K5 wheel and tire questions
- Thread starter pigsammy
- Start date
I have run the Cooper Discovery at3's on my Ford Ranger for two years now and have been very pleased. They ride and perform well on and offroad in pastures. It's a large animal veterinary service truck with a constant load of 650-700 lbs. Bridgestone revos on a yukon are also doing great.
So many good tires, just not always in the size I am looking for. Or price range. The Kendas and wheels will be here in the next 2 days so hopefully I'll have them on and try them out next week. I'll post some updates as I use them. Really hope they'll work out. Then I can start figuring out tires for the suburban.
So many good tires, just not always in the size I am looking for. Or price range. The Kendas and wheels will be here in the next 2 days so hopefully I'll have them on and try them out next week. I'll post some updates as I use them. Really hope they'll work out. Then I can start figuring out tires for the suburban.
Wheels got here today so I pulled a front and tried the new wheel on. The stock wheels fit very close to the hub with a lip. The new wheels are not hub centric and have a gap around the hub. Is this acceptable? Will new or different lug nuts be needed?
Clearance at the caliper, tie rod end, and elsewhere is excellent as far as I can tell. I'd like to get the tires mounted in the next day or so, but need to find out if the wheels will work like this first.
ETA: picking up new lug nuts tomorrow and hopefully finding time to get tires mounted
Clearance at the caliper, tie rod end, and elsewhere is excellent as far as I can tell. I'd like to get the tires mounted in the next day or so, but need to find out if the wheels will work like this first.
ETA: picking up new lug nuts tomorrow and hopefully finding time to get tires mounted
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jeep-N-montero
Expedition Leader
Millions of off road rigs have covered billions of miles with lug centric wheels, we had them on two Jeeps that had the snot beat out of them, you will be fine.
1stDeuce
Explorer
FWIW, I'd guess you have a 2-1/2" lift on there... Even the stock "HD" 3 leaf front springs had noticeably negative arch on blazers, and it appears yours are just about flat, which would be right for a 2-1/2" lift...
I believe Skyjacker had a 3-leaf front pack on an older "softride" kit. Other mfg's may have as well.
A mid-80's blazer should have four leaves in the rear pack, so you may have an add-a-leaf, if not a ~1" block and an add-a-leaf...
Nice Blazer, BTW!!!
It looks interesting with the 17" wheels...
Since you just bought 6-lug wheels, you might consider offing all the 8-lug axles and finding a Semi-floating 14 bolt 9.5" axle with the 6-lug pattern. Sure, it's a semi-float, but you'll have a much stronger axle than your current 10 bolt rear, and it'll work fine with your new wheels. If you could find one with 4.10's and a factory G80 "Gov Lok" you'd only have to change the front axle ratio to match.
Car-part.com shows several available around me with 4.10 gearing... Look for a rear axle from a '98 2500 with 6 lug hubs and 4.10 gears and see what pops up. Then peek at the truck glove box and find one that has G80 option listed.
Oh, I believe the 2wd version would be closer in width to your current Blazer front axle... The 4wd axle is just a bit wider IIRC...
Good luck!!
I believe Skyjacker had a 3-leaf front pack on an older "softride" kit. Other mfg's may have as well.
A mid-80's blazer should have four leaves in the rear pack, so you may have an add-a-leaf, if not a ~1" block and an add-a-leaf...
Nice Blazer, BTW!!!
It looks interesting with the 17" wheels...
Since you just bought 6-lug wheels, you might consider offing all the 8-lug axles and finding a Semi-floating 14 bolt 9.5" axle with the 6-lug pattern. Sure, it's a semi-float, but you'll have a much stronger axle than your current 10 bolt rear, and it'll work fine with your new wheels. If you could find one with 4.10's and a factory G80 "Gov Lok" you'd only have to change the front axle ratio to match.
Car-part.com shows several available around me with 4.10 gearing... Look for a rear axle from a '98 2500 with 6 lug hubs and 4.10 gears and see what pops up. Then peek at the truck glove box and find one that has G80 option listed.
Oh, I believe the 2wd version would be closer in width to your current Blazer front axle... The 4wd axle is just a bit wider IIRC...
Good luck!!
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That sort of lift sounds likely for this truck. I don't think it is stock. I will be on the look out for 6 lug axles, but if I get the 8 lug axles prepped first I will likely use these wheels on one of my other yukons, or sell them, and buy an 8 lug set to put these tires back on the blazer. A second set of 8 lug axles with 4.10 gears kind of fell in my lap, for less than buying gears would be. Gears will be nice, currently over drive only works at 60+ and downhill!
I have been running errands and short trips so far. An extended trip out of town has kept me from getting the k5 to the hunting club for a workout. So far I am really pleased with these tires on road. Very little road noise. Excellent ride after I realized the tire shop had 80 psi in them and let them down to 38. I used red georgia clay for a chalk test lol. They wear even across the tread at 37-38 psi. I have not noticed any roll while cornering at this psi.
So far I'm pleased!
I have been running errands and short trips so far. An extended trip out of town has kept me from getting the k5 to the hunting club for a workout. So far I am really pleased with these tires on road. Very little road noise. Excellent ride after I realized the tire shop had 80 psi in them and let them down to 38. I used red georgia clay for a chalk test lol. They wear even across the tread at 37-38 psi. I have not noticed any roll while cornering at this psi.
So far I'm pleased!
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Headed to the hunting club this am. Truck running great. Stopped and filled up (25 gal). Won't crank, no fuel pump noise! My son lives 1/2 mile from the station so he came and pulled me away from the pumps. After checking fuses, spark, wires etc with no luck, I resorted to whacking the top of the pump while he cycled the key. Finally i feel the pump start and yell for him to crank it. Jumped in and got it home. Not a great workout for the tires. They rode really good for the ten miles to town and back though! Now for a new fuel pump after siphoning a full tank of fuel out.
As requested;
As requested;
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plumber mike
Adventurer
Nice old beast. I just went through that. Finally made an access panel to make pump changes easier.
Little update.
Gave the tires a bit of a workout this past weekend. I'm still very pleased with on road behavior. The tires handle well, ride nicely, and they are quiet. Traction in mild offroading on dirt was excellent as well.
Only down side so far is that they are prone to hold gravel that starts slinging out around 20-25 mph. I guess most larger lug deep tread tires are like this.
Gave the tires a bit of a workout this past weekend. I'm still very pleased with on road behavior. The tires handle well, ride nicely, and they are quiet. Traction in mild offroading on dirt was excellent as well.
Only down side so far is that they are prone to hold gravel that starts slinging out around 20-25 mph. I guess most larger lug deep tread tires are like this.
nitro_rat
Lunchbox Lockers
The metal fender liners on these old rigs do a great job of amplifying rock hits that would go unnoticed in a newer vehicle with plastic liners!
A rubberized undercoating or bed liner in the wheel wells will deaden the hits.