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Old 12-29-2020, 05:48 PM   #1
ironandsteele
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Default photos of 1933 / 1934 pickup with 525/550-17 tires? OR with oversized tires?

I am finishing up a 33 pickup that was an abandoned restoration. It came to me with 16" wheels and 6.00 and 6.50 white walls. I am wanting to put black walls on it and I have a spare set of the proper 17" wire wheels laying around that I'm wanting to use.

I understand that 525/550-17 is the correct size for these pickups. I did some searching and found a few say that 525/550-17 can vary in size fairly substantially depending on the brand. According to the Coker website, a Firestone 525/550-17 is 29.02" tall. They also list an Excelsior brand in the same size as 28.5" tall. I had one very old 525/550-17 in the barn that I measured and it is 28" tall...

My question is, can anyone post some pictures of their 33/34 truck with 525/550-17 tires and list the brand and overall actual diameter?

I would like to sort this out before I commit to ordering tires, having the wheels sandblasted and painted, etc. and web searches only really yield generic photos without specifics (me trying to blow up images to see the tire size on ones that look "right" hasn't worked very well) My ultimate goal is to have the largest diameter tire I can reasonably put on this truck.

Thank you in advance.

* Edit - if anyone is running larger than stock diameter tires, I would love to see that too*
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Last edited by estrangedcc; 12-30-2020 at 12:52 AM.
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Old 12-29-2020, 05:56 PM   #2
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Default Re: photos of 1933 / 1934 pickup with 17" wheels and 525/550-17 tires?

Here is the truck, since I know we all like pictures..
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Old 12-29-2020, 06:04 PM   #3
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Default Re: photos of 1933 / 1934 pickup with 17" wheels and 525/550-17 tires?

Quote:
Originally Posted by estrangedcc View Post
Here is the truck, since I know we all like pictures..
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Old 12-29-2020, 06:05 PM   #4
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Default Re: photos of 1933 / 1934 pickup with 17" wheels and 525/550-17 tires?

if you look at the coker catalogue the details for height are there for all the brands they carry, and i assume the other manufacturers will have that info too
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Old 12-29-2020, 06:28 PM   #5
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Default Re: photos of 1933 / 1934 pickup with 17" wheels and 525/550-17 tires?

If you are going to have a welled fender-mounted spare tire, another question worth asking is the width of the various available tires. The so-called 5.25-5.50s produced today are significantly wider than the original tires and not all will fit in your truck's fender well, even with zero air pressure in the spare.
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Old 12-29-2020, 07:07 PM   #6
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Default Re: photos of 1933 / 1934 pickup with 17" wheels and 525/550-17 tires?

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if you look at the coker catalogue the details for height are there for all the brands they carry, and i assume the other manufacturers will have that info too
They do list specs. I'm mostly interested to see real world examples of different tires on these trucks and potential feedback, etc.
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Old 12-29-2020, 07:07 PM   #7
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Default Re: photos of 1933 / 1934 pickup with 17" wheels and 525/550-17 tires?

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If you are going to have a welled fender-mounted spare tire, another question worth asking is the width of the various available tires. The so-called 5.25-5.50s produced today are significantly wider than the original tires and not all will fit in your truck's fender well, even with zero air pressure in the spare.
No welled fender so this part isn't a concern. Thank you though.
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Old 12-30-2020, 12:22 AM   #8
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Default Re: photos of 1933 / 1934 pickup with 17" wheels and 525/550-17 tires?

I have 7.50 x 17s on my tonners. They are 34" tall. James Wagner's book 'Ford trucks since '05' shows many trucks with 6.00 and 6.50 x 17s. Now to find someone who still makes a 6.00 x 17. I'm thinking you are hoping to up your gearing for a bit more hiway speed. 'Rubber Overdrive' we used to call it. What is the width of your 17" rim?
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Old 12-30-2020, 12:44 AM   #9
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Default Re: photos of 1933 / 1934 pickup with 17" wheels and 525/550-17 tires?

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Originally Posted by GB SISSON View Post
I have 7.50 x 17s on my tonners. They are 34" tall. James Wagner's book 'Ford trucks since '05' shows many trucks with 6.00 and 6.50 x 17s. Now to find someone who still makes a 6.00 x 17. I'm thinking you are hoping to up your gearing for a bit more hiway speed. 'Rubber Overdrive' we used to call it. What is the width of your 17" rim?
Thank you for that. To answer your question, my main concern is looks to be honest. I want it to look "right" but on the other hand, I don't like a big gap in the wheel well. The part I left out of the original post was that if I do end up going with 525/550-17's, I will be lowering the truck (a tasteful amount) to take up some of the gap. That said, I am open to seeing any and all tire sizes if anyone wants to post any photos. The wheels I have I believe are 3.5" wide.

