19.5 Rims/Tires

[tuckerd1]

Will these improve towing? Will they increase or decrease overall performance loaded or unloaded? What about mpg?

I was thinking about this for extra room inside the wheels to do a rear disc brake conversion. Am I off base on this idea?

BTW, they'll look too!

Don

 

[tuckerd1]

Okay, after further reading down the line I saw posts about Ricksons. I'm checking their website out now.

Still want/need your comments on your experience or friends experience.

TX Don

 

[Whit]

I run the 19.5's and am very happy with them, first off the reason I did it was to get my tire rating up for towing my backhoe, they are rated at 6400 lbs each, I run the 6 speed and have 3:55 gears, when I am towing the hoe I use 5th gear and at 65 mph have rpm's of aroung 1950 which is a great sweet spotand I can accomplish a 7% grade no problem, then in 6th gear when empty and at 65 mph its rpm runs at 1650 so this make it for good fuel economy, the tires are 35 inches tall so it changed thing quite a bit, If I had a 5 speed or an auto I dont think they would work very well though.

Cheers, Kevin

 

[tuckerd1]

If I had a 5 speed or an auto I dont think they would work very well though.

Cheers, Kevin

I was thinking of adding a US Gear overdrive. This should help with gear ratios I hope. I have 4.10 gears now and 215/16 tires. If I go to 245/19.5 the gear ratio will be comparable to 3.60. A US Gear OverDrive with 215/16 will give me a final drive ratio = 2.32 and with 245/19.5s = 2.05. A US Gear UnderDrive with 215/16 will give me a final drive ratio = 2.91 and with 245/19.5s = 2.52. Stock final drive is 2.91. These #s are taken from US Gear chart for 4.10 and 3.55 ratios.

With 8 speeds of underdrive and 245/19.5 things would be comparable to a 8 speeds of overdrive with 215/16 except I'll get a granny gear of 12.02 vs 11.11 stock.

This may work out decent!

TX for the input Whit!
Don

 

[Billysgoat]

Before I bought the house I did some horse trading to get a set of Rickson's for my truck, that has been some of the best money I have ever spent. I can run at 75mph on the interstate and have no worries about sway from the big rigs. For me that was the big turn on, sway control, add in the additional carrying capacity and I was sold.

Oh yeah, the truck corners like a sports car now as well :Sly

 

[Full Monte]

Okay, after further reading down the line I saw posts about Ricksons. I'm checking their website out now.

Still want/need your comments on your experience or friends experience.

TX Don

I've been trying to find a set of used dually Rickson's for the '85 without much luck. My reason for wanting them is that I've had two blowouts with the Lariat tires I've been running. A friend with a Chevy duramax 2500 and a Lance camper had two blowouts on different tires as well. Since he switched to 19.5 Ricksons and tires, no more blowouts. The last dually blowout caused $3000 in damage to the fender, running board.

 

[BuckeyeQuickey]

Is there any other companys that make 19.5 wheels besides Rickson?.

 

[Full Monte]

Les Schwab's can get non-Rickson wheels. I think they are Alcoa.

 

[kblackav8or]

I think alcoa is finally making some. Chromewheel in Texas has adapters to run truck wheels. One advantage of this is that you can run both rears aluminum and save weight and wear and tear on brakes. 19.5 tires are heavy and it will take more brake to slow them down. A pair of F-450 axles with 3.55 gears would suit me about perfect. No such animal though and more money then I have to spend.

 

[WILLD]

I ran into a set of four 19.5 steelies today. They have the old 8 bolt pattern on them to fit my 87 F250. Does anybody know where I can find some more like them without going brand new. Any ideas about what years motorhomes or whatever came with these? I hear UPS trucks had them. Any ideas how to find 3 more so I can have a set with a spare?

 

[Full Monte]

That's great! I'm not sure what kind of a truck you have. Is it a converted dually? If so, you need to be sure you have the right offset on the wheels to run them as duallies.

 

[HeartbeatHauler]

Try these two links: http://www.brentzwheels.com/ and http://www.americanforcewheels.com/

Make sure you verify load ratings on the wheels. I think the second web site may have that issue. And ask about ride harshness with 19.5" tires since they come in "F" "G" & "H" ratings....
JP

 

[Full Monte]

Good point on ride harshness. The tires would be stiffer than the load range E tires they'd replace. However, the new 19.5 tire and wheel will weigh a LOT more than the original tires/wheels. This will increase the unsprung weight. I think this would decrease ride harshness rather than increase it.
What do you think?

 

[Wayne B]

And ask about ride harshness with 19.5" tires since they come in "F" "G" & "H" ratings....
JP

That's is an excuse to buy the Air Ride seats

Wayne B