| Switching to 16" rims [message #281086] |
Tue, 30 June 2015 14:27  |
werewilfs
Messages: 329
Registered: July 2012
Location: Rappahannock County, VA
Karma: 0
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I am starting to get to the time where I will need to start replacing my tires. I'd like to switch to 16" tires but don't want to do it all at once.
Is there any issue running 16.5" rims on the back and 16" on the front? How about 16" on the middle and 16.5" on the back? Essentially I'd like to space out the tire and wheel purchases over the next couple of years so all my tires aren't aging out at the same time the next time I need to replace tires. I know I'd be taking a chance that I wouldn't have matching rims and I probably would be spending more to space out the purchases than if I buy them all at once but my bank account can only take so much.
Appreciate the thoughts.
Jared & Stefanie Kohl
Rappahannock County, VA
1973 Painted Desert "Onslow"
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| Re: Switching to 16" rims [message #281089 is a reply to message #281086] |
Tue, 30 June 2015 14:43  |
pzerkel
Messages: 212
Registered: September 2007
Location: Salisbury, IL
Karma: 0
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I had exactly the same situation when I bought my coach, and asked exactly the same question here. Several people came forward and said "fine, no problem". They all advised against mixing on the front axle, though.
I ran my coach for a couple years with Eagles on the front and 16.5" wheels/tires on back.
I did replace all four of the rears at once though when the two years was up, just because I had the funds and wanted to get it done.
So now I have 6 aluminum wheels. My spare is still an old 16.5" tire, and I am pondering what to do about that.
The one thing I did do was I bought 3 wheels/tires to start. That gave me two aluminum wheels on fron plus an aluminum spare. I felt that if I had a blowout, I could at elast keep like tires on the drive axle.
It seemd to me that sentiment was mixing/matching is less of a big deal in the rear than it would have been on front. But some had said to try to keep both rear tires the same per side. Others said, do not loose sleep over it, just keep tires on it less than 7 years old.
Paul Zerkel
'78 Eleganza II
Salisbury IL (near Springfield)
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| Re: Switching to 16" rims [message #281099 is a reply to message #281089] |
Tue, 30 June 2015 16:06 |
werewilfs
Messages: 329
Registered: July 2012
Location: Rappahannock County, VA
Karma: 0
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Thanks Paul. Very helpful. Good idea on getting 3 too. (I think my 16.5" spare is probably 15+ years old so I can take one of my existing front tires and switch that to a 16.5" spare and then keep the 16" spare in the trunk of the toad.)
Jared & Stefanie Kohl
Rappahannock County, VA
1973 Painted Desert "Onslow"
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| Re: Switching to 16" rims [message #281104 is a reply to message #281099] |
Tue, 30 June 2015 16:30 |
pzerkel
Messages: 212
Registered: September 2007
Location: Salisbury, IL
Karma: 0
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Thanks. If it were me, I certainly would not (and did not) mess with two spares. As I saw it there were two options (I chose #1):
1. Get three 16" wheels/tires. If I had a flat, just replace it. I would always have two 16" wheels on the front, and worst case is I would have one 16" and one 16.5" on one rear bogie for however long it took me to get to the tire shop. I would have had no problems driving it that way until I got to the tire shop.
2. Buy two 16" wheels/tires. Put them both on the front, Keep a 16.5" spare. If you have a flat in the rear, no problem, just replace it. But if you have a flat on the front, it gets interesting. I always wanted to keep like wheels/tires on the front. So with this option and a front flat, you a) put spare 16.5" tire on front, then b) swap the other (good 16") front wheel with one of rear 16.5" wheels. This option did not appeal to me, so I just bought the three 16" wheels.
But as I said, I would not worry about driving (reasonable distances) with mismatched tires on one rear bogie.
All this talk about spares, and I have yet to use one, and frankly if I was dead on the side of the road, I would be awful tempted to just call AAA or a tire shop, and let them change it anyway.
