Tire Rub

[CHARGED]

Currently have a 275/50/15 BFG DR on a 8.5" wide rim with 3.75 BS which rubs at times on the outer wheel well.

Don't want to roll the lips and don't want to change rims

Looking to go to a 255/60/15 MT ET's on the same rims, looks like these are about 1/2" less width but 1" taller

Any thoughts on if it should fit, don't want to waste $400

 

[unix_punk]

Those, to my knowledge, will be much less wider than 1/2". a 275/60/15 is considerably less wide than the 275/50/15 and 28" tall vs. 26-27", but i have only compared the MT DRs which should be the same size according to the numbers. the 60 will not rub on the lip but will be close to the frame with the stock backspacing, at least on a 7" rim, can't speak for experience on the 8.5" rim, but 3.75 is the stock BS if i remember correctly. you may want to run a small spacer if you go 275/60/15.

 

[CHARGED]

Specs I have for the tires

275\50 Height -26 Section width 11.3 Tread width 10
275\60 Height -28 Section width 11.1 Tread width 9.5
255\60 Height -27 Section width 10.7 Tread width 8.8

So do you go by the Section width or the tread width?
Section width between the 275\50 and the 255\60 is about 1/2"
Tread width would be about 1.2"

 

[unix_punk]

If you actually do the math yourself you should end up with 10.725 for the 275/50 and 8.94 for the 275/60, these are the actual tread width. This is closer to what I have seen when comparing the 2 tires in a line. The 50/60 in the number represents the % of each half of the tire that is sidewall and the 275 representing the length of rubber from bead to bead measured over the tread and back down. There is a total of 20% difference in sidewall height, which is almost the same when looking at the tread difference, about 20% different. HTH