These wheels are 16x7, as opposed to early Dak alloy wheels of 15x6.
Back space is 4 3/4 for Ford, 5 for Dak.
Using 235/65/16 tires, I get just short of 2" more tire sticking out.
All this is calculated and drawn up on paper, so far. I have to get the Ford center holes opened up a bit so they will fit the hubs/drums. Height is the same as 215/75/15, so there is no issue there.
Has anybody else gone to tires wide enough to stick out 2 inches?

 

To bad you got the blue oval in the center.

 

Blue oval is recessed, will get filled in, covered, or something....Might even paint the center caps to match the body, which is white...

 

Lol, my new tires are going to stick out way more than 2 inches!! :P

But my old ones (the ones in my sig pic) stuck out a good bit. They were 265/75/16s on 16x8 inch 2nd gen dakota wheels. Thats why I got those bushwacker fender flares... to cover them up.

 

Mine is 2wd.....

 

And?

If you're worried about covering up the tires, the bushwacker flares fit the 2wds just like they do the 4x4s. If its not covering up the tires that you're worried about, I have no idea why you brought it up in the first place.

 

4wd sits higher than 2wd.
Try and put a 235/75/15 on a stock dakota 2wd, and the tires will rub during turns. Best I could put on my 95 without rubbing the inner fender was 225/75/15.
4wd, tho, because of the stock lift, can easily take 235 width tires...
My concern is rubbing the outside edge of the tires on the wheel opening...

 

Unless your truck is lowered, I don't see the problem. 235/75/15 was one of the factory size tires for both the 2 and 4 wheel drive dakotas, and a 235/65/16 has a smaller overall diameter. If you have problems fitting a 235, there's something wrong with your truck.

**EDIT**

In fact, (you probably don't know the truck, but...) Bad96_3.9 has 255/45/17s on 17x9 inch wheels stuffed under all 4 corners of his lowered 1996 Dakota 2wd.

 

I have the brochures and service manuals for 87, 88, and 95. The largest tire offered from the factory for first generation 2wd is 215/75/15.

 

I'm not about to get in a debate over factory options on 15+ year old trucks...

If you want to run a 235/65/16, make it fit... it's not hard to do.

I'm about to stuff 37x12.50s under my truck... if I can make them fit mine, you can make a little 235/65/16 fit yours.

But if you're the type thats scared to take a sawzall or grinder to your fender wells, then run a 215/75/15 and quit worrying. Or don't even cut the fender well... get a body lift, or some v8 coil springs, or coil spacers.... Like I said, its not rocket science to make a tire fit. Everybody always comes in here asking how big of a tire they can go with... I say pick the size you want to run and fit your truck to them!!!!!