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19.5 inch wheels and tires
- Thread starter vbarber
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Hold on to your kidneys. Those bigger sized wheels and tires ride like a Conestoga Wagon!!!
This could be your last tire change....
Ditto what NVR Finish said earlier in this thread. Depending upon how many miles you're going to rack up on your (current?) truck, I'd hang onto the 16 inch rims with LT tires, so you can keep the 19. 5s for future use.
The only really bad thing about 19. 5s is the upfront cost. Once you've picked yourself up off the floor you'll be happy as the proverbial pig in s**t.
There are a couple of 19. 5 manufacturers# setup options out there, with steel and aluminum rims and also some stainless steel simulators. One of the extras definitely worth considering is the compressed air torque wrench extension available from Ricksons themselves, ensuring optimal lug nut fastening to the correct torque settings.
I personally have found the ride stability vastly improved, especially with a heavy slide-in camper on board. You may wish also to consider upgrading your shocks as a complementary exercise to maximise the full potential of a 19. 5 set-up.
I personally use the Yokohama TY303s on stell rims and have covered almost 30k miles and they still look like brand new after three tire roations. The amount of water they chuck out the back as spray is almost unbelievable even with Jason's great mudflaps.
Mud, snow and ice handling is well up there with the rest of them.
Another consideration is the spare tire. Even with my extended 60 gallons fuel tank under the bed, There is (just!) enough room for my spare. Take yoiur time, keep on saving and then make an informed decision. IMHO, DC should have a factory upgrade option for a 19. 5 setup when you take delivery of a new truck.
Good luck... .
Ditto what NVR Finish said earlier in this thread. Depending upon how many miles you're going to rack up on your (current?) truck, I'd hang onto the 16 inch rims with LT tires, so you can keep the 19. 5s for future use.
The only really bad thing about 19. 5s is the upfront cost. Once you've picked yourself up off the floor you'll be happy as the proverbial pig in s**t.
There are a couple of 19. 5 manufacturers# setup options out there, with steel and aluminum rims and also some stainless steel simulators. One of the extras definitely worth considering is the compressed air torque wrench extension available from Ricksons themselves, ensuring optimal lug nut fastening to the correct torque settings.
I personally have found the ride stability vastly improved, especially with a heavy slide-in camper on board. You may wish also to consider upgrading your shocks as a complementary exercise to maximise the full potential of a 19. 5 set-up.
I personally use the Yokohama TY303s on stell rims and have covered almost 30k miles and they still look like brand new after three tire roations. The amount of water they chuck out the back as spray is almost unbelievable even with Jason's great mudflaps.
Mud, snow and ice handling is well up there with the rest of them.
Another consideration is the spare tire. Even with my extended 60 gallons fuel tank under the bed, There is (just!) enough room for my spare. Take yoiur time, keep on saving and then make an informed decision. IMHO, DC should have a factory upgrade option for a 19. 5 setup when you take delivery of a new truck.
Good luck... .
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19.5s more thoughts.....
Craig, yes the 19. 5 tires/rims are taller than stock, so the ride hieght is raised by a few inches. I personally found the WAAG wheel to wheel sidebars a pretty useful step up into the cab. I still have the same rear gears (3. 54) and have not yet got around to changing the speedo gear programming to compensate for the taller tire, so I err on the side of caution by a few mph when travelling near the posted limit
I went with a Ricksons set-up because this is their core business and they were able to justify and prove to me the benefits of such an upgrade. They were also able to supply me with some extra 19. 5 related goodies, speedo gear programming compensation and torquestick for correctly fixing to an airgun and ensure correct wheel lug nuts fastening. Best of all, any questions I had were addressed by Matthew and Dan and the don't mind dealing with me overseas. Aftermarket customer care is important to me and I guess, you'll only buy one set of 19. 5s tires and rims, so its good to get everything right, right from the beginning... .
Regarding the spare, yes it's a beefy rim and tire, but the Dodge manual crank. up system is man enough to raise/lower my spare under the bed and if you are thinking about getting a long range fuel tank uner the bed like mine, then this too is an important consideration for spare tire brand/size selection.
