View Full Version : My conversion to 19.5" wheels is complete on my 3500.
Maverick
07-24-2002, 22:11
Finally done. I think it turned out pretty awesome. Let me know what you guys think. Need some feedback. Total cost was around 4k. I'll have to add up my reciepts. You can cut and paste or click on the link in my sig. Go to 19.5 conversion albumn.
http://www.picturetrail.com/gallery/view?p=999&gid=1012182&uid=437876
Jeff
[ 07-24-2002: Message edited by: Maverick ]</p>
GLEN NORMAN
07-24-2002, 22:26
That looks good. Did it raise the truck? :cool:
Maverick
07-24-2002, 22:33
1" overall height increase over stock wheels & tires. Speedo is dead on to 1 mph fast.
wangotango
07-24-2002, 23:52
Maverick, that is one good looking truck.
Nice work.
w/t
Maverick,
LOOKS GREAT!!! I like your choice of wheels and tires ;) :D
Maverick...nice looking conversion .... can you tell any difference in the way your Allison handles the change or the rpms turned by your D'max? :confused:
Maverick,
They look GREAT!!!
Thats the way GM should have done it!
Gives it the look of the Old body style 3500HD.
Are the Alcoa's stock or did they need machining to adapt to the adapters?
Let us know how they do in the white stuff!!
[ 07-25-2002: Message edited by: Lawnboy ]</p>
NickLeinonen
07-25-2002, 17:19
:cool: :cool: :cool:
now that looks way slick.. when you wear out OR get bored of the 225's, you could upgrade to the 245's... :D :D :D that could be fun. dually truck with 33's under it.
Timberline
07-25-2002, 18:53
Your truck looks great with those wheels! Thanks for the pictures.
Did you put 6 aluminium wheels on or were two of them steel?
I would really love to put the 19.5's on mine but $4K is hard for me to take. I guess I'll just have to drool over yours for a while.
Mav ,
Looks real,friggen good.....Glad Your far away I simple don't want the competition........
MAC :D :D :D
[ 07-25-2002: Message edited by: mackin ]</p>
Maverick
07-26-2002, 01:12
Thanks for the replys. I like it also. I really get some looks from the other brands.
JEBar,
The first day it seemed like it wanted to hold 4th for a long time before going into 5th. With over 1500 miles on it now, everything seems very normal. No noticable difference in the tach. Speedo is 1 mph fast.
Lawnboy,
They are a stock Alcoa. The adapters are made for that bolt pattern. Got tired of waiting for 16's to be made. I like the looks of this better and it is a stronger wheel and setup. Plowing is the only reason for getting this tire. It should do good. Come Oct. I will be plowing.
NickLeinonen,
You could put 245's on but I think this setup fills the wheel well just fine. Doesn't hit or rub lock to lock. 245's will hit.
Timberline,
I put on 6 aluminum. The adapters really didn't increase my width. The wheels do. Sidewall to sidewall is 99" with all aluminum. The stock width was 93.5". I don't have rear fenders so I don't care. I have about 1.5" of space between the duals. No spacers needed. All wheels.
Mac,
You'll have to go on a road trip (6K) one of these days. :D How's your wheels holding up? Did you get your spacer thing figured out?
Maverick,
I measured the front & rear track width with the OEM Goodyear Wrangler AT/S 215/85 16" (outside edge of tread to outside edge of tread):
Front: 75.75"
Rear: 91"
Same measurement with Alcoa 19.5" x 7.5" wheels (1 steel Accuride and 1 Alcoa on duals) and Michelin XDE M/S 225/70 19.5"):
Front: 75"
Rear: 95.5"
The rear duals with this set-up (1 steel/1 alum) are really close to being under the fender - the tread is even with the edge of the fender, and the sidewall bulges out 1/2" or so outside the fender. I'll need new, wider mudflaps... ;)
With steel Accuride 19.5" x 7.5" wheels temporarily mounted on front, the track width was 73.5" :eek: So using 1 steel and 1 Alcoa on the duals, there is even more room between them - at least 3".
BTW, the unloaded ride is much improved if you let some air out of them BIG WHEELS... I LIKE the whine of those tires... :D
Maverick
07-26-2002, 21:47
Mdrag,
Were you able to transfer pics (w/o laptop)? I put a straight edge up against the sidewall and took my first measurements. My actual tread width (rear) is 96 5/8". I just measured my spacing. It is 2 5/8" sidewall to sidewall. Did you notice it all depends on what kind of pavement you are on as to how the tires whine? Sometimes quiet and sometimes pretty loud. Send me a pic if you can. :D
[ 07-26-2002: Message edited by: Maverick ]</p>
Maverick,
Couple of questions:
#1 How much did this change the unsprung weight? Did you have to do any suspension upgrades if so?
