VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 Tires for a 1936 chevy truck

I have a 1936 chevy pick-up with 5.50x17 4 Ply tube tires. I am considering new white wall radial tires to improve ride and handling. I am told that the original steel wheels will not tolerate the flexing of radial tires. Is this a true fact?

I don't believe that there are narrow radials in the 17" size.
The narrow 3.6" rims are way too narrow for a radial.
I have heard of wheel problems using radials on the early light duty wheels.
You could use a later 15" wheel from a 1970 passenger car. its stronger and wider and the larger tires would improve the ride but make the steering effort much harder for parking.

Forget the later wheels-they are 5 lug.

Most of the Chevy 1/2 ton pickups used the 6 lug nuts thru the 60's, you might start looking there. Drum diameter and offsets will have to be looked at. I know my 35 wire wheels worked on my 63 & 68 1/2 tons.