I can access my spare even with the camper on the truck and it's quite heavy but not impossible for one person to change a tire. When it comes to tire rotations, I use two 3 ton trolley jacks in my garage and it takes no more than an hour ( using an airgun/wrench) If I caught a flat on the road, I`d seriously consider using my local mobile roadside assistance, but if out in the middle of nowhere, and push came to shove, I could handle it myself but it would take a bit longer.
The Yokohama TY303s have a DEEP tread pattern and I would have to directly run over a 4 inch nail to deflate the tire.
Hope this answers your questions. Good luck!
JMc
Craig, yes the 19. 5 tires/rims are taller than stock, so the ride hieght is raised by a few inches. I personally found the WAAG wheel to wheel sidebars a pretty useful step up into the cab. I still have the same rear gears (3. 54) and have not yet got around to changing the speedo gear programming to compensate for the taller tire, so I err on the side of caution by a few mph when travelling near the posted limit
I went with a Ricksons set-up because this is their core business and they were able to justify and prove to me the benefits of such an upgrade. They were also able to supply me with some extra 19. 5 related goodies, speedo gear programming compensation and torquestick for correctly fixing to an airgun and ensure correct wheel lug nuts fastening. Best of all, any questions I had were addressed by Matthew and Dan and the don't mind dealing with me overseas. Aftermarket customer care is important to me and I guess, you'll only buy one set of 19. 5s tires and rims, so its good to get everything right, right from the beginning... .
Regarding the spare, yes it's a beefy rim and tire, but the Dodge manual crank. up system is man enough to raise/lower my spare under the bed and if you are thinking about getting a long range fuel tank uner the bed like mine, then this too is an important consideration for spare tire brand/size selection.
I can access my spare even with the camper on the truck and it's quite heavy but not impossible for one person to change a tire. When it comes to tire rotations, I use two 3 ton trolley jacks in my garage and it takes no more than an hour ( using an airgun/wrench) If I caught a flat on the road, I`d seriously consider using my local mobile roadside assistance, but if out in the middle of nowhere, and push came to shove, I could handle it myself but it would take a bit longer.
The Yokohama TY303s have a DEEP tread pattern and I would have to directly run over a 4 inch nail to deflate the tire.
Hope this answers your questions. Good luck!
JMc
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I should look up my last post on this topic and post an update, but I'll do it here for now.
I had posted that my 19. 5" TY303s seemed to have less traction then, at 65K miles, than when new. And I wasn't sure if it was related to slightly lower pressure or harder rubber.
Having recently been up and down VA311 (going to Briar's Dyno Day), i must report that my concerns were misplaced. I drove through the twisties and hairpin turns, up and down the mountains at my usual 10-20 MPH over the warning speed. And, even though it was somewhat cool out, the tires gripped like they had when new. They simply refused to slip. (Like going through a 15 MPH hairpin turn at 30, in Direct, TCC locked - the truck just went around the turn like my '87 Formula 350 used to do. )
I *think* the traction problem may well have been a build-up of oil/grease on the road during the protracted drought we suffered here in SW VA. Since we've had a good bit of rain lately, the pavement was clean, and the tires held nicely.
I'm back to running 65 PSI front and 55 PSI rear. Even though the front tires 'feather' a little, the higher pressure helps them wear more evenly overall.
At 72K miles on the tires now, I am *still* very pleased with the Yoko tires and the Rickson wheels. And with the truck holding up as well as it is, I might just have it long enough to buy a second set of Yokos!
Fest3er
I had posted that my 19. 5" TY303s seemed to have less traction then, at 65K miles, than when new. And I wasn't sure if it was related to slightly lower pressure or harder rubber.
Having recently been up and down VA311 (going to Briar's Dyno Day), i must report that my concerns were misplaced. I drove through the twisties and hairpin turns, up and down the mountains at my usual 10-20 MPH over the warning speed. And, even though it was somewhat cool out, the tires gripped like they had when new. They simply refused to slip. (Like going through a 15 MPH hairpin turn at 30, in Direct, TCC locked - the truck just went around the turn like my '87 Formula 350 used to do. )
I *think* the traction problem may well have been a build-up of oil/grease on the road during the protracted drought we suffered here in SW VA. Since we've had a good bit of rain lately, the pavement was clean, and the tires held nicely.
