New Expedition Camper - Overland Explorer

[HowardH]

I am still somewhat undecided. Like everything there are trade-offs. Noisy, harder to balance, wobble/shimmy issues. Can't say how many miles I have on the super singles.

I have two different sizes. 285/70R19.5 Toyos and 335/80R20 Continentals.

Big difference in size. I have also just installed the AIR-CTI system. I think I am going to really like it. Plus the side benefit - with the lift kit and taller tires the camper wouldn't fit in my shop. Now I can conveniently air the tires down and it fits.

Initial impressions; I am going to like the super singles despite the trade-offs. I am going to really like the 41's also. Aired down they really soak up the washboards and rough gravel roads. Plus in two wheel drive I have climbed sand dunes that I couldn't have climbed in 4x4 with the smaller tires.

I did install a double steering stabilizer. Still testing but appears to have solved the wobble issue.

The 41's are definitely a greater mass to slow down when braking.

 

[Rebellion]

I have Hutchinson super singles on my Dodge 5500. The tire's were Toyo Hyperadial's 285/70R 19.5 and only have had one wheel that lost it's balance and that was after 25K km/16K miles. I am not sure of the cause, maybe it was a belt gone bad. As I was in Mexico I decided I would use it as a spare and not rotate it with the others.

I am now on my second set of tires, this time going with Michelin 285/70R19.5 XMD LRH VG. I had these tires installed in Mexico without being balanced and after 10K km/6K miles still do not have any issues. The Michelin's are M&S rated but are not quite as aggressive as the Toyo's, they also have a max speed rating of 75mph/120kmh.

I did air-down the Toyo's while in Baja and found the best ride was at 50psi front, 70psi rear.

 

[HowardH]

I have Hutchinson super singles with Toyo 285/70R19.5's as well. With the Ford at least they don't line up front to rear; they are about a half a tire width off. No idea why Hutchinson choose to manufacture them that way. I never aired them down. On my last trip with Toyo 265/70R19.5 with rear duels I drove a couple hundred miles on gravel roads with 30PSI front and 20PSI rear with no issues and a greatly improved ride. I limited my speed to 40 MPH and most was 35 or less.

I have an infrared thermometer and monitor tire temps.

Your 50 front 70 rear is closer to my highway pressure. I ran 60 front and 70 rear and tires never got hot.

 

[180out]

i like 50psi as well. really does improve the ride. i put them at 90 for long highway drives as it makes a difference on the mileage. the 41" tires sound good but i am sure i would have to re-gear. money i really dont want to spend. the trucks gets it done for now. best of luck in your travels maybe someday our paths will cross.

 

[HowardH]

i like 50psi as well. really does improve the ride. i put them at 90 for long highway drives as it makes a difference on the mileage. the 41" tires sound good but i am sure i would have to re-gear. money i really dont want to spend. the trucks gets it done for now. best of luck in your travels maybe someday our paths will cross.

That would be nice - our paths to cross. Always enjoyable to meet people with similar interests.

Don't think I have ever ran as high as 90 psi. Then I typically don't exceed 65 MPH either. I find slowing down a few mph the most effective way to improve fuel economy.

 

[HowardH]

i am sure i would have to re-gear. money i really dont want to spend.

Regarding regearing.........I thought that initially, maybe still do................However I am not lacking power, truck performs fine, still runs in top gear....................I have 4.11's. My son leaves next week driving it to Alaska. I will have a better idea about gearing, when he returns.

 

[Rebellion]

I found running around 70-80 psi the tires were wearing unevenly, I normally run 80 - front, 100 - rear with the camper installed and loaded for highway driving.
I had to install spacers on the rear axel to bring the wheels into close to width alignment otherwise the rears looked out of place and tended to pull the rear into the grooves worn into the lanes by trucks.

 

[HowardH]

I considered spacers as well. I don't need them with the Buckstop 20" wheels.

 

[180out]

Howard, all great info, Thanks. safe travels and good times for your trip.