If anyone is running larger than stock tires on their truck, in any wheel size or style, I'd love to see it and know the specs.
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Old 12-30-2020, 01:25 AM   #10
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Default Re: photos of 1933 / 1934 pickup with 525/550-17 tires? OR with oversized tires?

I love your truck!!!! …. but the front grill shell looks to be a '32 since it appears to be straight upright. The 33-34 grills had a slight slant or angle to them. I will post pictures of mine here next, running standard 17" Firestones including the spare. I can get measurements tomorrow once I store away some of the Christmas boxes.


HAPPY NEW YEAR 2021.
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Old 12-30-2020, 01:26 AM   #11
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Default Re: photos of 1933 / 1934 pickup with 525/550-17 tires? OR with oversized tires?

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Old 12-30-2020, 01:27 AM   #12
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Default Re: photos of 1933 / 1934 pickup with 525/550-17 tires? OR with oversized tires?

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Old 12-30-2020, 01:29 AM   #13
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Default Re: photos of 1933 / 1934 pickup with 525/550-17 tires? OR with oversized tires?

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Old 12-30-2020, 01:48 AM   #14
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Default Re: photos of 1933 / 1934 pickup with 525/550-17 tires? OR with oversized tires?

Quote:
Originally Posted by al's28/33 View Post
I love your truck!!!! …. but the front grill shell looks to be a '32 since it appears to be straight upright. The 33-34 grills had a slight slant or angle to them. I will post pictures of mine here next, running standard 17" Firestones including the spare. I can get measurements tomorrow once I store away some of the Christmas boxes.


HAPPY NEW YEAR 2021.
Thank you for the comments and for posting those photos. As for the grill, it must just be the angle of the photo, it is definitely a 33 grill shell and has a good deal of rake to it - which I actually have never really cared for on these trucks to be honest. I have an extra 32 shell and have thought about putting it on this truck in fact. We'll see.

Thanks again for taking the time to post and comment. Your truck is gorgeous.
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Old 12-30-2020, 01:49 AM   #15
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Default Re: photos of 1933 / 1934 pickup with 525/550-17 tires? OR with oversized tires?

I guess I'm glad I'm not a 100% died in the wool restorer. I'd proudly drive any of these; a '32 with a slanted '33-'34 grille or vice versa. Oh, by the way, a '35-'37 would also do. And a "Barrel-Nose"? I'd love one! And then there are the '40-'41's; what's not to like? Sorry guys, I draw the line at "Jail-Bars".

Nobody wants my '99 F150, so I guess I'm stuck.
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Old 12-30-2020, 08:07 AM   #16
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Default Re: photos of 1933 / 1934 pickup with 525/550-17 tires? OR with oversized tires?

Look again, especially at the side view photo; it's a slanted '33 radiator shell, not a '32.
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Old 12-30-2020, 11:44 AM   #17
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Default Re: photos of 1933 / 1934 pickup with 525/550-17 tires? OR with oversized tires?

I have a '34 pickup with BF Goodrich Silvertown blackwall 5.50-17 tires. Without weight bearing I measure the diameter at 28.25". The tires look similar to Al's 33, although the sidewall periphery is a little smoother.

If you are not concerned with having an original appearance, I think this is a good looking tire-
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/C...BoC55kQAvD_BwE

My thought is that the slanted '33-34 grille doesn't detract from the looks. In fact, the longer wheelbase helps the styling a bit compared to the earlier vehicles, in my opinion. However all the flathead Ford trucks are gems.
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File Type: jpg 34 in field (3).jpg (16.0 KB, 31 views)
File Type: jpg BF G.jpg (43.1 KB, 14 views)

Last edited by Scott/Mn; 12-31-2020 at 02:07 PM. Reason: Add picture
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Old 12-30-2020, 01:33 PM   #18
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Default Re: photos of 1933 / 1934 pickup with 525/550-17 tires? OR with oversized tires?

Hope these help, let me know if need more or dimensions. I will help as best I can. These are all Firestone standard 17" rims and 5.25/5.50-17 tires.
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Old 12-30-2020, 01:34 PM   #19
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Default Re: photos of 1933 / 1934 pickup with 525/550-17 tires? OR with oversized tires?

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Old 12-30-2020, 02:57 PM   #20
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Default Re: photos of 1933 / 1934 pickup with 525/550-17 tires? OR with oversized tires?

The 5.25/5.50 x 17 tire that Lucas sells has the original tread design of the tires B.F. Goodrich supplied to Ford in 1933 and 1934. Based on what is on the various online catalogues, it is the only tire of that size with the same tread design as when your truck was built. If it matters to you, no other tire is even close. (The o.d. of the tire is 27.50".)
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