17" Wheels or Rickson?

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I priced out a set of new 17" Wheels for my 3500 with new Michelin Ltx/Mx Tires @ $1450. How does this compare with the Rickson wheels and tires? Which would you recommend?

Have any of you put on 17"?

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Mark Callahan

1998. 5 3500 4x4 24V 5spd, Geno's Muffler Kit, Chrome exhaust, Western Hauler Headache Rack, Chrome Rocker Panels, A-Pillar Mounted Boost and Oil Temp Gauges, No Turbo Silencer Ring (Yeah Baby!)

 

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I didn't put the 17's on mine azcummins, but saw a truck with them on. Wow, that looked great. #ad
The extra distance between the rear drums & the wheel & the front rotors & the wheel really stood out. That extra distance lets you see the shine of the inside of the wheel. #ad


I couldn't tell what wheels they were though. I'd have to look at the load range of the wheel & tire to make sure all things are heavy duty enough. #ad
Have you checked out any to verify load ranges? What is the load range of those Michelins?

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Money Sink - 96, 5 speed, Injectors, TST #11 set @ 340hp.
4" CAT back & CATless, 4" chrome turn down straight out back.
ISSPRO Pillar, Delvac 1 & Amsiol, K&N, Monicas silencer ring removed, Exhaust brake, Mag-Hytec, 3:54, 235s.
HX35s days are numbered, HX40-16 is here.
Un-Bombed = Boring

 

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I am considering going to a 17" tire/wheel combo on my 2500 but I wish there was a greater choice of tire sizes #ad
I would like to go with a 285 but the widest is 265/70/17. But that would be an improvement over stock in that it would drop the sidewall height 1/2" all the way around and improve handling response (and appearance). Weld Wheels has a few nice-looking 8-bolt 17x8 wheels but they're spendy.

If someone would make a decent 18x8 wheel I'd love a set of 285/60/18s but the tired I've seen are for lighter applications and would wear out fast #ad
. Saw a set on a truck, looked great, doesn't have a high sidewall, fills the wheelwells nicely, without looking "low profile. " Should look good on 4x4s as well as 4x2s.

Vaughn

 

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A few weeks ago I got a sale flyer from Rickson saying that a set of 4 19. 5x7. 5 wheels with General tires were about $1800.
Wheels only were $420 each.
Who makes alloy 17x8 wheels for the Dodge? Do they have stock offset (4. 6 inch)??

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1997 4x4 CC 5spd, CPL1553 engine, Horton fan, Sport headlamps, Optima RedTops, 98 shift levers and console... looking for a NV5600.

 

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Well if your like most of us and bought a diesel for the longevity of the engine, go for the 19. 5 Ricksons and quality tires. They will out last regular tires 3 to 1. Check out Rob's review on the Rickson setup on this site. He states the good and bad. The bad is basically a little rougher ride (when using the 14 ply re-groovable ALL STEEL tires that last 300,000 miles!)and the cost. Other than that it all looked like a go to me.....

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2000, 3500 Driftwood, 4X4, Quad Cab, SLT+ Laramie, Tan Leather, 6 Speed, 3. 54LSD, Tow Package, Camper Package, All Possible Options, Rancho RS 9000 Shocks, Linex Bed Liner, K&N Air Filter, Husky Floor Mats, Geno's Smoothie, Chrome "Down and Out" Exhaust, Stainless Steel Fender Trim Kit, Geno's Charcoal Air Filter, Mopar Bug Deflector, Whisler Radar Detector, AirLift 5000 Air Bags, Smittybuilt Polished Stainless Steel Nerf Bars, Sylvania Cool Blue Headlights, Pro Flaps, 1999 Lance Fiberglas 1010 Legend, TV, VCR, Air, Generator, Solar, max'ed out all possible options, sleeps 5. Ya Baby!

[This message has been edited by Bad Brad (edited 09-19-2000). ]

 

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So, Brad, how can you justify the cost of the Ricksons???? With owners running Michelins on stock rims and getting 100-150k miles for less than $600 how can you EVER recover the cost of the Ricksons? This is one option that makes no sense. Please explain.

[This message has been edited by EZ94 (edited 09-22-2000). ]

 

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I bought 6 michelin LTX's 235/85/16 today... $966 total bill. Michelin promises that I'll get 50k miles of wear or else they buy me new ones. Rickson is nuts to think I'll pay that kinda money for steel wheels and cheap simulators. Forget it.