 

[HowardH]

My truck and camper arrived in Valdez AK noon yesterday. From central WA in 3.5 days. Have no idea why my son and buddy went so fast. Oh well the camper made it with no issues.

 

[HAF]

Heads up on the wheels. If they were mounted without dry fitting and sanding some of the paint in the pilot section of wheel, you may not be able to get them off in the field. I had a Staz set and a Backstop set (like yours) installed on my Chevy (Staz) and Ram 5500. Both were extremely tough to remove. The Buckstops came off the front relatively easy. The rears-no way in the field. I tried everything which included diving on lot with lugs loose. Nothing but a bottle each pushing direct on hub with chain set through wheel, a long extension bar on jack did the trick. The folks who installed the wheels simply drove them on with impact wrench. The powder coat crushed between pilot hole and hub making an incredible in-seperable joint.
Recently installed a set of Ricksons on my F550-same thing and real tight. I re-installed after a light sanding on pilot hole and a bit of grease. Test put them on and off until they came off with a solid kick to bottom of wheel.
I now have confidence these baby will come off without any drama!

 

[HowardH]

Heads up on the wheels. If they were mounted without dry fitting and sanding some of the paint in the pilot section of wheel, you may not be able to get them off in the field. I had a Staz set and a Backstop set (like yours) installed on my Chevy (Staz) and Ram 5500. Both were extremely tough to remove. The Buckstops came off the front relatively easy. The rears-no way in the field. I tried everything which included diving on lot with lugs loose. Nothing but a bottle each pushing direct on hub with chain set through wheel, a long extension bar on jack did the trick. The folks who installed the wheels simply drove them on with impact wrench. The powder coat crushed between pilot hole and hub making an incredible in-seperable joint.
Recently installed a set of Ricksons on my F550-same thing and real tight. I re-installed after a light sanding on pilot hole and a bit of grease. Test put them on and off until they came off with a solid kick to bottom of wheel.
I now have confidence these baby will come off without any drama!

good tips. Don't seem to be an issue with mine but I can certainly see how it could be.

 

[HowardH]

Brief update here. Been awhile since my last post. Since that time................Camper has been to Alaska and back again. This time with my son and a buddy. Over 5,000 trouble free miles.

I have added wheel spacers and now run all wheels dish out and tracking properly. Added AIR CTI system and very very happy with it. Jim Cline at AIR CTI has been great to work with. The air hoses for the system do seem to hang outside the tires and wheels but in practice have been trouble free. I have been running 95 psi in the rear and 65 psi in the front with the Toyo 285/70R19.5 tires. Using Toyo's chart 95 is the correct pressure for the rear axle weight but they don't go low enough for the front axle so 65 is my best informed guess.

Just got back from a hunting trip to Colorado. One night the temps dropped to 10 degrees. I am having some issue with the furnace struggling to keep up on the colder temps. ON this evening it didn't get above mid 50's inside.

Also I think my house battery is going bad. Running the furnace, fridge and a CPAP machine, 1-2 amp draw, drained the battery is six hours. Seems it should last longer than that. The next three nights I let the truck idle all night.

Pulled a 20' jet boat to Colorado and back. Running freeway speeds, 75-80 we would get right at 8 MPG. Holding to 65 we could get just over 10 MPG. Wind resistance sucks fuel. No shortage of power with the truck.

Tyler, my son, ran the Continental 285/80R20 tires to Alaska and back plus we did some driving around home. They are fantastic for slow speed and when you air them down you feel like you can go anywhere. However the wheel tire combo feels like it's just to much for the truck. Just to much weight, for the system. I am much happier with the 35" tires. Truck handles them better, accelerates better, STOPS much BETTER and simply performs better. I have aired these tires down to 25 front and 40 rear and ran with absolutely no issues.

I have a set of five Buckstop wheels with Continental 285/80R20 that might be for sale if anyone is interested. One tire is brand new that other four have about 6000 miles on them.

 

[HowardH]

Pics of Colorado trip.

 

[HowardH]

And some from Alaska.