Paul Zerkel
'78 Eleganza II
Salisbury IL (near Springfield)
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| Re: Switching to 16" rims [message #281108 is a reply to message #281104] |
Tue, 30 June 2015 17:35 |
tphipps
Messages: 3005
Registered: August 2004
Location: Spanish Fort, AL
Karma: 9
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Replace in pairs, on the same axle. The LT225/R75 16. And the OEM 8.75 x 16.5 Bias Tire have very close to the same diameter, so your speedo will not be off.
For the spare, chase a 16" Steel Wheel, as OEM on GMC/Chevy Dually trucks. The correct shape is bowl shaped. Getting harder to find, but they are out there. New owner scored a complete set of 6 for a mere $100. Ugly as sin, but a can of spray paint will do them fine. Craig's List is your friend.
You could use the modern cone shaped Steel Rim on the rear 4, but it will not clear the front calipers. You can solve that with soacers, probably cheaper to buy the correct wheel.
Do not expect the out-of-date or very aged 16.5 tires to provide any function, even as a spare. Life is short enough already.
Check your tire age, replace two every two years, avoid the pinch in the wallet. Really spreads the cost.
Changing from correct style 16" Steel rims, two at a time.
Tom, MS II
2012 Phoenix Cruiser model 2552
KA4CSG
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| Re: Switching to 16" rims [message #281109 is a reply to message #281108] |
Tue, 30 June 2015 17:53 |
Otterwan
Messages: 946
Registered: July 2013
Location: Lynnwood (north of Seattl...
Karma: 0
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Since the back 4 wheels are all independent, as long as the overall tire diameters were close, I wouldn't see any problem running 3 16.5" and a 16" for the distance it would take to get you to a tire shop. I've seen 2 and 3 axle boat trailers with a wild mix of tires and wheels that still ran fine. I'm not recommending it, just commenting. ;o)
1977 Birchaven, Lynnwood WA - "We may not be able to stop all evil in the world, but I know that how we treat one another is entirely up to us."
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| Re: Switching to 16" rims [message #281111 is a reply to message #281108] |
Tue, 30 June 2015 18:08 |
George Beckman
Messages: 1085
Registered: October 2008
Location: Colfax, CA
Karma: 11
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tphipps wrote on Tue, 30 June 2015 15:35Replace in pairs, on the same axle. The LT225/R75 16. And the OEM 8.75 x 16.5 Bias Tire have very close to the same diameter, so your speedo will not be off.
Tom, MS II
Tom makes the distinction that makes switching so easy. When you get LT225/R75 16, the circumference of the 16.5" and 16" (unless the 16" on the coach are some not stock size) will be very close. I doubt you will see any change in the speedometer. I still would not trouble the Final Drive with a mismatch of 16 vs. 16.5. My speedometer/odometer was off by 3 mph when I got the coach. Switched to 16"s and it is off by 3mph. Got a 3.21 final drive that has its own (metal) speedometer gear and there was still no change. I don't know why but have heard other GMCers say the same thing. Perhaps some miles were longer in the 70's. Ha.
'74 Eleganza, SE, Howell + EBL
Best Wishes,
George
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| Re: Switching to 16" rims [message #281112 is a reply to message #281086] |
Tue, 30 June 2015 18:09 |
werewilfs
Messages: 329
Registered: July 2012
Location: Rappahannock County, VA
Karma: 0
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Thanks for the advise. My tires right now are about 3 years old so I want to start the replacement process soon so I can get on a "replace 2 every other year" schedule.
Jared & Stefanie Kohl
Rappahannock County, VA
1973 Painted Desert "Onslow"
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| Re: Switching to 16" rims [message #281113 is a reply to message #281086] |
Tue, 30 June 2015 18:11 |
werewilfs
Messages: 329
Registered: July 2012
Location: Rappahannock County, VA
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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Not even remotely worried about the speedo. When it worked it was about 5-10 mph off. I just use my GPS for speed. Will eventually replace the console speedo with a GPS speedo.
Jared & Stefanie Kohl
Rappahannock County, VA
1973 Painted Desert "Onslow"
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