hummer tires

[AlsChopShop]

i'm looking at the cheaper alternatives to get the cherk going, and hummer tires is what i'm looking at. i can get some pretty cheap, but of course that means 16.5" wheels. so my questions are.... are they even any good off-road? i know i've seen a few members running them, how well do they air down, or can you air them down much with the 16.5 rims? i can get a set with the double bead lock rims so air isn't an issue, but i'd have to get them recentered first and thats more $$. i'm thinking i'd just stick them on regular 16.5 rims.

Al

[Tad]

I ran the 36" bias plys for over a year on stock GM rims.
No real issues other than the flat spots that develop when sitting.
They work themselves out pretty quick down here where it's warmer.
They did wear pretty fast in back with the welded rear.
J10 Mike ran the same ones back in MO, it's colder there and the flat spots were pretty annoying to him.

[AlsChopShop]

i can live with flatspots, but as for wheeling performance... how are they? can you air them down much, and do they flex?

Al

[Dmntxn77]

They work decent off road. They are more of an aggressive A/T tire, but they can hold their own. And yeah, they will flex.

Just like anything, you get what you pay for.. You cant expect them to dig like some SX's, but the price is definatly right!

AND.. If you can get a good deal including the H1 rims, I would go for it. They will cost a bit more after you get them recentered, but for the price, you will have a set of double beadlocks for WAY less than any other routes..

[Tad]

They work decent off road.
Agreed, for the price the were fine (I actually still have them along with 3 spares).
I never took them below 20psi even though I ran them on rims with safety beads, no problems with that pressure, but I'm not a hard core wheeler either.
Sidewalls are pretty stiff but even by myself I was able to mount them with just simple tire spoons and they did actually balance ok.
They were not even that bad on the highway but in dry sand you really needed to keep moving.
I'll probably run them on the J2000 if they do not dry rot prior to getting the time to finish that project.

[AlsChopShop]

i thought all 16.5's were without the saftey bead? i keep thinking if i can air them down to let the side lugs flatten out they should bite pretty nice, but the beads are so easy to unseat.

Al

[Tad]

i thought all 16.5's were without the saftey bead?
Bob Bary turned us onto this, here's a pic of some I found.
It's for stock 16.5" rims, all the aftermarket ones seem to be lacking the safety bead.

http://members.cox.net/tadsal/165ssafetybead.JPG

Some have them, some do not and it's not easy to tell on a stock rim with a tire on it.
Best way I figured to determine this with tires on them was to jump up and down on the side wall. When they unseated at my body weight (220 then) they did not have it.
There's at least one good post in "Off-Road" if not more on this.

I probably have more fitment pic's, I'll check now that I am home.

[Mahamotorworks]

I have seen some stock Rims with out the saftey bead. It was on a old Chevy p/u. We did a set of tires and had a hard time getting them to inflate and hold the outer bead. I think that any 16.5 rim with out the saftey bead is a good canidate for Weld on Bead locks.

MAHA

[etjeep]

I run the 36" bias plys on chevy rims as well. Price was right (plus I have 3-4 spares). I usually run them at 15 psi off-road. Decent off-road capability but not as good as a swamper. They are made of a high durometer (aka hard) compound that are tough to wear out. I once aired down to 4 psi in the garage and saw very little sidewall flex. I never ran them that low off-road.

[grand_wag_85]

I've run the Wrangler MT II's , NOT the MTR's, and I was impressed. Not the best on wet shale but in sandand deep mud they were unstopable.

[Tad]

I have seen some stock Rims with out the saftey bead...
Actually, most of the 16.5's I drug home did not have them.

...I think that any 16.5 rim with out the saftey bead is a good canidate for Weld on Bead locks.
I turned all but two of the non-safety bead rims I had into hose reels :thumbsup:
I'm thinking plant stands for the two that are left.

[AlsChopShop]

i did some web searching and it looks like stock rims with lots of backspacing are usually the only ones with the saftey beads, and won't work in my application.

i could find some regular 16.5s with the right backspacing but i'm looking at keeping the pressures up to not blow a bead.

or... running the hummer double beadlocks so i can air down to pretty much nothing..... but, there is so much backspacing i'd have to run spacers.

which is the lesser of two evils?

Al

[Mahamotorworks]

Just upgrade to 17 inch tims. There will be a better selection of tires in the future. You can get bead locks or go for the inflatable double bead lock. I think that they are called Stanz bead locks. If I wasnt at work I would find some info for you.

MAHA

[AlsChopShop]

but 16.5 tires dont' fit on 17" rims... :rolleyes:

i may do 17" rims in the future with 38's, but i'm trying to run this thing on the cheap for now.

Al

[Dmntxn77]

I still say that your best bet is to go with the H1 wheels..

It will cost you less to recenter them as it will cost to buy a set of 3" spacers... Plus, you will have beadlocks when you are done..

Regarding tire availability... Pretty much EVERY good tire that you would want for off road comes in a 16.5" size..

And.. The inflatable beadlocks that you are talking about are made by Staun.. They are close to $200 EACH :eek: in the 17x10-12 size..

http://www.ok4wd.com/index.php/catalog/product/staun_internal_beadlock/

[AlsChopShop]

what is the cost on spacers... and recentering the h1s? you seem to be pretty good at finding the good deals robert....

there is a wheel shop just behind my work, i'll have to stop by. although all they ever have there is exotics. they may laugh at my steelies.

Al

[Dmntxn77]

My 3" 8 lug spacers were $130 shipped for the pair. They were from ebay, and the best price that I could find.. I only went with spacers due to lack of better options. I would not use spacers on all 4 corners since better options are available..

Regarding recentering H1's... Dunno what is in your area. If I were you, I would just buy them recentered.. I called Stazworks a month or so ago, and I think it was about $100 shipped each for ones that are already finished with the center and backspacing of your choice. Give them a call..
http://stazworks.com/index.htm Not a bad deal for double beadlocks shipped to your door.

This is a good option IMO because they have a good reputation, and you will be done with a phone call and a payment.. It wont take long to rack up the price if you have to pay shipping more than once, or have to drive very far to pick up the parts. Even cruising around looking for local shops, and dropping off and picking up parts adds up these days..

Otherwise, if you find a W/T combo for real cheap locally, check around with the W/Tshops. They should be able to dirrect you to someone local to do the work. BUT... If you have never seen their work... :huh:

[bigun]

I run 37X12.5X16.5 hummer tires on Crom they are unbalanced yet you only need 2 fingers to hold it on the road at 80 MPH! I am looking for the double bead lock wheels next.

[68glad]

I would be interested in the wheels if you wanted to sell them. PM me if interested.

[dawghauler]

run hummer tires on my w/t would like to get the hummer wheels i have recentered and add bead locks. the tires have good road manners and do preform well offroad