#2 Any clearance problems? The fronts appear that they will be close on a turn. You can see quite a bit of difference betwen your picture #2 and picture #5.
Maverick
07-27-2002, 23:12
csimo,
I haven't weighed the truck yet by itself. It was 7300lbs with a full tank and myself. No extra suspension mods. I feel the truck has plenty of that already. Need new shocks though. No clearance problems at all. It is closer but doesn't touch. Even lock to lock. I'll post a new weight maybe this week.
85,451 miles and counting.
On edit here....I just looked at pics 2 and 5. Pic 5 the wheel is turned to the right a little so it would appear closer than it would be in the straight position. It is 2 1/2" from the plastic on the bottom of the bumper to the tire in stock form. Now it is 1 1/2" inches.
[ 07-28-2002: Message edited by: Maverick ]</p>
They look great! Completely different look, very custom. I tried to get some info on the XDE-MS, but they did list them. I wonder if they come in an 16-inch size?
Here is a link to pics of my truck with the 19.5" Alcoas and Michelin XDE M/S 225/70 19.5" tires:
http://community.webshots.com/user/mmdrag
csimo,
I weighed the adapters, OEM wheels/tires, and Alcoa/Michelins:
Front adapters with (10) 33mm lug nuts: 30.5 lbs. each adaoter
Rear adapters with (10) 33mm lug nuts : 33 lbs each adapter
(ten 33mm lug nuts weigh about 4 lbs)
OEM 16" x 6" steel wheel/GY Wrangler ATS 215/85 16 @ 70 psi: 77 lbs. each
Alcoa 19.5" x 7.5"/Michelin 225/70 19.5" @ 95 psi: 103 lbs each
Accuride steel 19.5" x 7.5"/Michelin 225/70 19.5" @ 95 psi: 129 lbs each
Front unsprung weight is increased by 56.5 lbs per wheel and rear is increased by 111 lbs per dual. Truck weight should increase by 2(56.5) + 2(111) - 77* = 258 lbs. *Minus 77 lbs is due to the spare being removed, and I do not plan to buy a spare 19.5" wheel/tire.
I've not noticed much of a difference in ride quality on the highway (other than tire noise), but it is definitely a rougher ride on bumpy roads. I'm eagerly awaiting the Bilsteins' arrival...
I can tell you that the 19.5" conversion draws attention.... :D
You could further minimize the weight increase of this modification by 30 lbs per wheel if you inflate each tire to 65 psi instead of 95 psi... :eek: ;) :D
Then there's the Hydrogen option for inflation!!!
Wow, A lot heavier than I ever imagined! Still look way COOOL~!
Maverick
07-30-2002, 00:14
Well I guess my truck should weigh 7558lbs with me and a full tank of go go juice. :eek: Sure scoots along like its 2500lbs. Thanks Mdrag. ;)
Maverick,
Don't forget you're using 6 Alcoa aluminum vs my 4 aluminum/2 steel. Each steel is about 26 lbs heavier, so you should be closer to 7500 lbs...
mdrag
Maverick
07-30-2002, 18:21
OOOOOOhhhhhhh YYYYaaaaa. Forgot to adjust for that. Your always on top of things. :D
deadlyman
08-19-2002, 15:20
mdrag and maveric looking to take the 19.5 plunge is the noise really noticable and has your mileage changed
deadlyman,
Yes, the Michelin XDE M/S tires make a definite whine - loudness depends on speed and type of surface - and varies quite a bit. The extra tire noise does not bother me; others may find it objectionable. I expected more tire noise with this aggressive thread pattern.
Go to:
http://www.ricksontruck.com/tires-225-70R195.html
This is a nice comparison of the available tires in the 225/70 19.5" size. Click the TIRES tab across the top of the page if you want to look at other sizes. Although the Rickson site does not list it, I found that the Bridgestone M724F is supposed to be available in the 225/70 size. I wanted a M+S tire, and considered the GY G124, General LMT 450, Yoko TY 303, and the Bridgestone M724F in addition to the XDE M/S.
