1980 Plymouth Trucks Tire Fitment Guide

1980 Plymouth Trucks vehicles use five sizes across two models. The Arrow Pickup uses 6.00-14 and 185R14, both on 14-inch rims. The Trailduster uses 225/75R15, 235/75R15, and 700-15, all on 15-inch rims. Rim-width support varies by tire: 185R14 products span roughly 4.0 to 6.5 inches, 225/75R15 spans about 6.0 to 8.0 inches, 235/75R15 spans about 6.0 to 8.5 inches, and 700-15 bias-ply products shown here use 5.0 to 5.5-inch rims.

The practical takeaway is that year and make alone are not enough on a 1980 Plymouth Trucks search. Arrow Pickup and Trailduster do not overlap on size or wheel diameter, so buyers should confirm the model first and then compare the exact tire against the wheel actually on the truck. That is especially important on vehicles that may have seen wheel swaps over the years.

On a 1980 Plymouth Trucks application, 6.00-14 is a numeric bias-ply size. The 6.00 figure is the nominal section width in inches, and the 14 is the wheel diameter in inches. On this year and make, that size belongs to the Arrow Pickup. Numeric sizing like this is an older American convention and does not describe the tire the same way a modern metric radial size does.

That matters because a 6.00-14 buyer is usually pursuing an older-style fitment character rather than translating directly from a modern metric code. Before choosing one, confirm that the truck still has the correct 14-inch wheels and that the wheel width suits the exact product under consideration. If the goal is a more modern on-road feel on an Arrow Pickup, the radial 185R14 is the other fitment path to compare.

On a 1980 Plymouth Trucks application, 185R14 is a euro-metric radial size used on the Arrow Pickup. The 185 denotes section width in millimeters, the R identifies radial construction, and the 14 denotes a 14-inch wheel. Because no aspect ratio is printed, this format generally follows the common 80-series convention used on many earlier metric radials. H-rated versions of 185R14 carry a 130 mph speed ceiling.

For an Arrow Pickup owner, 185R14 is the easier size to recognize if the truck already wears later-style radial tires. It also opens up blackwall and narrow whitewall choices, so the final decision is not just fitment but appearance. Wheel width still matters, since products in this size commonly span about 4.0 to 6.5 inches, and some versions favor a slightly narrower approved rim range than others.

For a 1980 Plymouth Trucks Trailduster, the 700-15 and 235/75R15 serve different priorities even though both mount on 15-inch wheels. The 700-15 is a bias-ply size with classic blackwall and wide whitewall options, while 235/75R15 is a radial with choices that include wide whitewall, narrow whitewall, and raised white letter styling. The radial size also includes an S-rated product with a 112 mph ceiling, which reflects the more modern tire category rather than a recommendation to drive the vehicle at that speed.

Owners usually choose between those two sizes based on how they want the Trailduster to look and feel on the road. A bias-ply setup better matches a traditional period presentation, while a radial setup is the more familiar route for regular street driving and broad style availability. The right next step is to confirm the wheel width on the truck, because the 700-15 tires shown here favor narrower rims than the 235/75R15 radials.

1980 Plymouth Trucks tires cover several sidewall treatments depending on size and model. Arrow Pickup radial 185R14 options come in blackwall and narrow whitewall. Trailduster radial 225/75R15 is available in narrow and wide whitewall, 235/75R15 adds raised white letter alongside narrow and wide whitewall, and 700-15 bias-ply choices come in blackwall and wide whitewall. That means the same year and make can lean toward either a clean utility look or a more styled period presentation.

Appearance should follow the character of the truck you are building. A blackwall or raised white letter tire typically suits a more utility-oriented or driver-focused Trailduster, while whitewall choices tend to fit a more styled restoration theme. On the compact Arrow Pickup, blackwall and narrow whitewall radial choices make the biggest visual difference, so it helps to decide early whether the truck should read as a workhorse, a preserved original, or a lightly personalized survivor.

Several brands cover 1980 Plymouth Trucks fitments. Arrow Pickup 185R14 tires are available from Michelin, Phoenix, and Vredestein. Trailduster 225/75R15 options come from BFGoodrich, Coker Classic, and American Classic, while 235/75R15 expands the field to BFGoodrich, American Classic, Maxxis, and Coker Classic. The 700-15 bias-ply Trailduster size is available from Firestone, BFGoodrich, and STA.

Brand choice often follows the kind of truck you are building. Some owners prioritize a well-known vintage American name on a classic-style bias-ply or whitewall radial, while others care more about a particular tread character or sidewall treatment. The easiest way to narrow the field is to pick the correct size first, then decide whether appearance, heritage branding, or a more truck-oriented presentation matters most for your specific 1980 Plymouth Trucks project.

