Rickson 19.5's

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Anyone got these on their beast? I'm getting close to needing a new set of shoes and want to try something different than Mich or Goodyear. I'm getting around 45K on a set of shoes. My big concern about going the Rickson route is the tire diameter. I hear the the installation of these basically equates to a 10% overdrive. What kind of performance loss are you getting towing? How about unloaded?

I would hate to invest over $2k in new rubber only to be disappointed by poor performance!

Any comments appreciated!

Keith

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'95 2500 Stretch 4X4, Auto, 265/75/16, white. TST #5 250/635 plate, 215/230 injectors, Pschotty Air, Cummins chrome, BD Valve Body, Pro-torque LS convertor, mystery switch, JRE 4" turbo to tailpipe w/ monster tip, ISSPRO boost and pyro, Grover air horns, Pioneer CD system, Galaxy 99 CB w/ 400 linear, nerf bars, Rancho 9000's, 8K tag-a-long RV ... Life is Good!!

 

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There is a good review of the Ricksons in the Product Review section.

How did the psycotty install go?

How do you like your Grover's? Thats something on the "to do" list.

You have a Galaxy CB, a 99 model, pretty big. How do you like that one? Where did you mount it and the ant. ? You have added a lot of things that I hope to add.
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2001, 3500, SLT, 5sp, 3. 54LS, camper/tow package, 4x4, freed turbo silencer, 165 watt backup lights and lookin for more.

[This message has been edited by bumble (edited 07-24-2000). ]

[This message has been edited by bumble (edited 07-24-2000). ]

 

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Pschotty was a dream! ... Getting the air leaks out of the Grover's was another story! I read the product review on the Rickson's . . but IMHO it really didn't touch much on the actuals in performance. So, hopefully someone will chime in here on how they do towing.

Keith

 

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Rammin,
Can't comment on the Rickson's specifically. But the 235-85's I installed are about the same OD as the the biggies. My perception? No power loss, cruising speed (engine) is slightly lower, closer to torque peak, better mpg. I'd say go for it.

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'94 3500 4x4, 196,000 miles, Auto w/shift kit,3. 54 Gears, TST #5 plate, 235-85-16s, Rancho 9000s w/remote, Isspro gauges inplace of cupholder & Amsoil Bumper to Bumper. NRA member.

 

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I just returned from a 9 week Alaska trip (and #ad
not happy to be back!) with Rickson's 19. 5" rims and 245/75R19. 5G Toyo tires.

First observation: Normally, these trips eat one brand new set of 16" LT tires, but the 19. 5" tires still have well over half of the tread remaining.

Second: The Toyo's handle snow and dirt well; mud performance is good (but you just can't float a diesel); wet and dry pavement traction is very good. There is a slight high pitched whine on the highway - they are considerably quieter than BFG MT's and slightly noisier than Dunlop Rover RV's. The G (14 ply rating) tires are very tough - not even a decent gouge on mine, even though I passed many people changing tires on the rough gravel roads up there (some roads on POW island were graveled with flint).

Other notes:

Handling with 19. 5" tires improved some at the expense of a harsher ride because the lower profile of the 75R19. 5 has less sidewall flex than the 85R16 tires I had been running.

The wheel offset of Rickson's rims sets the wheels about 3/8" farther out than the stock rims, which puts more mud on the mirrors and side of the truck.

The Toyo tires and Rickson rims have not exhibited any of the wheel/tire vibration I had with 255/85R16 tires.

The 19. 5" wheel and tire combination is heavy. I didn't weigh them, but there is a big difference between them and the 255/85R16 versions when you have to pick them up. It takes both Sue and I to get the tire and wheel onto the rear bumper tire rack.

The only "disappointment" was that while the Toyo tires are rated for 4500 pounds @ 110 psi, the rims are "only" #ad
rated for 3500 pound @ 90 psi. With 5000 pounds on the front axle and 5400 on the rear, the tires and wheels are well within the safety margin, and able to soak up a lot of abuse. #ad


One change I would like to see: Rickson's custom bent valve stems are convenient for people who stay on highways, but to me they appear to be vulnerable to rocks. I didn't loose any on this trip, but I was careful when crawling around objects that might catch one. A shorter, straighter stem would be better for off road use.

