Im getting a leveling kit installed on my 92 f150, and i want a wider stance on my truck. Meaning, i want my tires to stick out past the fender. On stock right now, i have 31x10.50x15 on my factory wheels, and no rubbing or anything. I want to use these same tires because there pretty much new. Ive heard, low backspace, or just a negative offset.

Ive seen some 2.5 backspaced rims, pretty cheap and nice, would these do the job? Maybe some 15x10 inch rims? And i plan on going bigger tires later, but only have cash for the rims now. So any help? Maybe some pics?

 

Nothing you do will change the fact that those tires are only so wide. a 15x10 is too wide for a 10.50 wide tire. Get some 15x8s, run the tires you have until they wear out, and get some 33x12.50s. They will look good.

 

i just came across some nice 15x8's, but they have 2.5 backspacing. Will that cause any driveablity problems if i stick with my 31's?

 

IIRC your stock wheels are zero offset, an 8" wheel with 2.5" backspacing would have about a -2" offset. Negative offset wheels will increase the distance between the wheel centerline and the "kingpin axis," an imaginary line through the centerlines of the ball joints. This will change the steering geometry slightly. However, it's a truck not an Indy Car so it probably won't matter much if at all.

What might matter is that you are going to significantly increase the loads on the ball joints and rod ends which may shorten their life. Also a negative offset wheel is usually going to have lesser load rating than a zero offset one.

 

So the main concern here is the negative offset, correct? Cuz if I found some wheels with my backpack, 4, but negative offset it would still be the same problem right?

I just really wanna widen the stance of my truck, that's it.

 

Do you understand the terms "offset" and "backspace" and how they relate to one another?
Offset is the distance from the wheel centerline to the mounting surface. If the centerline is further outboard than the mounting surface, the offset is expressed as a negative number. Backspace is the distance from the inner edge of the rim to the mounting surface. Also rim width is not the overall width of the rim, it is the distance from bead seat to bead seat. The overall width is approximately 1" greater than the nominal width.

So an 8" zero offset rim is actually about 9" in overall width and has a backspace of about 4.5"
An 8" rim with 2.5" backspacing would have an offset of approx -2"

Whichever system of measurement you use the net effects of a cantilevered wheel mounting are the same: altered steering geometry, increased loads on the steering components and the probability of lower rated wheels. Whether you find these issues significant is entirely up to you

 

Anything you do along these lines is going to have a NEGATIVE overall effect on the truck: tire wear, handling, steering response, ride quality, return-to-center, ball joint & wheel bearing life, FUEL ECONOMY... ALL will be reduced or degraded. It's like mixing ATF with your gasoline because you like the look of the smoke trail.