MegaCab_PL wrote: I always thought that the aluminium 16" wheels from 2001-2006 HD GM pickups were one of the best looking wheels. They should fit your van.
Those are 6.5 wide and limited to 245's. Do they have the right offset for vans?
Somewhere in a Fifth Wheel - Where it does not Snow
MegaCab_PL wrote: I always thought that the aluminium 16" wheels from 2001-2006 HD GM pickups were one of the best looking wheels. They should fit your van.
Those are 6.5 wide and limited to 245's. Do they have the right offset for vans?
Not true, many people run up to a 285 on those rims with no problem, check out Dieselplace.com
Ron, Lori and Autumn TV2012 F150 loaded XLT EB SuperCrew 7700GVWR Maxtow 6.5' TT2008 Jayflight G2 23FB/ Equal-i-zer WD
2013 Colorado bound 2012- 4000km, 28 nights for the season 2011- OR & CA done, 6800km in 3 weeks
fickman wrote: Consider me successfully talked down from the 18" ledge.
Are all of these concerns just as valid for the 17"? To keep the same overall diameter the same, I believe I'd go from 75 ratio tires to 70.
I'll definitely ask around about the stability control. It's still under warranty, so the local dealership is always helpful with random queries.
A few answers to questions from other posts:
- Unloaded on city streets, the 3500 can be pretty rough. It smooths out on the highway and is like butter with a camper hooked up, but we're in between RVs right now and only take one out (my parents' or my inlaws') a couple of times a year.
- i'm not opposed to staying with 16". The main goal is to continue to transition from a fleet look to a private vehicle look.
- my BIL said the price difference for LT tires in 16" and 17" is reasonable ($20/tire)
Thanks a ton for the advice so far, it's really been helping me think through this!
Be aware that any one with a risk of liability is going to be real quesey about answering questions about a passenger van and mods that affect handling and stability.
Example: Wally I have been to will no longer install wheels and tires that are non-standard size (defined as those not listed on the manufacturer's door sticker).
I would love to show up there with my father in law's Firebird and watch them try to figure out exactly what an H70-R15 is! What do they do if the sticker is illegible or, as is the case with my Caddy, Liz's GN, and my first Caprice wagon, simply missing? Or the OEM tire size is simply no longer available? (220/55R390, anyone?)
Quote: Having said that, if you are seeking comfort, why are you going lower profile?
Why not keep what you have, but drop the tire pressure to what is required to carry your load (check with tire manufacturer chart)?
Door stickers pressures assume a full load --- and you are not carrying one now.
Your cheapest transition from fleet to private vehicle look is to get some hubcaps!
No, that will make it look like a fleet van that someone is trying to make look like it's NOT a fleet van.
John and Elizabeth (Liz), with 3 nutty cats
My beloved St. Bernard, Marm, lost him 1/2/12
Current rig:
1992 International Genesis school bus conversion
MegaCab_PL wrote: I always thought that the aluminium 16" wheels from 2001-2006 HD GM pickups were one of the best looking wheels. They should fit your van.
Those are 6.5 wide and limited to 245's. Do they have the right offset for vans?
The ones on the 2500HD's are 6.5" wide. The ones on the 3500SRW pickups are wider, with higher weight rating. Stock tire size on the 3500SRW pickups was 265/75-16E, rated 3415 lbs/tire.
MegaCab_PL wrote: I always thought that the aluminium 16" wheels from 2001-2006 HD GM pickups were one of the best looking wheels. They should fit your van.
Those are 6.5 wide and limited to 245's. Do they have the right offset for vans?
Not true, many people run up to a 285 on those rims with no problem, check out Dieselplace.com
The 2500HD wheels are way outside of the minimum width range required by all manufacturers of 285 tires. 8" minimum wheel width required to run 285 tires, plainly listed on most major tire manufacturer's web sites for anyone to see.
My GMT400 Suburban's OEM wheels are 16x6.5 with a 1.5" positive offset (rim
center line moves inwards from the hub contact surface)
My 16x10 wheels are 1.5" negative offset. Rim centerline is outwards
of the hub contact surface.
So my wheels has a total of 3" negative offset from the OEM stock offset. Why
my track is over 10.5" from stock (wider stance) It corners and handles
like it is on rails, but there is a down side
The cost for that re-engineered suspension setup is that now my Sub is in the
shop for a new steering box and linkages.
Did not help when off roading being too lazy to go out and move the rocks and
small bolder by hand...touch the boulder with the front wheel and turn the
steering wheel to have the steering system move that boulder...
That extra leverage wore out my steering box at just over 155K miles. I've also
adjusted the steering box many times and there is no more left to adjust.
fickman wrote: Consider me successfully talked down from the 18" ledge.
Are all of these concerns just as valid for the 17"? To keep the same overall diameter the same, I believe I'd go from 75 ratio tires to 70.
I'll definitely ask around about the stability control. It's still under warranty, so the local dealership is always helpful with random queries.
A few answers to questions from other posts:
- Unloaded on city streets, the 3500 can be pretty rough. It smooths out on the highway and is like butter with a camper hooked up, but we're in between RVs right now and only take one out (my parents' or my inlaws') a couple of times a year.
- i'm not opposed to staying with 16". The main goal is to continue to transition from a fleet look to a private vehicle look.
- my BIL said the price difference for LT tires in 16" and 17" is reasonable ($20/tire)
Thanks a ton for the advice so far, it's really been helping me think through this!
Be aware that any one with a risk of liability is going to be real quesey about answering questions about a passenger van and mods that affect handling and stability.
Example: Wally I have been to will no longer install wheels and tires that are non-standard size (defined as those not listed on the manufacturer's door sticker).
I would love to show up there with my father in law's Firebird and watch them try to figure out exactly what an H70-R15 is! What do they do if the sticker is illegible or, as is the case with my Caddy, Liz's GN, and my first Caprice wagon, simply missing? Or the OEM tire size is simply no longer available? (220/55R390, anyone?)
Quote: Having said that, if you are seeking comfort, why are you going lower profile?
Why not keep what you have, but drop the tire pressure to what is required to carry your load (check with tire manufacturer chart)?
Door stickers pressures assume a full load --- and you are not carrying one now.
Your cheapest transition from fleet to private vehicle look is to get some hubcaps!
No, that will make it look like a fleet van that someone is trying to make look like it's NOT a fleet van.
They usually look up the tire specs in their computer data base which covers most cars on the road. There are size conversions available for the old sizing nomenclature. To properly convert, all you need is a metric tire with a similar width, height and weight rating, not the same actual tire size nomenclature printed on the tire side wall.
.I think we've narrowed the search to 265/70/r16 or 245/70/r17 tires and are down to a handful of wheels. Thanks everybody for the input so far, we've taken most of it into account to narrow the options.
I'm probably leaning a little more towards the 265/70/r16 option and sticking with a 16" wheel. Going to a machined finish or chrome will still have a dramatic effect on the looks.
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