Am I happy with them? You bet! I will not go back to 16" LT tires!!

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1994 2500HD 4X4 modified for off-road camping
2001 2500 ETH/DEE QC SB 4X4
Fritz's Dodge Ram Tech Page

 

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Part 2: (Last reply was getting long)

These observations apply to my 1994 2500 4X4 with 3. 54 axles and the NV4500 5spd. NOTE: The 245R19. 5 tires I now have are the same 33. 3" height as the 255/85R16 tires I previously used.

Unloaded, the taller tires don't make much difference other than to slightly improve fuel economy at 65+ mph, and slightly increase acceleration time because the tires are heavier, and thus require more time (or power) to accelerate at the same rate. OD is only useful at 57+ mph to keep the engine speed high enough to avoid pounding off the 5th gear nut.

Performance loss while hauling a heavy load (ie camper) with 33" tall tire is somewhat noticeable at traffic lights and freeway ramps, but not really noticeable otherwise.
The effective gear change is most evident when towing a trailer. If you have to slow for a mountain curve while towing a heavy trailer on a steep grade, you can get stuck in 3rd gear because the stock engine can't generate enough power to overcome the long rpm reduction between 3rd and 4th gear. A TST kit made up the difference - and then some #ad


YMMV! Dave



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1994 2500HD 4X4 modified for off-road camping
2001 2500 ETH/DEE QC SB 4X4
Fritz's Dodge Ram Tech Page

 

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Dave,

What wheel size did you go with (6", 6. 75", 7. 5")? Also how did you end up choosing the Toyos verses say the Mich XZT or Cooper C140s? I'm looking for a mud and snow tread
also.

TIA

 

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My rims are 6. 75", the recommended size for 245's. Larger tires would present a clearance problem under extreme trail conditions.

The tires were recommended by the staff at Rickson based on how I use my truck (expedition type travel; typical trip - 11,000 miles of paved highway, 2,300 miles of dirt/gravel, 50-250 miles of difficult trail; 10k pound 4x4 truck with camper, lockers, and winch). I wanted tires with mud lugs that went the full depth of the tread.
The other tires in the literature appeared to have highway ribs or shallow lug shoulders which, from my experience, do not provide sufficient off road traction. The tires I considered were: (my observation and Rickson's reply)
- Michelin XZT: appears to have large open tread lugs, flier claims tire has excellent mud and snow capabilities. Rickson's reply: The XZT tread is not as open as it looks the literature
- Goodyear Unisteel G124: has large tread blocks with sipes, flier says ideal for pickups, delivery, school busses, metro vehicles. Rickson's reply: We have been about as unhappy with Goodyear 19. 5's as we were with their 16's that came with the truck.
- Toyo M608Z: tread looks good, but the literature has no details. Rickson's reply: I would recommend the Toyo M-608Z for your application. Yes, the lugs in the Toyo do extend all the way down
-Cooper C140: has aggressive tread, available only in 8R19. 5 which is a bit too tall (34+") to clear my utility body when the axle is racked. (I answered my own question here)

FWIW: Rickson said that 225's fit very well in the stock spare tire location, but the 245 will barely make it and you would probably need to fabricate a heat shield to protect it from the exhaust. I built a rear bumper from channel iron and installed a Durango 4X4 tire rack for the spare. While Durango claimed the rack could handle any large tire, I need a larger pivot bolt and something besides the original rubber pivot bushings to really withstand the load imposed by the 19. 5" wheel and tire. Lifting the spare up to the rack requires two people.

Dave

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1994 2500HD 4X4 modified for off-road camping
2001 2500 ETH/DEE QC SB 4X4
Fritz's Dodge Ram Tech Page

 

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Dave ...

Thanks for all the info . . I'm still a bit skeptical about losing towing performance. I would hate to fork out all that $$ on something I might not like!

Keith

 

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Dave,

Glad to hear you liked your Rickson wheels so much. I ordered exactly the same combo, and they should be coming in today #ad


I also had BFG MT's, and while I liked their performance, I don't care for the 18k tread life!

Can't wait to mount them up!