The Generals were hard to find, and at the time there was a shortage since they can be had as OEM tires on Ford 450 IIRC. Also, I could not locate the Yoko locally. I checked with Tirerack, and they said they could get the Bridgestones or the Michelins. Ended up $223 each for the LRF Michelins, and S/H was a very reasonable $56.00 for ALL SIX TIRES.
If tire noise and ride is your primary concern, I would not hesitate to go with the Michelin XRV. These tires were developed for the RV crowd and designed with ride comfort in mind, and from what I'm told they have been a popular tire for that application.
Mileage?? I quit keeping track of mileage some time ago... I have not checked the speedo accuracy after the change, but Maverick reported that his was within 1 or 2 MPH of that reported by those unmanned radar units. On a recent trip, I had the cruise set on 75 MPH (the legal speed limit on the OK Turnpike :eek: ) and three State Troopers passed in the opposite direction with their radar guns on as indicated by my V1, and I did NOT generate any interest from them - so my speedo must be pretty close...
mdrag
[ 08-19-2002: Message edited by: mdrag ]</p>
Maverick
08-19-2002, 23:18
Deadlyman,
No noticable difference in fuel mileage.
These tires do whine like Mdrag said but get a less aggressive tire and I don't think you will have that problem.
What are you going to get? Like ours or Ricksons or APP? Wheels I mean.
[ 08-19-2002: Message edited by: Maverick ]</p>
deadlyman
08-20-2002, 02:56
I like the looks of the 10 lug setup so I'm going that rout.where did you get the addapters and did you buy it all as a kit?
Maverick
08-20-2002, 12:23
You can buy as a complete kit from www.chromewheel.com
You will get new Alcoas wheels that have been polished at his shop. He buys them with a machine finish (cheaper). They will not be polished wheels from the factory. The adapters that come with the kit come from www.arrowcraft.com. You can buy direct from Arrowcraft as mdrag and I have done.
I bought my wheels from Chromewheel and Mdrag bought his from Arrowcraft. We both got our adapters from Arrowcraft. Mdrags wheels were polished from the factory at Alcoa. I got a good deal on my wheels. $1500 for 6 aluminum. Polished on the outside on 4 and 2 polished inside(outside dual).
I believe Arrowcraft does not advertise the adapter for our trucks anywhere. You will have to call them to order.
deadlyman
08-20-2002, 15:24
wow lots of great info thanks
One more question what was the width on the rims and would the 19.5x7.5 work?
deadlyman,
If you are going with the 8 bolt -> 10 on 285.75mm bolt circle adapters, Alcoa lists three possible widths for the 19.5" wheels - 6.75", 7.5", and 8.25" .
I wanted the 6.75" width in order to give me the best shot at keeping the wheels under the dually fenders. After the 19.5" x 6.75" wheels and 225/70 19.5" tires where ordered (from different vendors), I was notified that the 6.75" were not available. Multiple phone calls later, I found out that the 6.75" will be produced by Alcoa IF they got an order for 200...no one had the 6.75" in stock....
I switched to the 7.5" width, but decided to use a steel inner rather than dual aluminums on the rear - again to try and keep the wheels under the dually fenders - no one could tell me what would/would not work....
The only problem with using the 7.5" wheels is that the 225/70 19.5" tires use a recommended wheel width of 6.00" or 6.75"...I was real concerned that the 225's would not mount up or have problems. Michelin reps told me they would not mount, I would have problems with the bead seating and they would not hold air etc.
SoMnDmax provided much appreciated help/info on this (Thanks again Matt), and calmed my fears. Needless to say, the tires mounted right up without difficulty, and I've not noticed any adverse effects so far. Who knows, maybe the tire's mileage may be decreased...
Either the 6.75" or 7.5" width is recommended for 245/70 19.5" tires.
With the 225/70 x 19.5" on the 7.5" wheels, and 1 steel and 1 aluminum on the duals, the tread of the outside dual tire is even with the edge of the dually fender, with the sidewall buldging out 1/2" or so outside the fender.
Hope this helps.
mdrag
deadlyman
08-21-2002, 20:11
do you know if they make a rear wheel well flare for the dually.
deadlyman,
I've not been able to locate rear flares for the '01 and newer duallies. I sent emails to Bushwacker and Lund, and never received replies from them.
I've looked hard at the 2500HD rear flares, and I was going to give them a shot if my wheels extended out too far for my liking. I really think they could be made to work...
I'm satisfied with how my conversion came out without rear flares, so I gave up looking into this issue further.