Rim width depends on the tire size. Arrow Pickup 185R14 tires commonly fit rims from about 4.0 to 6.5 inches wide, with some versions favoring 4.5 to 6.0 or 4.5 to 6.5 inches. Trailduster 225/75R15 tires generally fit 6.0 to 8.0 inches, 235/75R15 generally fits 6.0 to 8.5 inches depending on product, and 700-15 bias-ply options shown here fit 5.0 to 5.5-inch rims. Those ranges are not interchangeable from one size to another.

That range is why wheel measurement matters before ordering, especially on older trucks that may have aftermarket or later OEM wheels installed. Even when two tires share the same rim diameter, the approved wheel width can be quite different. A Trailduster owner deciding between 700-15 and a metric radial should pay special attention here, since the radial sizes tolerate wider wheels than the bias-ply 700-15 choices.

Tube requirements depend on the exact tire. Arrow Pickup 185R14 products include tubeless examples marked TL, while other 185R14 entries are not marked the same way. The Trailduster radial sizes shown here do not carry tube-type markings in their size descriptions, and the 700-15 bias-ply entries also do not all use the same kind of notation. On a 1980 Plymouth Trucks search, tube status should be verified at the product level rather than assumed from size alone.

That is especially important when original wheels, older rims, or restoration-era parts are involved. A wheel’s condition and design can influence whether a tubeless tire can be used as intended, even when the tire itself is built for tubeless service. If your truck still wears original wheels, inspect bead seats, valve stem holes, and overall rim condition before finalizing the setup, and match the tube decision to the exact tire and wheel combination.

Original 1980 Plymouth Trucks wheels cannot be treated as universal across the whole model range because the Arrow Pickup uses 14-inch sizes and the Trailduster uses 15-inch sizes. Within the Trailduster group, 225/75R15, 235/75R15, and 700-15 all share a 15-inch rim diameter. Within the Arrow Pickup group, 6.00-14 and 185R14 share a 14-inch rim diameter. Diameter compatibility is only the first step, though, because wheel width still has to match the tire.

That means a truck can often stay on its original wheel diameter while still allowing more than one tire choice, but only if the wheel width falls within the approved range for the exact tire. This is most relevant on Traildusters, where a narrow wheel suitable for a 700-15 bias-ply may not be ideal for every 225/75R15 or 235/75R15 radial. Measure the wheel before treating same-diameter tires as direct substitutes.

A 1980 Plymouth Trucks vehicle stores best on clean, properly inflated tires in a cool, dry space away from direct sunlight, electric motors, chargers, and other ozone sources. If the truck will sit for long periods, move it periodically so the tires are not resting on one contact patch for months at a time. Bias-ply tires such as 6.00-14 or 700-15 can flat-spot more readily during storage than the radial sizes used on the Arrow Pickup and Trailduster.

Collectors who store a truck through an off-season often place it on stands or at least slightly over normal rest intervals to reduce stress on the casing, suspension, and contact patch. Clean concrete is better than damp soil or bare gravel, and a breathable cover helps the whole vehicle more than wrapping the tires tightly in plastic. Good storage habits preserve both appearance and ride quality when the truck returns to service.

Tires on a 1980 Plymouth Trucks vehicle should be judged by age as much as tread depth. A collector truck may accumulate very little mileage while the rubber still hardens with time, so inspection becomes more important than the odometer. A useful rule is to begin careful age-based evaluation around five to seven years and to treat about ten years as a serious replacement threshold, depending on storage conditions, use, and overall condition. The DOT date code on the tire sidewall is the key reference point.

That guideline applies even when the tread looks excellent. Older reproduction and collector tires often age out before they wear out, particularly on vehicles that sit for long periods between drives. If you have just acquired a 1980 Plymouth Trucks project, confirming the age of every tire, including the spare, is one of the smartest first checks because appearance alone does not reveal the tire’s full service life.

Tires on a 1980 Plymouth Trucks vehicle should be inspected before every drive and again before any extended outing. Look for sidewall cracking, weather checking, irregular wear, cuts, bulges, exposed cords, and any sign that the tire is losing pressure between drives. On sizes that may involve tubes or older wheel designs, include valve stems and the wheel itself in the inspection routine. A low-use collector truck benefits from frequent visual checks because problems can develop while it is parked.

Longer drives call for a more deliberate inspection, including spare-tire condition and pressure. On a Trailduster, that is especially important if the truck still sees occasional highway or trail use, because load and heat build-up expose weak tires quickly. Building a habit of checking condition, inflation, and age every time the truck comes out of storage is one of the simplest ways to avoid roadside trouble.

