tires/wheels

[Terracoma]

Question is: 1) whats the biggest tire I can put on the stock wheel. and 2) should I get a wider wheel to increase footprint/tire size? Any and all help appreciated in advance. Thanks

1) I wouldn't go any bigger than a 285/75-16 on the stock wheels, roughly 33" tall and 11-1/2" wide.

2) The wider wheels will only be necessary if you go to a significantly wider tire.


If you're looking for something taller than a 33" tire, then I would suggest aftermarket wheels that will better support a 35" or taller tire. Once you get above 33" of tire diameter, you start to run into clearance issues with the fenders, as has been noted.

Seems like your primary goal is traction, and your secondary goal is tire height, so I would keep your stock wheels and look for a 285/75-16 or a 255/85-16 in your preference of mud-terrain tire, as it sounds like you'll be plugging around the property and mud will be an issue.

Also, since I can do 75mph without too much trouble, the guy from trailworthy fab seemed to think my ratio was closer to 3.75(I think that's what he said).

With the stock TH400 and NP208, yes, you would need 3.73 gears to accomplish 75mph and not thrash the engine.

However, with the NV4500, stock 4.56 gears, you should be turning less than 2800RPMs on the freeway in 5th-gear at 75mph.




... Per the calculator, assuming you have an NP205/208/241, of course.

Best bet is to pull the cover on the rear diff, drain the fluid, and start counting teeth.

 

[gigabelly]

I'm thinking about seeing if a buddy and I could do the lift for a lot less cash. I'm just afraid that when we get in there we will find a bunch of other stuff that needs replacement and I will go broke trying to make it right.

Plan B is just use the smaller tires and save my money till I can rub enough nickles together to pay for this.

 

[gigabelly]

Wow. You guys are a huge help. I think i will just go 265 75r 16 in a mud/snow tire. I can save up some cash for the lift later. Thanks for all the help. Everything works okay now so cuttin fenders and adding lifts will probably just stir up trouble I can't afford. I will get into all of that at a later time.

 

[airmech]

If you are not real interested in lifting the truck, I would recommend 255/85r16 tires. They fit the stock wheel/suspension perfectly with no rub issues and true out to roughly 33x10.5. The selection is very limited in this size unfortunately. I'm running Toyo m-55 on one truck and BF mud KM2 on another. Both are great tires and would suit your needs. The Toyo seems to ride a bit rougher than the BF but not horribly so.

 

[gigabelly]

Wow. You guys are a huge help. I think i will just go 265 75r 16 in a mud/snow tire. I can save up some cash for the lift later. Thanks for all the help. Everything works okay now so cuttin fenders and adding lifts will probably just stir up trouble I can't afford. I will get into all of that at a later time. Thanks again

 

[ODdave]

Here is mine with 33's on '05 Silverado 8 lug wheels. First pic is stock (no rub), second is with a 2" shackle flip/spring lift.

LOL, who balanced that tire, Take it back and have them do it right.......

I like the look of those wheels on the truck

 

[soule64]

thats a ton of weight on your rims.

The rims were originally painted with weights on. What you are seeing is the original color of the rims (silver) after the weights were removed, plus the new weights that were added after the new tires were put on. I bought the rims with some wore out 35" mud boggers and they did have a bunch of weights on them. I have not got around to re-painting the rims yet.

 

[steved454]

I did a 4 1/2 rearching of the springs, 4 new shocks and one lowered pitman arm. $850 total. Had it done at my local spring shop. tires are 37 Hummvee radials on 8.25 x 16.5 inch wheels I got from 4wheelsupply.com. The setup is great for me. I am going to add the balancing powder in the tires next though.

 

[OL AG '89]

Many of you have probably heard of trail worthy fab. They are referrenced on here pretty often. I spoke to them late this afternoon. He tells me I can do a 37" tall tire with a 9 inch wide wheel. No lift necessary. They are hummer wheels and tires but he said I would have to grind down some of my front fenders on the aft sides. He apparently runs into this fairly routinely. He said they would actually make the wheels and do everything so other than the fender modification all I would have to do is put them on. $300/wheel. They are hummer take offs thy he states are >80% tread. I can drive there in 3 or 4 hr's so no shipping.