The next time I'm at the local GM salvage yard, I'll check to see if they have one lying around to test fit....
mdrag
[ 08-22-2002: Message edited by: mdrag ]</p>
deadlyman
08-24-2002, 21:00
Hey maveric
going to pick your brain some more the rims you got from chrome wheel are new or refurbished doing alot of reserch found that I can get the rims for 200 each refurbished and polished. any bad vibrations after puting this setup on?
Maverick
08-24-2002, 21:23
Mine are NEW. He did not have any referbs in stock at the time I ordered. Thats what I would have gotten if I could. $125 plus a polish is a good way to save some money. Not a hint of wabble or vibration. The 4 rear tires are not even balanced. With 23K hanging out back sometimes, who's gonna know if they are out of balance anyway. The first time I get some mud or snow inside the inner dual my would be balance would be off anyway. The left front didn't need to be balanced at all. It spun perfect on the machine. The right front needed 2 oz. to make it spin 0.
My truck is a work truck and didn't need new wheels but I had no choice as I needed the wheels ASAP. I think the referbs will look almost as good. Ask way if I can help further. Good luck.
bbattrell
08-25-2002, 09:05
Mdrag
I noticed you put the centramatic on your's. Were you having any wobble?
bbattrell,
I planned to use the Centramatic balancers from the start, and did not test drive the 19.5" wheels/tires without the balancers. No wobble or vibration here :D
Maverick,
Two oz must be a popular #. Just for the heck of it, I had the two inner steel duals balanced - each one need 2 oz. I watched while the tires were balanced...
mdrag
bbattrell
08-25-2002, 14:22
What do you guy's think? I am concidering the 22" set up because it is $600.00 less going with the resurfaced 22's. I don't want to put a lift on the truck. Will the 36" tires rub? I know I will have to shim the bumper out a little, and turn the torqution bars a few turn's. I seen them on a 3500 DRW ford without a lift, but I think their wheel wells are bigger.
deadlyman
08-25-2002, 15:39
What did you pay for the adaptor kits arrow has not e-mailed me back yet
bbattrell
08-25-2002, 16:32
Arrow and Chrome wheel both quoted me the same price of 2495 for 4 new Alcoa's, and 2 steel with adaptors. Chromewheel said they are out of polished used Alcoa 19.5 or it would be 500 less.
Maverick
08-25-2002, 19:03
DeadlyMan,
I am pretty sure it was $841 for the 4 adapters for my dually. It was $2341 for the adapters and 6 aluminum plus shipping. My tires were $214 and change. Thats $1284 for tires. Grand total was $3625 and shipping put me over 4K. Shipping to Alaska hurts.
deadlyman
08-25-2002, 20:43
di you get the adaptors and the wheels both from arrow ? and where did you get the tires at that price?
Maverick
08-26-2002, 00:46
Deadlyman,
I posted this earlier in this thread.
"I bought my wheels from Chromewheel and Mdrag bought his from Arrowcraft. We both got our adapters from Arrowcraft. Mdrags wheels were polished from the factory at Alcoa. I got a good deal on my wheels. $1500 for 6 aluminum. Polished on the outside on 4 and 2 polished inside(outside dual)."
I got a fleet account at the BGF warehouse. They carry Michelin and some other brands. This warehouse sells to all the tire shops. I buy at the stores cost. Saves me quite abit sometimes. Mdrag got a good price on the same tire at "The Tire Rack" I think.
deadlyman
08-26-2002, 03:43
Thanks maveric
not toget off the subject but I lived in kodiak ak for about five years in '79 (military brat)or I should say lived on kodiak ,miss it
deadlyman
08-29-2002, 16:08
Ordered my wheels and adaptors yesterday 1895 for the whole set up with hardware and six refurberd wheels polished on both sides trying to find the tires at a good price but no luck chromewheel will sell all six xde-ms 245-70-19.5 mounted and balanced for 1800 mitght go with it can't find ms tires in florida plus garentee balanced with less than 3oz on wheels.
bbattrell
08-29-2002, 20:11
Deadlyman
I ordered mine a couple of day's ago from Chromewheel. They told me it is going to be a couple of weeks to get some more 19.5's and polish them. I went with the four polished, and 2 machined 6.75"x19.5" aluminum. He said they will stick out 1/2" with 245's. I am still considering 225's.
If you have a Costco membership they can order Michellin's. For the rib XZA 199.99. I forget what the XDE-MS were.
