Wheels

[jdlisenby]

I know this has been debated numerous times but I am about to get new wheels and tires for our coach. I currently have 16.5 weld wheels and aged out
Michelins. I plan on going with Michelin Defender Ltx tires (too much bad luck with off brand tires to ever try that again). I am debating wheels,
Thanks to the forum, I understand the factory wheels are hub centered, the 16.5s are all but obsolete and currently 16 in wheels are the preferred
choice. That leaves the hub centered eagles or a set of no longer in production but correct Alcoas. Other options are use a lug centered wheel in 16
or 17 inches, and confirm that they will clear the calipers and have the correct offset. The coach has run lug centered wheels since 1998 with no
apparent ill effects. I plan on keeping this coach till I can't drive anymore (hopefully at least 20 more years and I don't want to have to
purchase wheels again in 5 years because I can't find decent tires. So, any info out there to help me make the right call?
--
JD Lisenby- USAF Ret
1978 Royale-455
Electromotive Tec2 FI & ignition

Navarre, FL

 

[Matt Colie]

> I know this has been debated numerous times but I am about to get new wheels and tires for our coach. I currently have 16.5 weld wheels and aged
> out Michelins. I plan on going with Michelin Defender Ltx tires (too much bad luck with off brand tires to ever try that again). I am debating
> wheels, Thanks to the forum, I understand the factory wheels are hub centered, the 16.5s are all but obsolete and currently 16 in wheels are the
> preferred choice. That leaves the hub centered eagles or a set of no longer in production but correct Alcoas. Other options are use a lug centered
> wheel in 16 or 17 inches, and confirm that they will clear the calipers and have the correct offset. The coach has run lug centered wheels since
> 1998 with no apparent ill effects. I plan on keeping this coach till I can't drive anymore (hopefully at least 20 more years and I don't want to
> have to purchase wheels again in 5 years because I can't find decent tires. So, any info out there to help me make the right call?

JD,

225-75R-16 LRE will be around for a long time....
By the time you scare up steel, you might as well hit JimK up for the right Eagles. By the time you get steel either new or used, you will be lunch
at McDees from the Eagles. If you want to save a little (very little) you can get the Eagles as lug centered several places including Applied or you
can as one owner did, put on a search for either unpolished or blems and save that much and the set of those that I saw left no doubt that they were
not first rate.

Some have said that we should be looking for 17" wheels and tires used on some of the newer pick-up trucks, but the increase in cost makes this a bad
ROI these days.

Your call.....

Matt
--
Matt & Mary Colie - '73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Still Loving OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit

 

[d c *mac* macdonald]

I put XD Rock Stars on my coach. Mine are chrome and I think it is Shan Rose who gave me the idea but he put black wheels on his coach. They look really nice in our opinion. I don't care much for the appearance of the Alcoas or other alternative that has been used for quite some time. There are millions of vehicles out there running around on lug-centered wheels without problems. Maybe the BIG rigs need hub centered, but I believe even "one ton" pickups use lug centered.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
~~ ~ D C "Mac" Macdonald ~ ~~
~ ~ Amateur Radio - K2GKK ~ ~
~ ~ Since 30 November '53 ~ ~
~ ~ USAF and FAA, Retired ~ ~
~ Member GMCMI and Classics ~
~ ~ ~ Oklahoma City, OK ~ ~ ~
~~ ~ ~ "The Money Pit" ~ ~ ~~
~ ~ ~ ~ TZE166V101966 ~ ~ ~ ~
~ ~ ~ '76 ex-Palm Beach ~ ~ ~
~~ k2gkk + hotmail dot com ~~
~ www.gmcmhphotos.com/okclb ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
______________
|[ ]~~~[][ ][]\
"--OO--[]---O-"

________________________________
From: Gmclist on behalf of Jdlisenby@
Sent: Sunday, April 16, 2017 19:01
To: gmclist
Subject: [GMCnet] Wheels

