Widening Steelies questions.

[G-Cat]

Just have to have the right tools, or should I say, right technique.

Center...center

Steady...steady

PALM-HEEL-STRIKE!!!

 

[imyahucklbrry]

Yes, but they look so good, they're worth a little extra effort. I had to bend some of my spring tabs with big pliers to get mine to go on at all.

Uh.... Mine went on pretty easy - should I be worried?

 

[1911]

Uh.... Mine went on pretty easy - should I be worried?

Nah, I think there's just a lot of variation on the little tabs between stock steelies due to age or whatever. Mine were brand new from the dealer - maybe that was the difference?

 

[Utah Bob]

Wheels are finished. Tim Smith, Wheel Works -Burlington NJ did the widening. Not sure what color to paint them yet, starting with Otter Brown.View attachment 1833688

what was the cost / per wheel. i have a couple 5 wheel sets. id like to keep one original, and widen one.

 

[G-Cat]

$125/ wheel.

what was the cost / per wheel. i have a couple 5 wheel sets. id like to keep one original, and widen one.

 

[pbgbottle]

Ya my wheels new from dealer and hubcaps are a biache to get on and off. I have bent clips also and still can’t get them off or on very easy. Especially with a 10 inch deep wheel.

 

[JeffD]

Decided to go with gray wheels, and put on KM3’s.

 

[reddog90]

Now you're cookin with peanut oil.

 

[imyahucklbrry]

Decided to go with gray wheels, and put on KM3’s.
View attachment 1887844

My favorite look... slappin on some hubcaps?

 

[JeffD]

My favorite look... slappin on some hubcaps?

I have them, just haven’t put them on yet. I will put up a pic as soon as I do.

 

[Baja73]

Went with black for the wheels,
View attachment 1835084

How much of a lift do you have on that beast?

 

[JeffD]

How much of a lift do you have on that beast?

4” lift. Tires are 32 11.5.

 

[imyahucklbrry]

I really wanted a set of KM2s and had to check with several tire guys to find some still available (bad pic)... but gosh those 3s look good too!

 

[Sheck44]

Had mine made by the Wheelsmith's ... 16X8

IMG_0618 by Steve Heck, on Flickr

 

[reddog90]

Had mine made by the Wheelsmith's ... 16X8

IMG_0618 by Steve Heck, on Flickr

What color are those wheels?

 

[Sheck44]

What color are those wheels?

Had them powder coated Wimbledon white
Cheers
Steve

 

[mcjb]

I remember seeing people on other threads said the tall skinnies ride better but than others in this thread said wider tires ride better. I would say I think on the highway, esp on grooved sections, I havent been all that impressed with the stability (relatively speaking on a short wheelbase vehicle) of my tall skinnies Do any others here feel a widened tire rides better for them?

 

[1911]

I remember seeing people on other threads said the tall skinnies ride better but than others in this thread said wider tires ride better. I would say I think on the highway, esp on grooved sections, I havent been all that impressed with the stability (relatively speaking on a short wheelbase vehicle) of my tall skinnies Do any others here feel a widened tire rides better for them?

If you don't have power steering (like me), then narrow tires are easier to turn than wider ones. Other than that, I personally don't see much difference in ride quality between narrow and wide. YMMV.

 

[Pierps]

I remember seeing people on other threads said the tall skinnies ride better but than others in this thread said wider tires ride better. I would say I think on the highway, esp on grooved sections, I havent been all that impressed with the stability (relatively speaking on a short wheelbase vehicle) of my tall skinnies Do any others here feel a widened tire rides better for them?

Are you experiencing wandering on grooved pavement? If so, it's likely an alignment issue. Worth checking your castor angle and your toe. You should have a 1/4" of toe in and at least a few degrees of negative castor.

Tall skinnies should absorb bumps better than wider tires on appropriately wide rims, but they will tend to be squishy around corners and in emergency maneuvers since the side wall will roll under the rim.

So we need to define what a good ride means before declaring one better than the other.

 

[mcjb]

Thanks yes alignment has been checked and it does have a 1/4 of toe in and neg castor if I remember correctly. Usually grooves in the highway road on it gets squirrelly bc it tends to follow them.

Probably the sidewall rolling under at times like you mentioned.