Good Luck
Bill
deadlyman,
Tirerack special ordered the 225/70 19.5" Michelin XDE M/S @ $223 ea. for the LRF, and S/H was $56 for all six tires. Qouted 6 weeks, but the tires arrived in about three weeks - well before the adapters and wheels...
bbattrell,
I wish you all the luck in finding the 6.75" x 19.5" Alcoa wheels....Chromewheel told me that he could not get the 6.75", and I'd be better off with the APP or Rickson wheels...Arrowcraft placed an order for the 6.75" and then 1-2 weeks later found out that none of their distributors had the Alcoa 19.5" x 6.75" in stock, and I was told they were discontinued. I made multiple calls to Alcoa in Cleveland OH ->6.75" x 19.5" were discontinued -> 6.75" x 19.5" were not discontinued -> then the real answer -> the 6.75" were not discontinued, but will only be produced when Alcoa receives an order for at least 200 wheels....no distributor could be located that had the 6.75" x 19.5" in stock. Arrowcraft even tried to find refurbs in the 6.75" size without success...Arrowcraft sold me the new 7.5" at the price quoted for the new 6.75" :D
One word of caution - be prepared for the phone call that the 6.75" are not available, and/or you can have new 7.5" at a higher price, or the 7.5" refurbs just came in...by then a few weeks have gone by, your patience is wearing thin, and you just want this to be a done deal... :eek:
Maverick
08-29-2002, 21:47
Guys,
I waited almost a month for the refurbs I had ordered in the first place. I called Bernie back and he said it would be a couple weeks. Ha! Thats what he told me 3 weeks ago when I ordered. Good luck getting refurbs. I couldn't wait any longer (right Mdrag) and needed my wheels like yesterday. I ended up with new also. No 6.75's, only 7.5's. If you get refurbs I will be surprised. "I should be getting more (refurbs) in a couple weeks" seems to be his favorite line.
I would stay with 225's. 245's will rub in the front and most likely lock to lock also. This size looks very clean and right for this truck. You can turn your lock stops out so they don't hit but doesn't the truck already have a big turning radius? Why add to it.
[ 08-29-2002: Message edited by: Maverick ]</p>
bbattrell
08-29-2002, 22:03
I sure hope you guy's are wrong. I am tiered of waiting for wheels. I can't put any weight in my truck now with 235's, so I am without a work truck. I am going to call tomorrow and see if he will level with me.
[ 08-29-2002: Message edited by: bbattrell ]</p>
deadlyman
08-30-2002, 20:38
let me know if he levels with you has anybody had any luck with him?
deadlyman
08-30-2002, 20:48
plus Idon't have time to fart around either I'm running on slick's as it is.Did you get ypur wheels from chrome wheel maveric?
Maverick
08-30-2002, 21:49
Deadlyman,
Read the last post on page one. ;)
deadlyman
08-31-2002, 03:00
once you ordered the new wheels how long did it take him to get them to you?
Maverick
08-31-2002, 17:32
My tires were shot also and I needed them right away so I had him ship them US Priority mail. He shipped them the same day. US mail took 4 days but my PO didn't put a slip in my box to say they were in and I finally tracked them down on day 9. I was PO'ed.
What, no refurbs? He should have some more in a couple weeks. :rolleyes: Ha ha ha.
deadlyman
08-31-2002, 20:21
is that how you got such a good price on the wheels?
Maverick
09-01-2002, 01:35
Don't know. Maybe he felt bad because I was waiting so long for refurbs. What did he say about the refurbs?
bbattrell
09-01-2002, 08:29
He told me they are waiting for the a full truck of wheels. He said it is almost full now.
deadlyman
09-01-2002, 09:17
A full truck of wheels did he say when Iwas told everything should be ready buy wed. did you buy your adaptors from him also bbattrell
bbattrell,
Where you able to get confirmation that you are getting 6.75" x 19.5" wheels? :confused:
Inquiring minds want to know.... ;)
mdrag
deadlyman
09-01-2002, 10:13
Where you getting the 6.75 refurbs or new?
Maverick
09-01-2002, 18:13
deadlyman,
Who are asking this question too?
deadlyman
09-01-2002, 18:26
sorry I was asking bbatrell.
bbattrell
09-01-2002, 22:20
Berny told me 2 weeks and yes he did say he would have refurbed 6.75" wheels. He said he ordered 11 sets of dually adaptors, and Arrowcraft said they may have a problem filling all the order's quickly, so I told him to send me the adaptors next week if that would prevent a hold up. I guess we will see.