I know this has been debated numerous times but I am about to get new wheels and tires for our coach. I currently have 16.5 weld wheels and aged out
Michelins. I plan on going with Michelin Defender Ltx tires (too much bad luck with off brand tires to ever try that again). I am debating wheels,
Thanks to the forum, I understand the factory wheels are hub centered, the 16.5s are all but obsolete and currently 16 in wheels are the preferred
choice. That leaves the hub centered eagles or a set of no longer in production but correct Alcoas. Other options are use a lug centered wheel in 16
or 17 inches, and confirm that they will clear the calipers and have the correct offset. The coach has run lug centered wheels since 1998 with no
apparent ill effects. I plan on keeping this coach till I can't drive anymore (hopefully at least 20 more years and I don't want to have to
purchase wheels again in 5 years because I can't find decent tires. So, any info out there to help me make the right call?
--
JD Lisenby- USAF Ret
1978 Royale-455
Electromotive Tec2 FI & ignition

Navarre, FL

_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
Gmclist Info Page - list.gmcnet.orghttp://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
list.gmcnet.org
To see the collection of prior postings to the list, visit the Gmclist Archives. Using Gmclist: To post a message to all the list members, send email ...

 

[jdlisenby]

Matt- definitely not going steel. Living 1 mile from the gulf anything steel here is a maintenance nightmare. I am really on the fence between a 16 or
17 inch wheel. Most of the 17s are more suited to a 4x4 than a GMC IMHO. I like the Weld d 50s but they are $670 a wheel

Mac do you have any pics with the XD's? I haven't seen them on a GMC.

I just wish they still made the LTS wheels or something that for the MoHo that didn't look like an 18 wheeler rim. I will probably end up going with
Jim Ks hub centered Eagles but only because they seem to be the only affordable option that fits the style of the coach.
--
JD Lisenby- USAF Ret
1978 Royale-455
Electromotive Tec2 FI & ignition

Navarre, FL

 

[thomas phipps]

JmK has both Alcoas and Eagles. When you get the Eagles, get the SS center caps. The 'chromed' chinese made steel ones will rust before you get the
wheels on the road.
As for 17" rims, with load range E tires, will they fit on the rear positions? No sense in adding costs and problems.
American Eagle does make a 17" rim in the proper configuration, hub centered, Southwest Tire has them. I returned them did not want to get into
configuration problems.
The LT 225 75R 16 load range E is not going to disappear any time soon. Too many modern ear trucks and utility vans use them.
Tom, MS II
--
1975 GMC Avion
KA4CSG

 

[jdlisenby]

Tom- Stainless caps and lugnuts are a must have, I learned that lesson on my toyhauler. Chrome lug nuts last about 2 years. No amount of cleaning and
polishing will keep them from rusting. You bring up a valid point, any solution must work on all 6 locations. This little exercise makes me
appreciate the work Jim K and the rest of the suppliers go through to ensure their products work the first time. It takes a lot of research to meet
all of the requirements.
--
JD Lisenby- USAF Ret
1978 Royale-455
Electromotive Tec2 FI & ignition

Navarre, FL

 

[richshoop]

Be careful with stainless, it does not rust most of the time, however, the 300 series stainless's are NOT as strong as the alloy steel that you are replacing. Also, stainless steel has a habit of 'cold welding' itself when being used on stainless and aluminum, always use anti seize compound in those kind of applications.

----- Original Message -----

From: "Jdlisenby"
To: gmclist
Sent: Sunday, April 16, 2017 6:26:58 PM
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Wheels

Tom- Stainless caps and lugnuts are a must have, I learned that lesson on my toyhauler. Chrome lug nuts last about 2 years. No amount of cleaning and
polishing will keep them from rusting. You bring up a valid point, any solution must work on all 6 locations. This little exercise makes me
appreciate the work Jim K and the rest of the suppliers go through to ensure their products work the first time. It takes a lot of research to meet
all of the requirements.
--
JD Lisenby- USAF Ret
1978 Royale-455
Electromotive Tec2 FI & ignition

Navarre, FL

_______________________________________________
GMCnet mailing list
Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org

 

[roy keen]

Just a thought if you have a 1ton conversion front end or think you might install one. I would look into a wheel size that would clear the caliper so
the current spacers would not be needed. I haven't heard of anyone doing this as yet but I'll bet it has been considered.
--
Roy Keen
Minden,NV
76 X Glenbrook

 

[jim kanomata1]

JD,
We appreciate that feedback on SS.
So often we assume that we know and understand things, in essence we only
know some.
GMC community consist of people that have great hands on experience, and I
have been privileged to learn from lot of them.
We welcome these feedback.

