19.5" Guys

[firemanram]

For the guys that have the 19. 5" tires & wheels, would you pay the money again for them? Would you like the factory set back on tour truck? I have a dually,auto trans w/ 373 gears & i have a 32' fifth wheel. I can buy six 17" tires for $1300 or six 19. 5" wheels & tires for $3500.

 

[MRosinski]

The 19. 5's were worth every penny. When the 07. 5 and 04 are side by side theres no comparason as far as looks. Also the 19. 5 show almost no ware after 25k+ miles of towing and snow plowing.



https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/1763330-post249.html





https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/1747013-post230.html

 

[JWashburn]

It seems in my application that I would run through a set of load range E tires every 20,000 mi. If I just double the mileage for 19. 5" load range G, and then recap at say $120 a tire (local estimate). By the time I reach 100K miles from now I would spend $4,940, but by keeping the 10 plys I would spend $7,800.

If you get 40,000 out of a set of 10 plys then just double that mileage. Now it comes down to answering the question of how long do you plan to keep your truck. Or possibly you could just swap the 19. 5s to the new one.

I guess I'll find out if my economic model is close because I just ordered 19. 5s for both trucks in my sig. The ones for the '97 are due here tomorrow.

 

[firemanram]

Where did you order them from & how much ? My wife said I'm going to keep the truck! I guess she is going to bury me in it!

 

[PHenry]

Firemanram, where are you? I was able to get Vision 19. 5s in NC relatively cheap. Wheels and tires cost approx 2. 5 times what a set of 17s cost.

 

[JWashburn]

I ordered them from Rickson Truck. The 2500 gets the Vision wheels and Hankook 245/70X19. 5 at a cost of $2,622. The 3500 gets powder coated steel with the same tire at a cost of $4,018.

These two figures include shiping of over $750. I checked locally. One of the three tire stores had never done match balancing but had the right machine. That same one had one tire which was mud and snow rated - a must for me in my ranching operation. The other two stores could only get highway tread tires, neither had a clue about match balancing, and both had prices in excess of Rickson including shipping cost of the tires. We have one McDonalds locally and the next one is 120 miles away.

BTW, the tires for the 2500 arrived a day early.

 

[firemanram]

Firemanram, where are you? I was able to get Vision 19. 5s in NC relatively cheap. Wheels and tires cost approx 2. 5 times what a set of 17s cost.

Ashland, Kentucky

 

[RAlberg]

19.5's

JWASHBURN-What is your take on ride quality and do you air them up and down for loaded/unloaded? Thanks!

 

[JWashburn]

RAlberg,
When I get 'em on I'll let y'all know. We're having mixed rain and snow, so I'll probably get them on tomorrow. The real test will be the washboard roads to and through summer pasture, along with the crushed flint gravel some idiot Forest Service engineer approved years ago. I'm going to pay particular attention to the shocks on those roads.

As I look at the tire pressure vs. load table provided by Rickson I'm guessing that normal pressure for me will likely come out to be between 80 and 90 psi.

 

[RAlberg]

RAlberg,

When I get 'em on I'll let y'all know. We're having mixed rain and snow, so I'll probably get them on tomorrow. The real test will be the washboard roads to and through summer pasture, along with the crushed flint gravel some idiot Forest Service engineer approved years ago. I'm going to pay particular attention to the shocks on those roads.



As I look at the tire pressure vs. load table provided by Rickson I'm guessing that normal pressure for me will likely come out to be between 80 and 90 psi.

I would appreciate it. Truck is ready for new shoes. I'm just undecided. I take horse trailer down long often times rough dirt roads. I've gotten the impression the ride is rough unloaded & more for hwy use?

 

[Cattletrkr]

Mine fatory tires went 35K. The Mich XDE-MS 19. 5's have 109K and counting. I'm $$ ahead already and the tires have a good 20K left in them.

I tow way heavier than anyone could ever load a 5'er and I get ridiculous mileage outta these tires. Under "normal" use I couldn't even guess how long they'd last.

 

[JWashburn]

First Impressions

I put the 19. 5s on the 2500 today, and took it for a 12 mile ride - 8 on pavement and 4 on gravel road of which there's about a mile of washboard. Tire pressure was as received at 76 psi all around. Just for reference, I took off 235/85Rx16 Hankook mud terrain tires. They'll be setting in the barn until next elk season. I also ran the rear air bags at 40 psi. Exactly one inch ride height taller than the mud terrains.

On pavement they are definitely smoother than anything I've ever run before. There is no indication of harshness. With the windows up I could detect a faint sing to the tires. With the windows down I could hear no difference.

On the gravel road I drove it at 50 mph. They are absolutely smoother than anything else I've ever had. They handled the washboard with no loss of steering control. I could hear no difference between windows up or down.

Speedometer - 50 GPS - 50. 9
65 66. 9

I attribute the smoothness to the Rickson tire selection process and the match mounting. If you order only the Rickson wheels then I would insist on match mounting at the tire store.

If you are holding back on making the switch to 19. 5s because of concern over ride quality, then I would be concerned no longer. Based on the above drive, my first impression is that this may be one of the best improvements made, and I strongly recommend the switch.

I'll run them up to 85 to see if there's any noticeable difference, and let you know of any surprises.

 

[RAlberg]

JWASHBURN great detail thanks for the feedback.

 

[Larry Coursen]

Over 134K, and still have good rubber. Worth every penny.

 

[Parks]

One of the beth things I did to my truck. I would do it again in a heart beat!

 

[Cattletrkr]

... I also ran the rear air bags at 40 psi.

Why? That's a lot of pressure for an empty truck.

 

[Jeremiah]

No way, Jose

No way would I switch back to OEM 17" wheels and factory tires. I got 34,000 out of two sets before I wised up and bought the ($$$) Ricksons. The big surprise was the ride and handling quality. Far superior to what comes out of the factory. But a word of warning: keep enough money in your checking account to buy a set of Bilstein shocks front and rear. This combo can't be beat. (Or is it beaten?)

 

[jjdiesel]

This combo can't be beat. (Or is it beaten?)[/QUOTE]



Can't be beat will do.

 

[geusterman]

I loved my 19. 5 Michelin XDE's on the highway but metal rims took combo to 140 lbs and they did not cycle well (moment of inertia) and were rougher riding on back roads. I do backroads a lot with a camper so this time aluminum 17's and E tires... next ones probably Toyo AT's/33's. George

 

[Jeremiah]

Heavy suckers

That's the only drawback to 19. 5 wheels and commercial tires. Those suckers are HEAVY! The steel wheel and Hankook 245 tires weigh 141 lbs. apiece! Shoulda heard the guy holler when he picked one up and put it on the studs. Next time around he put 'em on a jack.



There is an alternative: go aluminum or alloy wheels. They're twice the price, but half the weight of steel wheels. The disadvantage to alloy wheels is the offset that tends to throw more mud, etc. on the side of the truck. Everything's a trade-off.



I still wouldn't go back to OEMs. My truck weighs 8300 lbs w/half a tank of fuel, two small dogs and a 14-year-old kid in the front seat riding along with me. Weighed it just this morning. Doesn't leave much of a payload, does it? The GVW is 9900 (call it 10,000 lbs). But I still get 20 mpg. Whee! Oo.