New sneakers/ramblings

[KaiserMan]

http://fsjworld.tenmagazines.com/gallery/TAR/91846.jpg

Okay, so they look lame. I admit it.:thumbsdown: I didn't mind the ride my 7.50-16 bias ply tires gave, but my truck didn't like it. They kept rattling things loose and moving my mirrors around on me. So after driving my truck the other day my father offered me a set of Michelin tires with about 5/8 tread for $40. Pretty good deal. This coincided with me finding a set of Ford 16x7" rims on e-bay for only $1, and only about 1 hour away from me. Well the seller pulled his auction after deciding that he wanted more then $1 for them, so I ended up with them for $40 after talking to him outside of e-bay. They have around 4.5" of BS. Rattle canned them hammered gray and called it good.
I have my eyes on a set of LT235/85R-16 tires with about the same thread pattern as my bias tires. Local Pep Boys has them for just over $100 each. I'll probably pick them up in a few months. They will go back on my white GM 16x6.5" wheels. Ran down to the junkyard to get a radial spare, and ironically the only good tire/8 lug wheel I could find was a 7.50R-16 mounted on a Ford rim. Also thought I might need my winch at the junkyard, with all the flooding we have had recently, the river dumped allot of sand there. I sunk into one spot about 8". Luckily I was able to get out in 4WD. If you notice, I finally have some cable on my winch now.

Also thought I had a heating issue the other day. My gauge has always worked. Tuesday I noticed the truck was running at about 7/8 of the gauge. Great Googley MoogleyGreat Googley MoogleyGreat Googley Moogley? That’s way to hot. I figured the cheapo t-stat has stuck half closed, so I bought a new one. When I drained the radiator to put it in I noticed it was all plugged up. So that was the culprit. I flushed a decent spare I had (thought I had tossed it a while back) and put that in. Took it for a test drive. Nothing changed. Dang, it was the t-stat. So I drained the fluid down a bit and replaced it. No change. Put a candy thermometer in the radiator and let the truck come up to temp, with the gauge showing 7/8 the thermometer only showed 180. So I have a bad gauge or temp sender.
Oh well, now I have a better radiator and new HD stant t-stat.

[Ristow]

they look ok to me.:huh:

[KaiserMan]

They don't look that bad, but they have nothing on my old tires. Plus they just don't have the same traction as them bias tires. BUt I can live with these for a few months.

[H Callaway]

I have noticed that your Dad seems to always drive a hard bargain when you are trying to deal with him! :)

PS He offered me the tires for $20.00:D

[DanHS]

They're too smooth and un-aggressive, like car tires, otherwise they look alright, although I don't like the look of the hubcaps with them, too civilized. Could you get a close up pic of the wheels without the caps? I was thinking of using that paint on my Chero's rims.

[Ristow]

thomas IS very civilizied.

he wears a monocle too.

[Geeeep]

Hey, have two sets of wheels and tires, those are nice when you don't want to listen to the lugs drone on longer highway drives., compressor or CO2 tank and impact wrench and you can quick change to the others when you get to a trail.

[Headhoncho]

I think it looks great. :thumbsup:


JR

[KaiserMan]

thomas IS very civilizied.

he wears a monocle too.

I'm so civilized, I wear TWO monocle's!

Dan, I'll snap a pic in a little bit.

As I said, these tires only have to last a few month (or less) untill I get those radial m/t's. Though I may still get new Bias tries. Not sure yet.

[jepj2000]

What are the 235/85/16s called at pep boys? The new ones you have now are ok they just look like you would only drive on the steet now but thats ok for the short term. Did they solve the the rough ride problem?

Rankin

[KaiserMan]

I honestly don't remember the brand name. They did make the ride better, but moreimportantly they don't vibrate things loose.

[jepj2000]

You said the tread is like your old bias ply tires (classic lookin) though right, or are they just an off brand m/t pattern? Just wondering because that would be a good alternative to the rough riding bias ply tires.

Rankin

[Casey]

I think it looks great! Still very classic. :cool:


Much better ride I'm sure. Too bad you had to go through the winter on the bias tires. Frost heaves and flat spots suck, add them together and you can barely have a coffee for the morning ride to work.

[KaiserMan]

Sorry it took so long. Here is a pic of the one wheel with two coats. I put the second coat on the next day, I think it would have come out better if I had done it sooner. As you can see I had to lay some tape down to snug the hubcap up on the wheel.

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a58/CRNJG/p1010001-32.jpg

Rankin, the tires where an off brand m/t, but the tread pattern was about as close to a bias m/s as one can find.

[jepj2000]

Thanks for getting back with me on that. I'll be interested to see how they look when you have them put on. Let me know if you remember the name of them so I can see what they look like.

Rankin

[drlocke]

Nice work, Thom! :thumbsup:

The only note I'd make at present is that the perhaps "wussy" tread you're showing there may be on your side in DDing in that rig on tarmac, where aggressive tread will afford you little more over in essential traction over that which you have now--providing (oh Jesus!) our weather doesn't pull another blonde white-out goof, of course! :eek: Going down the road and not making all that noise should get you an MPG or two--which can't hurt too much in these days of 3 buck-a-gallon fuel.....

I'm hoping that Henry can come up with some decent rims for me as well; I'm getting tired of the shimmy and tramp I'm getting at highway speed. I grow more weary of this with each day, as it makes it tough to pour without excessive spillage a good head on the beer in my stein. :D