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Mark Callahan

1998. 5 3500 4x4 24V 5spd, Geno's Muffler Kit, Chrome exhaust, Western Hauler Headache Rack, Chrome Rocker Panels, A-Pillar Mounted Boost and Oil Temp Gauges, No Turbo Silencer Ring (Yeah Baby!)

 

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I have the Dual Designs package on mnie. It is considerably more expensive than Rickson, but you get an aluminum wheel rather than a steel wheel. With 16" wheels, I replace tires once a year at a cost of around $1000. See above post. With 245/70-19. 5 Michelins, I replace every other year for $2000. It costs the same for me. It is fronting the large sum of money for the wheel and tire package that makes it hard.

My opinion is go with the Rickson's.

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98. 5 3500 QC 4x4, Driftwood/Mist Grey, 5 spd, 3. 54, 19. 5 Alcoa's, 245/70-19. 5 Michelin's, Ranchhand front bumper, Ranchhand rear bumper, Ranchhand toolbox, "Scotty Air", TST PowerMax2, Autometer Gauges, Centerforce clutch, Upgraded fuel lines (JRE and Aeroquip), MagHytec Diff Cover, PacBrake

 

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Hi:
I believe that if you look at "justification" for the purchases we have made they may have some holes. We most all have or soon to have diesel engines. 4,500-5,000$ option. Even with 2. 00$ fuel you need to drive 10,000 miles/year just to pay the interest. 20,000miles/year for a reasonable payback period. Cheaper fuel means these numbers are bigger not smaller. If you do a lot of miles, tow or work the truck then a quick payoff on investment is assured. The same with the ricksons. I have a 4. 10 ratio, and the diesel(of course) I did not try to justify the diesel-I wanted one, I did not try to justify the ricksons-I wanted them. But they can both be economically justified in certain use profiles. Not that everyone fits into those use profile. I personally have not had michelins, or seen a tire set trustable after 35K- on a 4x4 2500. If I get 100K per set, that saves me 2 tire store visits. I can reasonably expect more miles. I also do not drive with a shallow bowl with a marble in it on the dash. If you drive so the marble never leaves the bowl you get excellent mileage on your brakes, tires, fuel. Not optimum use of the time for an individual that can afford a 35K truck. I think I could get 150K out of michelins if I had a 4x2 and drove that way. I don't and I won't. Not really a rant- Just wanted to point out that we do not need to justify to anyone except the one who writes the check any of our purchases.


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P. Campbell 1998. 5 ISB 2500 auto green/driftwood

 

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I've only got 56,000 miles on my Michelins, and theyre shot. I do not haul heavy stuff, in fact I'm usually the only passenger.
I'd like the Ricksons, but the money... ...

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98 Quad cab 4X4 2500 12 valve,5 speed,3. 54 rears, 8' bed. Boost and egt gauges but basicly stock except for a "properly adjusted" AFC. 55,000 Mi as of 8/21/00.
NRA life member. High power/IDPA.

 

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Pete:
I have no problem with the concept "if you want it, buy it". However, when the assertion is made that a product is "cost effective" then the claim bears scrutiny. People should buy Ricksons if they like the look; just don't justify it by saying they will "save you money". They can't and they don't.

 

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This is agood thread for two reason firstI am agonizing over tires /rims and second the idea of justifying what I buy is slowly leaving me after all I cant justify having a 2001 ETH/DEE. I stared at those Dodge trucks for years coveting them while I drove my beat up Bronco II. I tried to dream up ways to "Justify" having one. Maybe I could pull stuff for people for money. Maybe I could live in it(with truck camper). One day I was sitting with my buddy looking at the price of 30,000 and said Man how can I justify it. He said "You dont have to justify anything buy it" I saw the light- I could have it and not feel guilty. Just to prove my newfound independence I bought rib eyes that WERE NOT ON SALE!!!!!
Okay oh yeah about the tires. I am kinda thinking that if I do change rims i might as well go rickson or else I will just get some 295 for the 16 inch rim. This does scare me some because I am going to get a truck camper just as soon as I can justify it!!!!!!