> Be careful with stainless, it does not rust most of the time, however, the
> 300 series stainless's are NOT as strong as the alloy steel that you are
> replacing. Also, stainless steel has a habit of 'cold welding' itself when
> being used on stainless and aluminum, always use anti seize compound in
> those kind of applications.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
> From: "Jdlisenby"
> To: gmclist
> Sent: Sunday, April 16, 2017 6:26:58 PM
> Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Wheels
>
> Tom- Stainless caps and lugnuts are a must have, I learned that lesson on
> my toyhauler. Chrome lug nuts last about 2 years. No amount of cleaning and
> polishing will keep them from rusting. You bring up a valid point, any
> solution must work on all 6 locations. This little exercise makes me
> appreciate the work Jim K and the rest of the suppliers go through to
> ensure their products work the first time. It takes a lot of research to
> meet
> all of the requirements.
> --
> JD Lisenby- USAF Ret
> 1978 Royale-455
> Electromotive Tec2 FI & ignition
>
> Navarre, FL
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

--
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Fremont,CA
jimk
http://www.appliedgmc.com
1-800-752-7502

 

[Jim Hupy]

Do NOT OMIT the 1 ton spacers. They are a very necessary part of the
conversion. Tamper with it at your own risk.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Or
78 GMC ROYALE 403

> Just a thought if you have a 1ton conversion front end or think you might
> install one. I would look into a wheel size that would clear the caliper so
> the current spacers would not be needed. I haven't heard of anyone doing
> this as yet but I'll bet it has been considered.
> --
> Roy Keen
> Minden,NV
> 76 X Glenbrook
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

 

[roy keen]

> Do NOT OMIT the 1 ton spacers. They are a very necessary part of the
> conversion. Tamper with it at your own risk.
> Jim Hupy
> Salem, Or
> 78 GMC ROYALE

I was of the impression that the spacers were added by GM so their 16" wheels would clear the calipers? Is there another purpose for the spacers that
I am unaware of ? I know you have done a lot of them I figured the front end could still be set up with the wheels tucked in somewhat? Can you
elaborate a little on what you know?
--
Roy Keen
Minden,NV
76 X Glenbrook

 

[john r. lebetski]

I know of no GM vehicle that was factory lug centered. Half ton trucks are (1500 Tahoe etc.) so I think 3/4 and 1ton are hub centered as well leaving
the factory. Though it works going lug centered, I wouldn't want to drive one that way. I still believe the GM engineers knew more than I do, or at
least had the equipment to do more testing than I could ever do. The 1/2 tons are hub centered And use tapered lugs so actually "both"
--
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II

 

[mark sawyer]

> Some have said that we should be looking for 17" wheels and tires used on some of the newer pick-up trucks, but the increase in cost makes this a
> bad ROI these days.
>
> Matt

Hopefully this larger and larger wheel phase will soon run it's course. I read a post I think on another forum the other day... Guy bought a new
Tacoma, that came with 18" wheels. But when he decided to equip the truck with the TRD Off Road package, he had to "Upgrade" to 17s instead of 18s...
Made me laugh when I read it.

Larger sidewalls have a lot of advantages on vehicles like trucks and motorhomes: better ride, more durability, and cheaper price re what I consider
the biggest. Only valid reason I know of to run a larger rim is to clear larger brakes. My daily driver is an '05 GTO, and with the brake package I
have on it, I need to run 18s to clear the rotors/calipers. If I didn't, I'd much rather have smaller rims.

--
Mark S. '73 Painted Desert,
Manny 1 Ton Front End,
Howell Injection,
Leigh Harrison 4bag and Rear Brakes,
Fort Worth, TX