[ 09-01-2002: Message edited by: bbattrell ]</p>
deadlyman
09-03-2002, 03:33
Maveric you said you had about a 1 1/2 clerance from your tire to the bumper with the 225's on wouldn't the 245 fit also they are about a inch larger in diameter wich shoould put them 1/2 inch closer to the bumper? but they are also 1inch wider wich is why I like them is that why they will rub on the turn you think? Did you crank up your torsion bars any?
deadlyman
09-03-2002, 17:25
Well talked to Bernie today and he said my wheels and tires are being shipped tomorrow I know I could've gotton the tires cheaper but found them too late oh well
bbattrell
09-03-2002, 17:45
deadlyman I am not sure the 3500 is much different then the 2500, but the 16/285 is close to the same diameter and 1.5" wider then the 19.5/245 and there are many on here that run them by trimming a little of the air dam, or shimming the bumper. Let me know how they work I am still concidering them.
bbattrell
09-03-2002, 17:55
Hey Deadlyman, so what are you getting 6.75" refurb's or what.
deadlyman
09-03-2002, 18:25
bbattrell
I odered the 7.5 refurbs but woundering now did he tell you the whole truck load was 6.75 that he was waiting on?
bbattrell
09-03-2002, 18:38
He didn't specify. He just said there were some coming on it. I talked to him today about me paying shipping to get the refurbs to him to polish now, and he said he should get the truck this week. Who knows Mdrag and Maverick may be right about this guys line. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt for now.
deadlyman
09-03-2002, 18:47
I'm getting the same feeling.I asked about getting a tracking number he replied "yes I can but I should recieve them friday or monday at the latest" but my card was already charged so we will see
Maverick
09-03-2002, 19:17
Deadlyman,
My clearance is 1.5 when the wheels are straight. When its being turned is goes to .5. Thats why I said 245's will rub. I didn't touch my bars. If you want to trim and shim and crank....go for it. I like to see the dually with the bigger tires. B-man, if you get the 6.75 refurbs, take some measurements when they are on. I would like to see the width difference compared to mine and Mdrag's. D-man, why did he send 7.5's? Is it that he had them in stock and you needed them right away? If thats true, I thought you guys said he had no refurbs in stock?
[ 09-03-2002: Message edited by: Maverick ]</p>
deadlyman
09-03-2002, 20:09
Maveric
thats why it sounds fishy and why I asked for the tracking number geuss I will find out tomorrow
deadlyman
09-06-2002, 19:30
Well I got the phone call from the trucking company to set up a delivery time, bummer is can't get here till tuesday.700lb of wheels and addaptors and tires.
bbattrell
09-07-2002, 08:45
Deadlyman
I am still waiting on the 6.75's Berny now say's there wasn't any on the truck. Did you order 6 7.5's aluminum's? Berny is trying to talk me into the 7.5's if I don't want to wait. He says anouther week for the 6.75's.
I guess I should of figured there would be a excuse after Mavericks, and Mdrags experiences. I don't know maybe I should just do steel inside wheel's, or just let them stickout a 1/2" with the alum's and get them on the road Monday?
Bill
deadlyman
09-07-2002, 12:54
I went for the 7.5's all alum. polished on all sides gave me a good deal.
bbattrell
09-07-2002, 19:23
Deadlyman
Would you mind emailing me the deal he gave you bbattrell@aol.com, maybe I will buy my tires from him if it is resonable. Like you I need them soon.
Why are you guys running adapters when Rickson is offering wheels that don't need adapters ? Have you heard of any problems with their wheels ?
EWC,
I looked at Rickson and APP while researching this conversion. I decided on the adapter route for a few reasons:
1) The Rickson wheel can only be obtained from 1 place, while Alcoa's in this size can be found in nearly any larger city...if you need a replacement for whatever reason...
2) The Alcoa 10 bolt on 285.75mm pattern looks much better then the small bolt pattern on the Rickson. I looked at the Rickson and APP offerings some time ago, but was not that hot on the looks, and looked again when I found the info on the 19.5" conversion using the Alcoas - I still did not care for the looks of the others.
3) The cost for this conversion using APP, Rickson, or Alcoa + Adapters is roughly the same. The APP or Rickson aluminum wheels are about $500 each. The Alcoas are about $250 new (varies with inside or outside polish) or $100 for refurbs (if you can find them smile.gif ), but require the adapters.