The only other possible problem would be if I needed to change my gear ratio. My CUCV has a nv4500 tranny put in by the last owner. He seems to think I won't need to do anything but a possible axle change would restore my towing power if the larger wheels proved to be a problem.

Man, all I wanted was a new set of tires. This has become way too complicated.

giga, $300 a wheel seems high. I've sourced 37" hummer tires with 80% tread for as little as $50/tire....... so even at $100 a tire you're looking at $200 a rim. Would have to be a pretty SPECIAL rim for that cost!!!!

 

[Tanner]

M1008 specs:

GVW: 8,800 pounds
Curb: Weight: 5,900 pounds


2005 Chevrolet 3500 Work Truck - Regular Cab Pickup (6.0L V8 4x4 4-speed Automatic 8.1 ft. Bed)

Maximum payload: 4236 lbs.
Gross weight: 9900 lbs.
Curb weight: 5664 lbs.

The steel wheels from the 8-lug truck should be plenty stout...

'Tanner'

 

[Cucvnut]

giga, $300 a wheel seems high. I've sourced 37" hummer tires with 80% tread for as little as $50/tire....... so even at $100 a tire you're looking at $200 a rim. Would have to be a pretty SPECIAL rim for that cost!!!!

That's for tire,rim, cutting rim for press in inserts. Welding in new insert and mounting and balance. It's a good deal from trail worthy fab.

 

[Hightechken]

I just installed a set of 36X12.50-16.5 tires/wheels off a Humvee on the back of my M1031.
Fit perfect, REALLY took care of the low 4.56-1 gears for highway travel! Rolls down the highway with the motor at much lower RPMs now. Problems include a little bit of "sway" with the new tires only pumped up to 30 lbs air. I hope that goes away if I boost tire pressure to the max marked on the tire of 35PSI.
The (Older style) steel Humvee wheels I got will not fit on the front as is. Too much wheel offset, So it hits the steering linkage and brake cylinder.
Got these wheels and tires in NEW condition for ony 150 each at the Iola, WI military show from Feltz Auto and Tire from Marshfield, WI

 

[gigabelly]

That's for tire,rim, cutting rim for press in inserts. Welding in new insert and mounting and balance. It's a good deal from trail worthy fab.

Thanks. there is a 3 week wait. I just don't want to pay for them and find there is a rub that the fender modification doesn't remedy. It's an expensive mistake to make. I will probably just get as big a tire as I can on the current wheel and buy the ones from TWF in the spring.

My dreams of grandeur will have to wait....again. Like someone said, though, better to wait and do it right.

 

[Tanner]

Try contacting Marsh Racing Wheel - www.mrt-wheels.com - for a set of custom 16.5 rims with whatever width & backspacing you need if you desire to run the HMMWV tires.

Off Road Wheels, 16.5, Rockcrawler Wheels, Beadlock Wheels, Racing Wheels,Offroad, buy MRW

$139.95 for a 16.5x9.75 rim with your choice of center & bolt pattern - they also offer the wheel in a beadlock construction & same size with your choice of offset for $279.95...

'Tanner'

 

[Cucvnut]

trail worthy is 244 for a custom bead lock rim with rock ring and tire cheaper than Mtr

 

[Cucvnut]

and building them your self costs more than what Trail worthy wants.

 

[beans86cucv]

The guy i bought mine from cut the rear of the front fender wells slightly and he had 35x12x16.5.... I just recently put some 37x12x16 Super Swamper Radials using the stock rims with no lift and have only minor scrubbing.

 

[Cucvnut]

the SSR's look good.

 

[gigabelly]

That does look pretty good, Bean. I can't tell you fenders are cut at all from that angle. I hate to ask a remedial question, but can you put the tire dementions in the metric so I can compare them apples to apples? What I plan to have mounted on Monday are 265 75r 16. Now, I don't have too firm of a grasp on what each number represents, but I understand that the 265 is the height, 75 is the tread width, and 16, I think, is the rim size. What doesnt translate for me is the 37x12x16 and the like. I guess that is just in standard units instead of metric. Do I just convert? Maybe I just answered my own question. Duh.

Thanks for letting me ask. I really appreciate all the sage advice on here. I was a Huey crewchief so you may have to speak slowly to us rotorheads.

 

[steved454]

Gigabelly, 305= 33 inch tires, 315 = 35 inch tires.

that is all the info floating around in my head!