I'm back to running 65 PSI front and 55 PSI rear. Even though the front tires 'feather' a little, the higher pressure helps them wear more evenly overall.
At 72K miles on the tires now, I am *still* very pleased with the Yoko tires and the Rickson wheels. And with the truck holding up as well as it is, I might just have it long enough to buy a second set of Yokos!
Fest3er
Involuntary lane changes!
Good Post! may I ask you a question as we have (almost) a similar tires/rims setup? ( I'm using a couple of extra training wheels
)
In wet or very wet road conditions, I now err on the side of caution when running empty as I have on occasion, been guilty of a heavy right foot and caused the back end to step out and slide..... Admittedly the DD/DTT upgrades combo are fun, so I've learned to be a little bit more conservative and respect such conditions.
The question is whether you've managed to do this, either intentionally or on purpose? Just for my own information/comparison that's all!
Cheers!
JMc
Good Post! may I ask you a question as we have (almost) a similar tires/rims setup? ( I'm using a couple of extra training wheels
)In wet or very wet road conditions, I now err on the side of caution when running empty as I have on occasion, been guilty of a heavy right foot and caused the back end to step out and slide..... Admittedly the DD/DTT upgrades combo are fun, so I've learned to be a little bit more conservative and respect such conditions.
The question is whether you've managed to do this, either intentionally or on purpose? Just for my own information/comparison that's all!
Cheers!
JMc
Last edited:
Re: Involuntary lane changes!
Now and again I lose traction to a small degree. Going into a corner I can get into a 4-wheel drift on dry pavement. If I manage to get the outside rear tire off the pavement, the rear can slide out a bit.
On wet pavement (with no oil), I usually don't have a problem; with a puny 172 RWHP, it's no wonder! Most often, the front end will shudder as the tires slip a little.
During the rare times I am accelerating at a high rate of fuel consumption on wet pavement, I almost always have it in 4WD, although in D, locked, I *can* break the rear tires free when getting up onto a highway, under the righ conditions.
Now, wet, *oily* pavement is another thing entirely! Driving up to the Kauffman do, I *tried* to stop where US15 takes a left turn in Frederick. It might as well have been black ice. I had *no* traction at all, and finally stopped 10 feet into the oncoming lane.
By and large, though, age has gotten the better of me. I tend to go through town at the speed limit, and also limit my acceleration. I save the high speed for the open highway; cross-country, I typically average 70+ MPH.
Fest3er
Originally posted by JohnMcIntyre
Good Post! may I ask you a question as we have (almost) a similar tires/rims setup? ( I'm using a couple of extra training wheels
In wet or very wet road conditions, I now err on the side of caution when running empty as I have on occasion, been guilty of a heavy right foot and caused the back end to step out and slide..... Admittedly the DD/DTT upgrades combo are fun, so I've learned to be a little bit more conservative and respect such conditions.
The question is whether you've managed to do this, either intentionally or on purpose? Just for my own information/comparison that's all!
Cheers!
JMc
Now and again I lose traction to a small degree. Going into a corner I can get into a 4-wheel drift on dry pavement. If I manage to get the outside rear tire off the pavement, the rear can slide out a bit.
On wet pavement (with no oil), I usually don't have a problem; with a puny 172 RWHP, it's no wonder! Most often, the front end will shudder as the tires slip a little.
During the rare times I am accelerating at a high rate of fuel consumption on wet pavement, I almost always have it in 4WD, although in D, locked, I *can* break the rear tires free when getting up onto a highway, under the righ conditions.
Now, wet, *oily* pavement is another thing entirely! Driving up to the Kauffman do, I *tried* to stop where US15 takes a left turn in Frederick. It might as well have been black ice. I had *no* traction at all, and finally stopped 10 feet into the oncoming lane.
By and large, though, age has gotten the better of me. I tend to go through town at the speed limit, and also limit my acceleration. I save the high speed for the open highway; cross-country, I typically average 70+ MPH.
Fest3er
JMc Please read your PM...
Like most folks, I have considered 19. 5" wheels for all the advantages they offer and all the positive posts that have been floating on this list. What makes me hesitate (besides the cost) is the marked change in braking characteristics and the problem with the tires overheating at over 65mph travel.
