Wheel changeover year

[Shadetreemechanic]

I am looking for new rims and tires for my 94. I want to move back to factory 235 85s and my current rims are too wide to mount them.
What year did the bolt pattern change to metric on the 250/350 chassis. I have seen here somewhere that new rims wont work but I don't know the cutoff year.
Thanks

 

['94IDITurbo7.3]

1998 went to 8-170 iirc. steelies or aluminums pre-'98 will work. steelies or al's from any van year will work. the vans never changed bolt pattern and as far as i know never changed back spacing either.

 

[gatorman21218]

any 8x6.5 rims will work. I know chevy used them and I think dodge did too.

 

[jrad235]

Different manufacturers had different change-over years, but a safe bet is anything newer than 99 won't fit.

 

[TWeatherford]

any 8x6.5 rims will work. I know chevy used them and I think dodge did too.

A lot of the dodge wheels won't fit over the hub of a sterling 10.25. And if its hub piloted, you pretty much need a ford wheel.

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

I am seeing alot of factory pulloffs post 2000. That was the reason for my question. Our trucks are getting older so there are fewer factory pulloffs on craigslist.

 

[whiteboyslo]

As has been mentioned, you cannot use any 8x6.5" wheel because other makes had smaller hub diameters. Anything 1997 or older will work. Super frustrating because, as you mentioned, metric takeoffs are practically being given away. Also, keep in mind steel wheels were 6.5" wide whereas the aluminum Alcoas from a OBS were 7". 235s will fit both, but the 7" wide wheel will give it a bit more area to stretch over. Looks better IMO.

Mike

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

I have 16x9s on my truck now running 285/75s. They are nice, but the tires are too wide to maximize mileage. I haven't tried mounting a 235/85 on my current rims, but my guess is it will look odd since they are so wide.

 

[fields_mj]

FWIW, I went through the same process when I got my 93. It had 16.5x11.75 rims on it, and I wanted to go back to factory specs. The local junk yard wanted $75 ea for the steel rims. I ended up buying the new tires from Tirerack.com, and was able to buy new 7x16 Alum rims from them for right at $100 ea. By going that route, they were able to mount and ballance the tires for free before shipping them. They only had 35 psi when they arrived, but all I had to do was bolt them on the truck and top them off with air. By the time I paid $75 for an old steel rim, and then added the mounting costs, I was pretty darn close to the price of the new rim.

Just a thought

 

[GOOSE]

I am currently running 285's on 16x9 rims. I had a set of 235-85-16's on 16x7" steel rims. After 10 tanks on each set, the mpg ifference was nil. What I did notice was that the 285's held more weight @65psi than the 235's did @90psi. The ride and drive of the 285's is much better on the road and the truck does much better in muddy areas, especially with a trailer in tow. The 235's rode like someone put 2 extra leaves under each corner. I would have definitely kept the 235's if they proved to me that I could squeak out an extra mile to the gallon or better, that was simply not the case for me.

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

Good to know. My last 94 turbo had 235s and consistently broke 20 mpg on the highway. This 94 has only broken 20 once with my dad driving. Best I can pull out of it is 19 where my old one bested at 22. The only difference is that my old one was e40d and my current is zf. Both have 3.55s.
I know there is a slight difference in final drive ratios between the e40d and zf, but I have been imagining the wide tread of the 285s also had something to do with it.

 

[fields_mj]

Honestly, my 235s are wider and taller than my 285s. I ordered the 285s wanting a slightly wider tire and was pretty disappointed when they came in.

 

[GOOSE]

The 235's were worn Toyo M55's, the 285's are Cooper Discoverer AT3's. The Coopers have been really good thus far, a year and a half in. With 4:10's I am averaging 14.5 overall as per my Fuelly app. My best was 19.8 on a long interstate trip which was with a different engine than I have now. I'd love to see the diffeence with an auxillary overdrive of some sort, can't give up on the 4:10's, need 'em for towing.