Tire Height
One thing to pay attention to when fitting tires, especially if you have gone to the trouble to recalibrate your speedometer due to a tire size change, is that not all tires of the same size are the same height. Check with your tire manufacturer's specifications to find published information or use the following as a guide...
As mentioned on the tire photo page in the Michelin tire section, Brad reported to me that a Michelin 1100r16XL is 38.7" high as it is supposed to be while a slightly used 38" Swamper barely made 36". Daniel reported that the 38" TSL Swamper is only 37" when new (slightly bigger than the 36)! The 36" TSL is 36.3", the 38.5" TSL/SX are 38.5" tall. He thinks that a very nice tire is also the Swamper 39.5 that is 39.4" tall.
After posting the above information to the forum, a few people asked for some more information:
The question that was posed by Dan was: "What I would like to actually know is to put the one tire on the M37 and measure from the floor to the center point of the axle (there is an actual center indent to measure to). Then put the other tire on and do the same. Why? Because that will tell me how much the vehicle is actually lifted since most radials squish out at the bottom and bias plys don't (yes they get flat spots when sitting but I am talking about when the bias plys have been run round after a couple of miles). Also I would run my tires at about 32-35 PSI also not at 50 PSI for a slightly softer ride."
The reply from Brad was: "Switched out the 38" Swampers to the 11.00x16
Michelins. Ground to center axle point on Swampers was 17.6 on front and 17.8 in the rear
(with 35lbs air). Michelins were 18.5 in front and 18.75 in rear (again with
35lbs. air). Hope this helps."
The truck used for the above measurements was a 1967 M37 with 360, PS, discs, winch,
4.89's.
Tire photos and user comments are on photo
page five.
Comments about tires are on the tire page and a discussion about the Michelin/MVPA tire deal is on the Michelin tire page.