Bill of earthroamer lore has some temp sensors on his wheels and stated that he has had to keep his highway speed lower because his 19. 5" tires markedly overheated. He is now back to 16" wheels and tires.
For now I'll take a wait and see posture.
There are some 19. 5 Ricksons for sale in the classifieds at a very reasonable price, but three thousand miles from me...
Maybe next year.
Like most folks, I have considered 19. 5" wheels for all the advantages they offer and all the positive posts that have been floating on this list. What makes me hesitate (besides the cost) is the marked change in braking characteristics and the problem with the tires overheating at over 65mph travel.
Bill of earthroamer lore has some temp sensors on his wheels and stated that he has had to keep his highway speed lower because his 19. 5" tires markedly overheated. He is now back to 16" wheels and tires.
For now I'll take a wait and see posture.
There are some 19. 5 Ricksons for sale in the classifieds at a very reasonable price, but three thousand miles from me...
Maybe next year.
I don't know about *over*heating. Unladen, mine rarely even warm up on the highway (at 75 MPH, 95F for 8 hours).
However! If I put 3K-4K lbs of stuff in the bed, and run 45 MPH for 20 minutes, the tires will get too hot to touch for more than a second or two.
But remember, these are real truck tires. They are intended to be loaded down and run at highway speeds all day long. I've never done it, but if one were to walk up to a loaded big truck just after it pulls into a pickle park and check the tires, they'll be rather hot, too.
Also, Dave Fritz has been running 19. 5s on his 2500 for some time now. He's been known to load his truck to 12K lbs and head to Alaska from Virginia. And the 19. 5s he has have held up to *that* work quite well.
To sum, a hot tire isn't necessarily a bad thing. But do be sure you have the pressure set to match the load.
Fest3er
Actually, the tire that Earthroamer had die due to over-heating was a 16" tire. It was only speed rated for I believe somewhere in the low 60s MPH. Now, my Goodyear 124s (265/70/19. 5) are speed rated up to 75 MPH.
Now, mine are a true 33. 3 inches tall vs 30 inches for my stock 265/75/16 Michilins. However, I did also double the weight with these beasts, from 76 lbs to 153 lbs per wheel/tire. The extra leverage due to the height and the added weight did effect both my stoping and my low-end accel. It's not enough to make the truck undrivable, just make sure you have good front pads and the ^&#%*%^^# rear drum non-self-adjusters are working (or look into discs). As to the lost accel, an Edge EZ fills that nich nicely .
Josiah
Now, mine are a true 33. 3 inches tall vs 30 inches for my stock 265/75/16 Michilins. However, I did also double the weight with these beasts, from 76 lbs to 153 lbs per wheel/tire. The extra leverage due to the height and the added weight did effect both my stoping and my low-end accel. It's not enough to make the truck undrivable, just make sure you have good front pads and the ^&#%*%^^# rear drum non-self-adjusters are working (or look into discs). As to the lost accel, an Edge EZ fills that nich nicely
. Josiah
Mail call!
Brutus, I just did and ther's nothing new there? I got a PM from you a few days ago and responded with outline details as requested on 18 November. According to the message Tracking, feature it's still sitting in your own PM IN-box waiting to be read... ...
later,
JMc.
Brutus, I just did and ther's nothing new there? I got a PM from you a few days ago and responded with outline details as requested on 18 November. According to the message Tracking, feature it's still sitting in your own PM IN-box waiting to be read... ...
later,
JMc.
Thank you all for the added information. It will all be helpful in my decision to go for it when the current stock tires need replacing.
JMc
My Bad! Apologies.
I just read my PM and your answer was indeed very timely and informative. I will get back to you by Email.
In the lame excuse department:
My C:drive died and I lost everything on it, also my mind trying to restore some of the more important data. What a *itch. I'll definetely make backups from now on.
Horrors, I couldn't even read my TDR posts regularly, then it wouldn't accept my password or user name... sheesh.
JMc
My Bad! Apologies.
I just read my PM and your answer was indeed very timely and informative. I will get back to you by Email.
In the lame excuse department:
My C:drive died and I lost everything on it, also my mind trying to restore some of the more important data. What a *itch. I'll definetely make backups from now on.
Horrors, I couldn't even read my TDR posts regularly, then it wouldn't accept my password or user name... sheesh.