Don

 

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Don,

You will immediately notice a world of improvement in handling and vibration.

Just yesterday, I got my truck back from the spring tower and heater wiring recalls. The service manager said the lower right front shock bolt was missing when they got it. I thought Oh, bull, some one lost it and won't 'fess up. Then I looked at the bracket - it was obvious that it had been that way for quite a while; the shock had beaten the ears up quite a bit. The bolt probably broke or shook loose while we were bashing around on the logging roads of POW Island, Alaska. The nut may have been the unseen object that imitated a pinball by bouncing off the nerf bar, the camper, the side of the truck, and finally exiting the scene after breaking my parabolic mirror.
The point of the rambling is that the BFG's would have bounced me all over the road on the way. We drove at least 4000 miles on the 19. 5" tires with (effectively) no right front shock, and never noticed #ad
That tire shows no abnormal or uneven wear.

Dave

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1994 2500HD 4X4 modified for off-road camping
2001 2500 ETH/DEE QC SB 4X4
Fritz's Dodge Ram Tech Page

 

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Dave,
I don't recall what axle ratio you have. Do you see your Rickson setup as workable for 3. 54's?

Summer trip and hp runs have done in my OEM tires. I am doing a little homework on replacements, with the Rickson catalog in the mail to me today.
#ad

 

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David_VT

My 94 truck has 3. 54 axles and I have been running 33" tires for over four years. 55 mph speed limits are sometimes tricky because I should drive at least 58 mph to stay above 1600 rpm in 5th gear. Most times this is not a major issue because "5 over" is OK.
Towing through the mountains with 33" tires was a little tougher before the TST kit. After "enhancement", the issue was moot for an 8000 pound trailer. Without a trailer, the truck will have no problem with any load it can carry.
I do wish I had lower gearing for tight trails. Low-Low and Reverse-Low are sometimes way too fast !

Dave

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1994 2500HD 4X4 modified for off-road camping
2001 2500 ETH/DEE QC SB 4X4
Fritz's Dodge Ram Tech Page

 

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Thx Dave,
Maybe this will be a safe BOMB for the DC police. . #ad


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100% stock and never modified so that it's wittle tiny heart won't break. [... D/C BE PREPAIRED TO PROVE FAILURE CAUSED BY MY BOMBing. . ]

 

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Dave,

How large a tire could you run if it wasn't for the box clearance problem? Rickson only lists one size in that tread and Toyo's website is pretty worthless for as tire size info goes.

We got a shale puncture on the road to Bella Coola in BC this summer. I would like to put more rubber backed up with more layers of ply between the road and the air in my tires.

Thanks, Duke

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95 2500,std cab,4x4,auto by Dunrite,TST #4,AFC spring kit,Pier's gov spring kit, timing @ 15*, 215 injectors, Walker muff, 3. 54,Diprocol gauges in cupholder slot, K&N,Optima reds, Valentine One radar deflector,Diamond utility bed, custom 52 gal aux tank under bed.

 

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Duke,

I am maxed out in front too. The front of my truck is raised about 1. 25" by taller springs and my tires lightly scrub the front Dodge mudflaps under certain conditions. Larger tires would scrub hard enough to damage my flaps. If I removed the mudflaps, the 245's would not hit anything; 265's would probably scrub the fender liner unless the bump stops were extended.

For stock trucks: 225/70R19. 5 tires will clear with no problem; 245/70R19. 5 tires are OK, but trails that really work the suspension will cause some minor clearance problems in front. IMO: Tires larger than 245/70R19. 5 will require a lift if the truck will be used off-road.

Dave

 

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has anyone tried the Bridgestone M716? Rickson recomends them for an A/T tire if you want a 265/70 in 19. 5. I'm curious about handeling, noise, ect.

 

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I love my Rickson 19. 5's, but let me point out two things to be aware of if/when you get any:

- It takes several hundred miles for the tires to heat cycle and the tread squirm to go away. This is VERY unnerving.

- If your truck has a tendency to wander or pull, that will be exaggerated by the new wheels/tires. Prepare to spend time diagnosing and correcting the problem now.

Rob
- 96 RAM 3500 4x2