Ultimate Wheel Post - Part Two

[Crankey]

[christiancarpenter42]

[/quote]Why the tall tire with the larger wheel ? If you go shorter sidewall you'll be closer to stock overall rolling diameter/ hight, get handling benefit of less sidewall flex and squish. Less chance of rubbing stuff in the wheel well too.

You probably need spacers for a 30et wheel but maybe not a 36 et.
Plus the converting to studs up front, long ones, and longer studs on the rear..
Tell Chris Schimke what your wheel numbers are when you order parts from him he will know what you need and have the best quality parts to get the wheels fitting and have good tire recommendations for your purposes.[/quote]

The tires will be replaced for a set of lower profile at some point as finances allow but I can get a decent deal on the wheels locally so I'm mainly concerned with if the rims themselves will fit without issue. The offset is 56 on the 17x7.5 wheels and that is my main concern.

[DuncanS]

Remember, the larger the wheel diameter, the fewer options on narrower tread choices. The more tread on the road, the less mileage you will get per gallon and the greater likelihood of aquaplaning in a severe rain storm. Remember that stock T3s came out with 185 and 195 tire widths. There was a reason. I went to 16" wheels and found there are only a couple of questionable choices less than 205 which I find too wide for my relatively light weight van/bus. If I were to do it again, I would have stayed stock at 14 or gone only to 15" diameter wheels.

And where are you going to carry the spare? I had to modify the clamshell to get the 205's in and doubt that anything wider could fit under there at all. I'm sure others have done it, but I'll bet it's not easy. With my 205s, I sometimes have to drive up on 2 x 6 blocks to be able to slide the tire in under the bumper. I know some like the off road look with them hanging off the back and that's OK, but not for me as it complicates the hatch opening every time for a use that may happen only once every two or three years.

Duncan

[Crankey]

[platinumzombie]

Hi, First time poster, long time reader LOVE this place!

so I'm in the market for new rims for my Daisy (1990 that i scored on the CHEAP!)

i have a guy offering me 5x112 Mercedes rims. 7.5Jx17H2 ET37 stamped on them.

Any input as to if these will work for me with relative ease/expense? (spacers required?, extra hardware etc?)

the van didnt cost much so i have some $$ to spend on it, but the exhaust i just put on it cost more than the van did!!

thanks for any info

[Crankey]

[DuncanS]

Be prepared that you will have a limited choice of tires for 17" rims. Most will have a very wide tread. Getting the load range in that size may be a challenge. I'll defer to others on this, but don't assume all is right with the world when you start getting far from stock. I have 16" rims and could only find a singe offering at 205 with the load range the T3 requires. Anything wider than 205 is difficult to put in even a heavily modified clamshell spare carrier.

Duncan

[platinumzombie]

i was looking at NORDMAN SOLSTICE 205/50R17 they have load index of 93 load range XT
will those do?
or if i go to MICHELIN CROSS CLIMATE 2 205/55R17 they go load index 95V

[Twan]

[platinumzombie]

Kumho Solus 4S HA32 All Weather Tire 215/55R17 hits 98 and is XL and so does the HA31, plus the price is decent and they are all weather which my wife insists on!

[VicVan]

[danbeerpig]