 

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EZ-
They can be cost effective in certain uses.
2500$(ricksons tires and wheel with abbot box)-800$ for regular set of tires= 1700$ or about 15$/month interest alone. Assuming high use-professional OTR car haulers,rv,boat towes( very few of us-and not me) 100,000/miles per year. 3 tire sets of stock- 1600$ more and two days of non productive time( how many dollars a day is your time worth-- 0$???, 250$??). Assume your time is meaningless. We are still in the hole for about 250$. Next tire set- 1300$ for 19. 5's on the rims you own or 800$ for some quality 16's- now at the next stock tire change you are in the black. some can do michelins at 60K intervals or more but by the same token some can do 19. 5's for 200,000. This is a thorough analysis of just one use profile. They can be economically justified. If you do 30,000 miles a year- FAGETTABOUTIT! do not even try to justify the cost. Then again you cannot justify the cost of the diesel either. Just as the bean couters can justify the cost of the alcoa rims on class 8 trucks. Rims are more than 300$ each x10= 3,000$. Saves weight around 100 lbs per pair. Around 500 lbs. It takes a lot of miles hauling an extra 500 lbs of PAY load to pay for them. Not a problem if you do 200,000 miles a year. otherwise they are just shiny customizing parts. I disagree with the statement that there is NO way to justify the cost. I have given one example of a cost justification. That is all I need to disprove the above statement. More accurate would be most cannot economically justify the cost- this is true statement.


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P. Campbell 1998. 5 ISB 2500 auto green/driftwood

[This message has been edited by Peter Campbell (edited 09-24-2000). ]

 

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Just some non cost benefit talk. I got my truck with 4. 10- not a good choice with the diesel. Towed with a gasser and 3. 55's. What a dog- so 4. 10's it was -oh well diesel is a different animal. Bigger tires seemed to be in order. Also went and got a spare tire aux fuel tank. No spare. B enice to get tires that rarely go flat. And third I like to tinker and customize-make it my truck and not dodges. Some things other than $cost that the 19. 5 will make you pay. I picked bridgestone M724- long wearing was the feature I liked. They are good at everything but rain- My "lighweight" 7,100# truck just does not load them enough to squeeze the water out. The ride. 16" tires are a compromise between hauling weight and ride. Thes are no compromise about them. The will haul more weight with less rolling resistance than LT tires- the cost is the ride quality. Not that it matters to me but it sometimes annoys the S. 0. when she is bouncing around the cab( tim allen rrrrg arrrrg arrrg). Big rims aggresive tread pattern lots of tire rides like a real truck - arrrgh arrrgh arrrgh. This truck is fun to own. Customize- play, break things, fix things. I did not want to give the impression that these are the best thing - that they will pay for themselves. If you put them on you are second guessing the factories choice. Your second guess could be better than the factories if you have a ford #ad
. If you do a change look at it with open eyes- I like the stiffer ride and better handling- some do not. I was annoyed at the marshmellow feel of the stock truck tires- to some that is the "comfort" feel which is good. Have fun.

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P. Campbell 1998. 5 ISB 2500 auto green/driftwood

 

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The upfront cost for the Rickson's is not the problem. There is no problem. I did not justify the purchase, I just bought 'em. You are really paying for the wheels just like you did when you bought the truck. However, it is easily justified if you get less than 30,000 miles out of the OEM tires; I am convinced I will get at least 100,000 miles out of the 19. 5" Bridgestones from Rickson. The matchmounting Rickson does with the wheels and tires gives an unbelievably smooth ride and dropped my RPM's by 150 at 70 MPH. Not to mention the six 1. 5" roofing nails I pulled out of three of the tires without a flat... ... remember that silly little jack you got with the truck!

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1998 Driftwood Extended Cab,short box,12 valve,4X4,automatic,3. 55 rear end,fuel plate,Rickson 19. 5's,Abbott EPRA, Rancho Shocks,Heim trackbar,Mag-Hytec transmission pan and differential cover,Ranchhand Bull Nose front bumper, headache rack with side rails, in bed tool chest, side steps and rear bumper.

 

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Yeah with only 3k miles I had a small roofing nail stuck in the inside wall of my stock tire and was not repairable because it was trew the side wall. Which really sucks because the hole is like pin hole size and the tire is brand new. So I already am useing the spare.

Sky

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2001 QuadCab,SWB,4X4,
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4-Sale 1994 4X4 cummins, Two tone blue and silver, all stock 105k
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