4) You can use two aluminum Alcoas per dual if you want to. APP does not offer a steel inner, and if you use two APP aluminum wheels per dual, the outer dual will be stud piloted :eek: The adapters from Arrowcraft or Chromewheel are hubcentric mounted, and maintain hubcentric mounting for the wheels even if two aluminum wheels are used per dual. The downside is the extra weight (~30 - 33 lbs each adapter) from the adapters.
5) The wheels could be used on any of the big three's trucks - if my taste in brands changed ;) I could buy a differnt set of adapters and keep my Alcoas.
6) Did I mention that IMHO the Alcoas look the best :D
7) I was leery of using adapters at first, but these are quality pieces. Bob from Arrowcraft does a tremendous job machining these adapters. If I am not mistaken, the front wheels on the 3500 use some type of adapter from the factory to use the BUD dually wheel.
Tastes Great!! Less Filling!!!
mdrag
bbattrell
09-08-2002, 22:06
They don't make aluminum wheels yet for a 01 and up dually. They say they are waiting on getting enough orders to have Alcoa make some. I can't wait any longer. Besides if you damage one of their's you are out 500 to replace it. With the adaptors you can buy a new 10 lug Alcoa for 275, or a polished referbished wheel for 175.
I am not sure if Rickerson's will be interchangable, I now APP you can't rotate fronts and backs. If you get a front flat you can't pull one of your back wheels and use it as a spare.
I know I could go with Rickerson steel wheels, but even that is a few week wait and they are not as strong. I have been through all the options and for me the adaptors are the best option right now.
Thanks for the feedback . That's what I wanted to hear .
deadlyman
09-09-2002, 20:54
Well guy's
I picked up my wheels from the truck yard today insted of them delivering them tomarrow couldn't wait bad news he messed up my order sent me 2 steel iners instead of all 6 aluminum and he did not polish both sides like he said he would and no addapters yet being shipped from the mechinest should get here tomarrow he said.I have two options kepp the setup he sent me and get him to credit me back some cash or have him send me two alumin wheel and ship back the steel one but still left wth none rotatable set up (not polished on both sides)what to do what to do?
deadlyman,
Something to consider if you decide to go with 2 aluminum per dual - the tires are going to stick out farther than the fender. On my truck with 1 steel/1 aluminum 19.5" x 7.5" and 225/70, the edge of the tread is even with the fender and the sidewall is 1/2" or so outside the fender.
If my thinking is correct, dual aluminums with 245's are going to put the sidewall about 1.25" ouside the fender due to the increased hub thickness of the 2nd aluminum vs. steel and the extra width of the 245's...
Since you have both the steel and aluminum wheels, measure the hub thickness of each and record the difference. Add that measurement to the 1/2" that my sidewall protrudes out from the edge of the fender, then add 10mm (or slightly more than 3/8") for one half the difference in the width of 225 vs 245. This should give you a very close estimate of how far the sidewall will protrude from the edge of the fender... :eek:
Or just post the hub thickness of the steel vs aluminum and whether you are using 225 or 245 tires...
mdrag
deadlyman
09-10-2002, 03:45
Mdrag
The steel is 3/8 thick and the aluminum is 3/4 the measurement from face of the hub to the rim is 1 5/8 on the aluminum and 1 3/4 on the steel so the offset is 1/8 diferance when I get the addapters I will put the steel on and see if they stick out .
deadlyman,
Using your measurements, the aluminum is 3/8" thicker at the hub. Using my set up as an example, if I used dual aluminum 7.5" with 225's, the sidewall would move out an additional 3/8" from the 1/2" it is now, so 1/2" + 3/8" = 7/8". On my truck the sidewalls would be 7/8" ouside the fender edge with dual 7.5" aluminums and 225 tires.
If you go up to 245's, add another 10mm (3/8") to the above, and the sidewall is going to be about 1.25" out from the edge of the fender with dual aluminum 7.5" with 245's...
bbattrell and deadlyman,
Any updates on your 19.5" conversions? It's been quiet on this thread...
mdrag
bbattrell
09-17-2002, 18:06
Yea you guys were right Berny called, and said all the 6.75 and 7.5's he got were junk. He made me a deal on new 7.5's with 225 XDE-MS. I am still waiting to receive them.
