WheelWorks - Tire Mount Mate - Wheels - Tires

The right wheel and tire combo will make or break the look of your truck. The right stance will do the same. It will also make the driving experience better when your tires are not rubbing your truck's sheetmetal over rough sections of road. There's nothing worse than cutting the sidewall on an expensive tire because your wheels have the wrong backspacing and the tire won't tuck into the fender correctly as the suspension compresses.

Getting your wheel fitment right has never been easier thanks to WheelWork's Tire Mount Mate. This incredible tool will allow you to simulate your new wheels on your truck before you order them. The tool makes determining the right backspacing, rim width, tire size, and amount of suspension drop, simple and easy. A few hours spent with this tool in hand will ensure that you get your wheel and tire fitment right the first time, saving money, time, and hassle. Here's how it works.

The patented Tire Mount Mate is constructed from cast aluminum and comes with all the hardware necessary to simulate wheels from 14 to 28 inches in diameter and 6 to 15 inches wide. It will also work on 4-, 5-, 6-, and 8-lug applications.
The patented Tire Mount Mate is constructed from cast aluminum and comes with all the hard
We used the Mount Mate to get the right wheel fitment on our '73 C10 project truck. Currently, our truck is rollin' on 15x8-inch GM Rally wheels with 255/60R15 tires up front and 275/60R15 tires out back on 15x10-inch wheels. Our goal is to stuff 17x9-inch Vintage Wheelworks V48s and 275/50ZR17 tires on all four corners for a road racing-inspired look. Before we can order the wheels, we need to know if the tires will fit under the fenders and how much backspacing the wheels will need.
We used the Mount Mate to get the right wheel fitment on our '73 C10 project truck. Curren
We began by first removing the wheels from the truck and comparing the width of the new tires to the old ones. We found that our unmounted 275/50ZR17 Nitto NT450 tires are 1/2-inch wider than our old BFGoodrich 255/60R15 combo.
We began by first removing the wheels from the truck and comparing the width of the new ti

The new tires are also 1/2-inch taller than the old front tires as well. However, the new tires are about the same height as the old rear tires, the 275/60R16.
The new tires are also 1/2-inch taller than the old front tires as well. However, the new
We started assembling the tool by adjusting the bead clamps to the tire bead. A small Phillips head screwdriver was used to adjust each clamp tightly to the bead of the tire.v
We started assembling the tool by adjusting the bead clamps to the tire bead. A small Phil

Next, we used the provided hex head 1/4-20 bolts and wing nuts to attach the horizontal extensions to the bead clamps. We adjusted the extensions until the edges reached the 10-inch mark, which is the proper dimension for the advertised width of our 9-inch-wide wheels.
Next, we used the provided hex head 1/4-20 bolts and wing nuts to attach the horizontal ex
Then, we grabbed the five-lug faceplate and vertical extensions and bolted them to the horizontal extensions on the Mount Mate. Each hole in the vertical extension represents one inch of wheel diameter. We went with the fourth hole away from the edge for our 17-inch-diameter wheels.
Then, we grabbed the five-lug faceplate and vertical extensions and bolted them to the hor
Now it was time to set our baseline backspacing dimension. The vertical extensions of the tool will slide forward and backwards on the tool to simulate different backspacing measurements. We simply loosened the lock nuts and moved the extensions until the back edge of the tool hit the number we were after. We started at 5.5 inches of backspacing, as indicated by the numbers engraved on the horizontal extensions, which lined up with the back edge of the vertical extension. This part was important: the faceplate of the tool is 1/2-inch thick, so we had to subtract that number from the final backspacing measurement to know the true measurement of the wheels.
Now it was time to set our baseline backspacing dimension. The vertical extensions of the

Here is a look at the Mount Mate assembled within the tire and ready to be bolted onto the hub of the truck.
Here is a look at the Mount Mate assembled within the tire and ready to be bolted onto the
With the chassis of the truck supported via jack stands, we bolted the Mount Mate onto the truck using the stock lug nuts.
With the chassis of the truck supported via jack stands, we bolted the Mount Mate onto the
We started checking the clearance with the coil springs still installed in the suspension, which forced the wheel down to full droop. We could get a ballpark idea of whether or not the tire and wheel combo might fit, but this was not the best way to find out.
We started checking the clearance with the coil springs still installed in the suspension,

The only way to be sure if our wheel and tire combo would fit would be to set the suspension at ride height and then check the clearances. So, we pulled the Mount Mate off the hub and then proceeded to remove the front coil springs.
The only way to be sure if our wheel and tire combo would fit would be to set the suspensi
Once the springs were out, we reassembled the suspension and then jacked up the lower control arm until the tire was exactly where we wanted it: tucked about 3/4-inch inside of the front fender.
Once the springs were out, we reassembled the suspension and then jacked up the lower cont
Once it was there, we cycled the steering from left to right and checked to make sure the tire would clear the fender lip, inner fenderwell, and steering and suspension components. We found that at this height, we'd have about two inches of upward suspension travel before the tire contacted the inner fenderwell, which could be increased by cutting out some of the sheetmetal. We also had over an inch of clearance between the tire sidewall and fender lip, so we adjusted the Mount Mate to move the tire outward, decreasing the amount of rim backspacing.
Once it was there, we cycled the steering from left to right and checked to make sure the

Using the Mount Mate, we were able to determine that with our drop spindles, we needed 4.25 inches of backspacing for our 17x9-inch Vintage Wheelworks V48 wheels and 275/50R17 tires to tuck with plenty of clearance. Checking the rear fitment was much easier since the wheel only moves up and down. In our case, the rear wheels would need the same amount of backspacing as well, which is good because that means we'll be able to easily rotate our tires and wheels for maximum tire life.Using the Mount Mate, we were able to determine that with our drop spindles, we needed 4.25 inches of backspacing for our 17x9-inch Vintage Wheelworks V48 wheels and 275/50R17 tires to tuck with plenty of clearance. Checking the rear fitment was much easier since the wheel only moves up and down. In our case, the rear wheels would need the same amount of backspacing as well, which is good because that means we'll be able to easily rotate our tires and wheels for maximum tire life.
Using the Mount Mate, we were able to determine that with our drop spindles, we needed 4.2

From The Driver Seat
Before we got our hands on the Mount Mate, we relied on word-of-mouth, the Internet, and shoddy measurements made with borrowed wheels to figure out what rolling stock was perfect for or projects. Now we can confidently give the wheel company measurements that work and it's made planning our projects so much easier. In the past, we've had to rehoop wheels that had the wrong backspacing. Now our wheels fit right the first time.

SOURCE
Nitto Tire 6021 Katella Avenue Suite 250 Cypress CA 90630 877-565-8448 www.nittotire.com	WheelWorks, Inc. 7420 Huckleberry Lane Spanish Fort AL 36527 251-377-6724 www.wheelworksinc.com
Vintage Wheel Works 16450 Phoebe Ave La Mirada CA 90638 714-690-4700 www.vintagewheelworks.com