2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Interesting find for those of us with big tires

[CFAR]

Parts wear out, and for those that chose not to not keep up with the maintenance needs of their truck, they will experience handling issues.

I guess that 10 miles on my truck when I bought it sure wore out some stuff!

 

[AKAMAC]

I know that over-size tires will exacerbate wear on any front end. That said, I've been lucky with mine. At 77,000 with 44,000 of those on larger rubber, my unit runs straight and true. I did have the FE aligned at 500 miles when I had the dreaded right hand pull. I showed the tech at dealer the 3/4" front to rear cross difference and the deal was done. An axle alignment bubble level with caster level is not too expensive and the caster adjustment on 4 bys is critical. Don't accecpt mediocrity when they do repairs. Oh yea, I'm currently running 305/70/16 GY ATS on my truck and have 13,000 on them. Can't tell any wear difference between front and rear, they are equal to 33/12. 50/16 in size. Mike

 

[TTullio]

Add a little more front toe-in if the truck wanders on the hwy. Tim

 

[Mopar Man1]

I have 84 GMC play truck. Its got 200,000 miles on it with 190,000 of that is with oversize tires. Nothin is wore out. It doesnt wander about the road. It rides as smooth as my CTD. You can always put in EZ ride springs. A truck isnt spose to ride like a car anyway. IMO

 

[americana]

i've got 19. 5 Ricksons with Goodyear G-124's in 70/265 for the last 10Kmi and did 30kmi before that on almost bald 8R michelins. first 40kmi were 16/75/285's.



rides fine, rides comfy, doesn't wander. i guess i'll knock wood and do a midnight voodoo dance for thanks.

 

[krs]

"Mine is a 3500 as well and rides very nice, That was always the main reason for any mods"



I'm sure that we all know that the more crap we load onto trucks the better they ride. My '01 has never ridden so smooth as the day I had over three tons of manure in the bed.

 

[mmclaughlin]

I agree with KRS - the more you load up the back, the better she rides.



A very quick story that I think is kind of funny - My wife and I were putting in a new walkway in our back yard. I dug out about 3 feet of earth the entire lenght of the new walkway and was replacing it with crushed blue stone. I picked up the first 2 loads and each time they charged me the minimum charge. They figured that the truck wasn't going to hold the 2 ton minimum. My wife got the third load, and asked what they charged me. I told her that it was $40 (or something like that). Well, she got all upset, saying they screwed her over because she was a girl and all this stuff. I was ticked, too, but then I asked her if they made her use the scales. She said they did and they gave her the slip. Well, as it turned out, she loaded up with close to 3 tons of blue stone in the back! I asked her how she felt the trcuk handled, and she claimed that it seemed a little slow, but other then that fine! I guess it's time for some new injectors!! LOL

 

[mediccummin]

In my case my steering improved when I changed to bigger tires and wheels, and took off the stock garbage. Nicer ride better handling. Oh ya and of coarse I changed the whole front end.

 

[jkern]

well, i guess that from what i am reading from those who have posted is that each truck seems to be individual in its charcteristics, especially with application. i do agree that my truck rides like a cadilac with about 2 ton on it as well. maybe mine was built on a monday!!! anyway, i am going out right now and swapping the front tires and see if the pull changes any.



jkern

 

[muchsnow]

Mine has 315/12. 5/16 muds. Mine pulls to the right. I hate driving down a straight road with the steering wheel corrected to the left. It centers when I drive in the left lane of a divided highway due to the road pitching left.

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1066735



https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1065543&postcount=13

 

[muchsnow]

Mine wanders sitting still, sometimes I'll park it in one spot and the next morning it will be in another. And it was that way brand spankin new. A note to all new and used truck buyers, DRIVE THE DARN THING ON THE HIGHWAY. I've tried the stockers, good gas mileage long life, also some procomp M/T's, no difference. I have, new steering box, shocks, DSS, DT Track bar, ... ... ... ... ... .



Y-NOT where did you get the dual in line??

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1066735

 

[Centeno1]

just to chime in

if you wanna drive a nice tire try the new toyo m/t. Just threw on a set of 315-75-16's on the diesel and what an improvement... take the good with the bad guys with a single dana 80 with 1ton springs and bags @80psi its nice to get some weight on that axle. While not towing i have had the stock tires actually leave the road at 60mph from a bump in the highway but not anymore the tires absorb alot of that impact... ... anyways thats just my . 02cents

 

[Hohn]

Get it aligned with the bigger tires on, When you change tire size you will change at least the toe in of the truck. Look into a big truck shop they might be able to do it. With the change in toe you might also be changing the thrust angle or set back.

I believe this to be false. The toe-in of the a truck equipped with a "y" steering setup like mine will only change when there's a change in static height of the wheel relative to the truck, NOT to the ground.

So, when you put on a bigger tire, you are making the truck sit higher, but the WHEEL is in the EXACT SAME POSITION as before. The only thing that would affect the WHEEL's distance to the truck is spring length/rate.

If I am mistaken, someone please tell me how a simple SIZE change changes alignment. I can't see how it would. Wheel spec change, spring change, might cause alignment change, but I can't see how a tire size change would.

Justin

 

[Hohn]

Cummins pilot take two sticks any length and set them down and set the toe on them. Now extend the sticks and inch or two and remeasure the toe. Another way put your elbows at your side and put your finger tips together, you make a V, just like your toe setting (just a lot more angel). Now look at your wrist that is where your toe is with a 245 tire when you go to 285s now its at your finger tips(Hard to explain doing my best). When you change toe you change the front and the back at one time, so if you add 1/8 toe in in the front you also just toed out the back by 1/8 for an adjustment of 1/4. When I did alignments on big trucks I would ask if they were going to change tires because it would change the alignment from what I set.

AHA! So you are saying that the DISTANCE of toe will change! This is true.

The ANGLE, however, will not change by going to bigger rubber.

Justin

 

[muchsnow]

I believe this to be false. The toe-in of the a truck equipped with a "y" steering setup like mine will only change when there's a change in static height of the wheel relative to the truck, NOT to the ground.

So, when you put on a bigger tire, you are making the truck sit higher, but the WHEEL is in the EXACT SAME POSITION as before. The only thing that would affect the WHEEL's distance to the truck is spring length/rate.

If I am mistaken, someone please tell me how a simple SIZE change changes alignment. I can't see how it would. Wheel spec change, spring change, might cause alignment change, but I can't see how a tire size change would.

Justin

Increase in in dia relative to caster can have some effect on toe in. Pretend your looking down on the front tires and visualize the distance between the front of the tires as you increase tire diameter on a toed in figure, with a caster angle thrown in there. Some level of geometry would perhaps support this. Or I'm just off in my own little world... ... .