I love my Ricksons!
I put the 19. 5s on 80K miles ago, with the Goodyear Unisteels, like you see under a UPS truck, or one of the midsize schoolbusses. I'll probably hafta have'em regrooved by next summer, but, as for heat, I'm in Nevada, where the phrase, "but it's a dryyyy heat" can lead to a justifiable homicide. In the summer, on the hwy, I can run like hell and, if I pull over, I can put my hand right on the sidewall... no heat. No, not like a Conestoga wagon. More like a really big Porsche. My stock tires used to give a lot of sidewall wash at 70mph going around a sweeping 90* freeway curve, and even feel like an involuntary lane change in progress. These don't. With a different tire, that might be an issue, but, the Unisteels have steel belted construction from bead to bead, and just work really well on this truck.
As for storage on the spare (which has only been there for rotating, rather than flat-changes) my exhaust (when it was stock) used to rub, but after I changed to a front-of-tire short exhaust that was no longer an issue.
The tire/wheel are 120lb each. The little windlass is strong enough for lifting, but, I don't trust it to be the only hold, so a nice anchor was in order. the simplest need only be a hook made of allthread, and a big washer and nut.
The windlass also needed to be beefed up a bit. You know that hex-port where the jack handle mates up for cranking? It stretched out a bit and got round, and then wouldn't transfer torque. Solution? removed it, pounded a 1/2" squaredrive extension into it, and welded it solid, and then re-installed it. Now, when I want to lift or lower, I use a 1/2" breaker-bar and another extension (to clear the bumper) and it's smooooooth sailin!
I also had to cinch up the tire rearward to keep it from rubbing the diff cover. that was also pretty easy, once I committed myself to a 1/2" hole thru the sheetmetal under the tailgate (the nut and washer are unobtrusive between the bumper and the t-gate.
IN short, there'll be a few considerations, but, I consider them well worth the trouble. some of the mods wouldn't be a bad idea w/ stock tires, anyway, just for safety, if nothing else.
you might still be able to see my digital photos way back in the old files under "mag hytec, ricksons and the j-lo effect", if the photo server still works. .
I put the 19. 5s on 80K miles ago, with the Goodyear Unisteels, like you see under a UPS truck, or one of the midsize schoolbusses. I'll probably hafta have'em regrooved by next summer, but, as for heat, I'm in Nevada, where the phrase, "but it's a dryyyy heat" can lead to a justifiable homicide. In the summer, on the hwy, I can run like hell and, if I pull over, I can put my hand right on the sidewall... no heat. No, not like a Conestoga wagon. More like a really big Porsche. My stock tires used to give a lot of sidewall wash at 70mph going around a sweeping 90* freeway curve, and even feel like an involuntary lane change in progress. These don't. With a different tire, that might be an issue, but, the Unisteels have steel belted construction from bead to bead, and just work really well on this truck.
As for storage on the spare (which has only been there for rotating, rather than flat-changes) my exhaust (when it was stock) used to rub, but after I changed to a front-of-tire short exhaust that was no longer an issue.
The tire/wheel are 120lb each. The little windlass is strong enough for lifting, but, I don't trust it to be the only hold, so a nice anchor was in order. the simplest need only be a hook made of allthread, and a big washer and nut.
The windlass also needed to be beefed up a bit. You know that hex-port where the jack handle mates up for cranking? It stretched out a bit and got round, and then wouldn't transfer torque. Solution? removed it, pounded a 1/2" squaredrive extension into it, and welded it solid, and then re-installed it. Now, when I want to lift or lower, I use a 1/2" breaker-bar and another extension (to clear the bumper) and it's smooooooth sailin!
I also had to cinch up the tire rearward to keep it from rubbing the diff cover. that was also pretty easy, once I committed myself to a 1/2" hole thru the sheetmetal under the tailgate (the nut and washer are unobtrusive between the bumper and the t-gate.
IN short, there'll be a few considerations, but, I consider them well worth the trouble. some of the mods wouldn't be a bad idea w/ stock tires, anyway, just for safety, if nothing else.
you might still be able to see my digital photos way back in the old files under "mag hytec, ricksons and the j-lo effect", if the photo server still works. .
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Subscribe
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Subscription Status
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