I wish he would of just made me this deal from the start, and I would be driving my truck now.
bbattrell,
That sounds better than 'I'm waiting for the truck to fill up' line... ;)
Good luck, and post some pics when you're rolling again.
mdrag
Maverick
09-17-2002, 22:01
Junk my butt! If they had dings,scratches, and gouges.....so what. They are refurbs. I would have glady run a dinged wheel if it was polished up. As much as I drive mine the wheels are clean for a day they they are trashed for a couple weeks till I can wash it again anyway. My guess is he never got them in and is trying to cover himself.
deadlyman
09-23-2002, 19:38
bbattrell
what kind of deal?
Anyone using Alcoa polished aluminum wheels, or any polished but UNCOATED/UNANODIZED aluminum wheels - I tried Alcoa's PDQ Brightener today and it works very well.
By mistake I grabbed the wrong spray bottle to clean the tires :confused: and used Castrol Super Clean instead of Simple Green...of course some - well, a lot - got on the aluminum wheel and it looked like crap - dull/spotted/discolored - fortunately only 1 wheel got this treatment before I realized...I did this one week ago and was thinking I would have to remove the wheel from the truck and use plenty of elbow grease to polish it by hand :eek: :mad:
Alcoa PDQ Brightener is water consistency, slighty white/almost clear, and NON-ABRASIVE - wipe it on and buff, then wipe clean with another soft cotton towel. More elbow grease compared to waxing a car, but much less than using an aluminum polish smile.gif
It removes a layer of oxidation and the white towel (and my hands) turned black - similar to what happens when you use aluminum polish. Ten minutes for 1 wheel (outside rear dual), and I did it twice.
If you can't find it locally, the Alcoa website online store has it listed:
www.alcoawheelaccessories.com/store/control/productstoitems?product_id=199754
199754 Aluminum Care System for uncoated, unanodized aluminum surfaces $11.99 16 oz.
They are offering 10% off + free S/H. I'd estimate you could do 16 wheels (1 side), or more. It's very easy to use too much (or knock over the bottle :eek: ) since this stuff is thin like water. Highly recommended.
mdrag
bbattrell
09-29-2002, 21:11
I installed my wheels the other day. It looks great I will post some pic's tomorrow. I went with the 4 new 7.5 alum, and 2 acuride's on the inside. I tried a little different tire combo. I went with the XDE-MS on the rear, and the XZE on the front. It is a highway rib tire and dosn't make any noise. I know I can't rotate them, but I have rarly rotated any of my vehical's tires .They are all 225/70's. I think the traction tires look way cool up front, but I am thinking I rarly use 4 wheel drive, and this is more practical.
I almost went with the 245's, but I didn't want to deal with the mess in the winter, because they don't fit in the wheel well's.
I have got to call Berny tomarrow. He said they have the tires balanced on the Hunter, but this thing is shaking the sterring wheel from 25 to 45 mph like crazy. Do you think 150lbs of torque is enough on these wheels? That is what is stamped on the arrowcraft adaptor nut's. Berny say's that is good for the lug's also. Where did you guy's come up wih 450lbs? I also am running 50 psi in the tires. Do you think that might have somthing to do with the shaking? It diffinetly rides much rougher, even with rear ranchos on 1 I am getting bouced around. The rodes around here suck. I am concidering air ride suspension now.
bbattrell,
I requested the torque specs from Arrowcraft:
14mm studs: 140 lb-ft
22mm studs: 450-500 lb-ft
I used 150 and 450. The Alcoa specs for the wheels clearly state 450-500 ft-lbs in a few different places, and 450 was stamped on my lug nuts. Improperly torqued cap nuts can cause cracks around the stud holes, or the holes can oval or enlarge...
Here is a link to the Alcoa literature in pdf format (Acrobat), the Alcoa Wheel Service Manual
for trucks, trailers, and buses is worth reading:
www.alcoawheels.com/heavy/literatu/index.asp
I'd try at least 65 psi, I'm using 70-75 psi on the front and 65 psi rear. Here is a link to the Michelin website with load and pressure tables, for the 225/70 19.5" LRF/LRG 65 psi is the lowest listed:
http://truckus.webmichelin.com/tires/74/loadandpressure.html
Rickson makes a big issue of mounting/balancing these tires to avoid problems. You may want to consider the Centramatic balancers:
www.centramatic.com
Good luck.
mdrag
bbattrell
09-30-2002, 08:27
Mdrag
Thanks for the info I will retorqe, and air up a little. If that dosn't do it I will go with the centamatics.
Bill
Will this topic hit 100 posts?
Maverick
10-13-2002, 00:04
Don't know.......maybe. :D
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.