16" Tire fitting and interchangability?

[Joe Lorenzino]

I have been repairing and changing tires on some of my trucks lately, but have a few questions about will or won't fit when it comes to 16" Military rims. The old tires are stamped "for British Wheels" which makes them fit the F15 trucks on the yard. Some of the tires are stamped "for 5* Rims" which I believe fit my M37CDN, M152CDN, and both of my Dodge Power Wagons with the tapered safety lock ring wheels. My new Denman 900x16 Military ND's have no side wall marking as to rim design. They seem to be Very Tight to even get started on the British wheels for the F15. Is the bead size different on the different 16" wheel types? Do all of the 16" ND Military tires fit all of the wheel types, or Can the tires be "modified" to fit those they were not designed specifically for? I seem to rember being told that some tires had to be "skyved" slightly to fit other rims, but don't remember which, or how much. Thanks

[motto]

This topic has been covered previously and the old hands are quite aware of the situation. WW2 British and American 16" wheels were about 1/4" different in diameter with the British wheels being the larger of the two.

CMPs being of British design and specification had British sized 16" wheels. The tyres to suit these wheels will be quite loose on an M37 and I believe that would apply to the M37CDN also. Post War the British adopted the American 16" rim size and I think that's what the '5' designates, a five degree bead angle. The Ferret used the smaller 16" wheels and tyres.

Your Denman's will be the smaller American size and very tight indeed on CMP wheels. Some say just put them on regardless and all will be well but I favour grinding the bead away by about 1/8" all the way around. I know of people in times gone by that actually machined the wheel to reduce the diameter. The rim is thick enough to get away with that but there is no way I would recommend that as an option.

David

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by motto

This topic has been covered previously .... David

Two of the more comprehensive threads on this subject are THIS ONE and THIS ONE