For a 1980 Plymouth Trucks Arrow Pickup, the period fitment story includes both a traditional 6.00-14 bias-ply path and a 185R14 radial path. By 1980, radial adoption was already well established across much of the market, but bias-ply sizing still remained relevant in restoration and replacement discussions for certain older-format applications. The exact tire a truck wore when new could vary by market, trim, and dealer history, so the safest authenticity check is to compare surviving labels, manuals, and marque-specific sources.

For most restorers, the practical question is whether the truck is being returned to a strict original-style presentation or preserved as a period-used vehicle that may reasonably wear a radial replacement of the correct basic size. Construction, size format, and sidewall style all influence how authentic the finished truck appears. If the build will be judged, consult a Plymouth or Mitsubishi pickup specialist to confirm what is accepted for your specific truck.

Correct tire fitment does matter when showing a 1980 Plymouth Trucks, especially on vehicles judged for authenticity. Judges and knowledgeable enthusiasts often notice whether the size, construction type, and sidewall treatment fit the period character of the truck. On a 1980 Arrow Pickup, the distinction between a numeric bias-ply look and a metric radial look changes the truck’s presentation. On a Trailduster, a blackwall, whitewall, or raised-white-letter radial can each send a very different visual message.

That does not mean every event uses the same standard. Some local shows care more about overall correctness and condition, while marque or concours events may be much stricter about construction and sidewall appearance. If you are building toward judged originality, confirm what the event expects before finalizing your tire choice. Getting the tire style right can do as much for authenticity as paint, trim, or wheel finish.

For a 1980 Plymouth Trucks Arrow Pickup running 185R14, Michelin MXV and Vredestein Sprint Classic both provide radial construction on a 14-inch rim, but they differ in available presentation and fitment range. Michelin MXV appears in both blackwall and narrow whitewall versions, with rim-width coverage reaching as wide as 6.5 inches. Vredestein Sprint Classic appears as a blackwall 185HR14 with an H speed rating and a narrower published rim-width range of 4.5 to 6.0 inches.

That means the choice is partly visual and partly wheel-dependent. If the truck’s wheel falls near the wider end of the common 185R14 range, Michelin gives more flexibility, while Vredestein may appeal to owners who want a classic-looking European-style radial within its approved fitment range. Checking wheel width before choosing between them matters just as much as deciding on blackwall versus whitewall appearance.

1980 Plymouth Trucks tires can be appropriate for highway use when the tire is the correct size, in good condition, properly inflated, and matched to the wheel. The radial sizes here include H-rated 185R14 options with a 130 mph ceiling and an S-rated 235/75R15 option with a 112 mph ceiling. Those figures are tire-category limits, not a suggestion that an older Plymouth truck should be driven anywhere near them. On a vintage truck, braking, steering, suspension, and overall condition usually matter more than raw tire speed capability during normal highway travel.

The important distinction is construction and condition. A fresh radial in the correct size generally aligns better with modern traffic expectations than an old, hardened tire of any type, while a sound bias-ply tire can still be completely appropriate for period-style use when driven with the habits that older vehicles reward. Before planning regular highway use, inspect the entire vehicle and match your expectations to the truck’s age and setup.

Inflation pressure on a 1980 Plymouth Trucks application should follow the vehicle’s factory recommendation for the original size and the tire maker’s rated limits for the specific replacement tire. The pressure figures on these tires vary by size and product: 185R14 examples include 1,323 pounds at 35 psi and 1,323 pounds at 51 psi, 225/75R15 examples range from 1,874 pounds at 35 psi to 2,094 pounds at 32 psi, 235/75R15 reaches from 1,985 pounds at 50 psi to 2,271 pounds at 32 psi, and 700-15 examples show 1,700 pounds at 32 psi.

Those numbers are load-and-pressure ratings for the tires themselves, not blanket inflation advice to copy from one size to another. A compact Arrow Pickup and a full-size Trailduster place very different demands on their tires, and even within one size the appropriate running pressure may differ by tire design and vehicle use. Start with the factory guidance, then confirm that the chosen tire’s own limits and load rating support the setup.

Before a longer drive in a 1980 Plymouth Trucks vehicle, inspect all five tires for cracking, cuts, bulges, uneven wear, and stable pressure, and do not forget the spare. Check valve stems closely, especially on older wheels or any setup that may use tubes. Verify that lug nuts are secure, wheel balance feels normal, and the tires are not rubbing under steering or suspension movement. A longer trip in an older truck should always begin with the tires because they are the one part of the vehicle touching the road at all times.

That inspection should be part of a broader pre-trip routine. Older trucks also deserve attention to brakes, belts, hoses, fluids, steering play, and lighting before sustained road use. If the truck has been stored for months, take a short local shakedown drive first and recheck the tires afterward for heat, pressure change, or any sign of separation. A careful once-over is far easier than solving a tire problem on the shoulder.