 16" wheels
-The tires will always be 235/85/R16 tires. Never anything wider.
Now what I need to be sure of before pulling the trigger on wheels is:
-Backspacing
Should I go for 3.25" backspacing like the stock OEM wheels or something else?
-Width
I think 7" is just about ideal for the tires I'm going to use, and the tires will be wider than 7" anyway, so the tires will end up interfering with the tie rods or the brakes before the width of the wheel is an issue in that case. I think 7" is good.
Is my wheel width logic sound?
Lastly, I am having a little difficultly with many of the discussions about backspacing. From the threads that I have read, even those threads concerning people who are buying relatively skinny tires, it seems like people are going to over 3.5" in backspacing, usually 4". The posts seem to suggest that more backspacing is safer than less.
I completely don't understand this.
Assuming your tires are not going to hit the wheel wells on the outside, wouldn't less backspacing give you more room on the inside of the wheel?
Thanks
First of all, this is what I understand to be true about the stock wheels:
-original wheels are 15x5.5 in size with a 6x5.5 bolt pattern and a 4.2" center bore hole
-new "OEM" toyota wheels that are currently sold are 15x5.5 with a 3.25" backspacing
What I am not 100% clear about is the backspacing. What follows is a list of things I have read in various places that do not all agree.
-original BS is 3.5"
-original BS was 3.75" for earlier FJ40s with drum brakes and 3.25" for later trucks with front disc brakes
-original BS was 4" for earlier FJ40s with drum brakes and 3.5" for later trucks with front disc brakes
Does anyone know for 100% certain which one of those statements is true, or what is true if they are all false?
What I am hoping to do is to buy some 16" wheels that will fit on my stock FJ40 and be able to fit if I upgrade the front to disc brakes.
Here are the conditions/constants:
-1971 FJ40 with 2.5" lifted leaf springs
-Currently has drum brakes but will someday see an upgrade to front disc.
-They will be 16" wheels
-The tires will always be 235/85/R16 tires. Never anything wider.
Now what I need to be sure of before pulling the trigger on wheels is:
-Backspacing
Should I go for 3.25" backspacing like the stock OEM wheels or something else?
-Width
I think 7" is just about ideal for the tires I'm going to use, and the tires will be wider than 7" anyway, so the tires will end up interfering with the tie rods or the brakes before the width of the wheel is an issue in that case. I think 7" is good.
Is my wheel width logic sound?
Lastly, I am having a little difficultly with many of the discussions about backspacing. From the threads that I have read, even those threads concerning people who are buying relatively skinny tires, it seems like people are going to over 3.5" in backspacing, usually 4". The posts seem to suggest that more backspacing is safer than less.
I completely don't understand this.
Assuming your tires are not going to hit the wheel wells on the outside, wouldn't less backspacing give you more room on the inside of the wheel?
Thanks
