Where to purchase rims/tires for dually conversion

[NDanecker]

Seriously considering a conversion from SRW to dually. I have a quote from my body shop to paint and install the fenders for around $1400. Just need the rims, tires and spacers now. I've been keeping an eye our for a set (6 of course) on ebay but nothing. Also searched the internet for packages but nothing.



Any suggestions?

 

[CumminsBu]

How about Rickson rims, www.AmericanForceWheels.com or TDR Classiflieds Ads

 

[NDanecker]

Thanks BP. They sure look nice. Wonder how much $?



Going to call them Monday for a distributor/prices. Thanks!

 

[phloop]

Sounds like you are doing what I have thought of doing since I first bought my 04. 5 a couple of years ago. For some reason you can only get certain colors in the DW configuration and when I bought my truck I wanted it in atlantic blue so I was going to convert a 3500 single rear wheel truck to a dually just to get the color I wanted.



Also here is Rickson's site, www.ricksontruck.com.



And as another thought, I am sure there are guys that have converted to 19. 5's that may still have their stock wheels around. As it is kinda spendy there may not be a whole lot of those guy's around.

 

[PatrickCampbell]

Is it really worth it? You will spend $1400 on the fenders. Then what, another $700 on tires and another $700 on wheels. $500 on the adapters. How much of a bath will you take trading it in?



At $3000+, you are well into Rickson 19. 5 SRW territory!



1 thing that I appreciate very much is when you convert to a dually you can probably get away with not going for inspection in NJ (10,000 lbs through 18,000 lbs GVWR trucks are exempt).

 

[NDanecker]

Is it really worth it? You will spend $1400 on the fenders. Then what, another $700 on tires and another $700 on wheels. $500 on the adapters. How much of a bath will you take trading it in?



At $3000+, you are well into Rickson 19. 5 SRW territory!



1 thing that I appreciate very much is when you convert to a dually you can probably get away with not going for inspection in NJ (10,000 lbs through 18,000 lbs GVWR trucks are exempt).

You need to elaborate on the no inspection in NJ for dually's!!! That sounds like its worth it right there! (well, almost! ).



Seriously, I gave it much thought and the money I would lose on a trade in or private sell would be much greater then doing the conversion. On top of that I've got so many things on my truck (buckstop bumper, line-x, edge, 4" lift which I'm going to air bags in the rear, gooseneck hitch, etc. ) that doing this over on a new truck seems crazy. But then again, doing a dually conversion sounds crazy to begin with... ... .

 

[PatrickCampbell]

I would personally go with Rickson 19. 5's. Not sure what your need is but they are cheaper, you will get double the mileage out of each set of tires, you get basically all the advantages of a dually and the skinnyness of a single rear wheel. I had them on a previous truck. I went dually on this truck because I will be hauling commercially and wanted to look the part (have had customers asking me "are you sure that can handle it" with the single rear wheels, also dually was cheaper for me since I didn't deal with fenders (no bed here) and got cheap steel wheels and cheap tires.



There is a bit of a gray line with the inspection...



Trucks with a GVWR of 10,000 (might be 10,001) to 18,000 lbs in NJ do not have to inspect. While your GVWR sticker will not actually change (unless you have it changed by a truck shop), all REAL duallys (that I have ever seen) have a GVWR of at least 10,000 and NJ police, DMV, etc. seem to know this too. When I went to inspect they told me to leave.



And since your truck converted to a dually IS a dually... ... ... ... ... ... ... looks like a duck, quacks like a duck...



I got stopped the other day for a road side inspection and did not question me not having an inspection sticker. If I did I'd tell them what MVD DMV told me. I also have this in writing (its written on the back of all NJ registration applications - can be picked up from the DMV).



Either way good luck and enjoy it!

 

[NDanecker]

Thanks Patrick! And you are correct in that diesel trucks (I guess hemi powered Rams don't apply! ) over 10k lbs GVWR are self inspection. See this link:



http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/cleanair/inspection_schedule.html



The Rickson 19. 5s are a nice setup. I don't know about powder coated steel rims though even though the cost of the aluminum rims are sky high! Decisions, decisions. I'd like to keep tire size the same as the gearing I have seems perfect for what I tow. I currently run 315s (35" diameter???) and 4. 10s with 6 speed manual. Nice combo!

 

[ZHutton]

What is your time frame?



I am seriously thinking about going the 19. 5 inch single rear wheel approach.



If you were closer to eastern tn it would be easier to consider.



I need tires this summer and that is my fish or cut bait timeframe since I am either sticking 6 tires on this thing or pulling the fenders and going to 4 tires on the ground and a spare of similar height.



I hate to even ask since I know these 17 inch rims are not that common but have you checked wrecking/salvage/recycling yards? A lot of them are on the net these days due to the muscle car restoration folks and also the 4x4 offroader folks.



I would put an ad in the classifieds, if I get serious and buy the rickson stuff I will most likely be selling off my dually stuff to get it gone.



I did a front bumper replacment from ranchhand and I need to list the factory front bumper in there as well.