Scored some rims...

[ratdude747]

On my last trip to pull-a-part I scored some rims off a 1993 Explorer. I also scored matching center caps off a later model Explorer (The 1993 had auto-lock hubs that used hollow center caps, not good for my 2WD ranger).

I ended up paying only $60 or so for the set. I had both a $20 credit and also a set of ricer 16" junk alloys (what my truck had when I bought it) to use as cores.

These rims were in dirty but usable shape. The clearcoat is toast so I'll probably strip them before I have my tires swapped. The tires that came on them were very dry rotted, and also the wrong size (rim size is identical though)

My existing rims are 15". Three are Ford/Alcoa OE alloys from 1992, one is a an American Racing clone. They never seemed to balance right and while they look OK on my truck, the three 1992 ones are pretty crusty. Not to mention that it was going to be a pain to obtain new center caps and the proper lugnuts to go with them (the American Racing would have needed holes drilled/tapped too). I already happened to have the correct lug nuts for the newer type center cap, so long-term this swap seems to be the way to go.

Here's some pictures:

First, some pictures of my truck's old (and current) rims:

Here's some of the rims (and old tires) before I did any cleaning work:

(that's how you haul four wheels at once at Pull-A-Part)

Here's some from today after I did some rough cleaning:

One of them installed as a mock-up:

Tires removed:

FYI- I removed the tires by first cutting a rectangular hole in each sidewall, all the way to the bead of the rim. Then, I walked around each tire (one foot on the rim, one on the sidewall) to break the beads. Then, I shoved a bolt cutter through the hole in the sidewall and in 1-3 snips cut the bead, which allowed tire removal. I removed the old ones this way because tire mounting is more or less highway robbery and having the tire shop remove the old tires would add a decent amount of expense. I will have my existing tires moved over and balanced at a shop.

Here's the odd thing about these rims... something doesn't quite add with them. They came off a 1993 Explorer, yet the tech library shows them as a 1998-1999 rim with a different center cap. Those center caps are also showed as 1998-200x on other rims. The date code on one of the rims showed it being made in 1999. Yet these have factory bores wide enough to allow the 1993 vacuum lock hubs fit through and the front center caps also had a hole in the center that was matched to the hub. Did somebody have the four rims and two center caps bored out on a lathe? Or am I missing something here?

Either way, I think these will be nice rims once I get the tires moved over. You guys (and gals) agree?

 

[ratdude747]

Tire suggestions

It's been a while, and other than stripping clearcoat, nothing has progressed the rims. Mainly, I'm on the fence on what exactly to do with them.

While they're the same size as my existing rims/tires, I'm not sure my non-rotated and slightly cupped Cooper Cobras are worth moving over. FWIW I did replace my springs as my old ones were pretty rusty and my red mystery shocks don't appear bad (but maybe I should replace them... different thread).

IIRC said tires not really for street use ("cosmetic performance") and while they've served me OK (only one wreck and a few bumps due to traction loss, lol) for the past (almost) 2 years, I'm leaning towards not putting good money after bad and saving up for fresh tires.

So, what do you all suggest for a good mostly street use tire? Not looking for more economy junk (like what I have), but I don't need the best money can buy either. Or is $100 (ish) worth it to move the existing tires?



I'm not in a hurry here... My "new" rims aren't going anywhere and my existing ones aren't that awful... just ugly, mismatched, and out of balance (the latter is partially due to a wheel weight falling off).

 

[MrGiggles]

It's been a while, and other than stripping clearcoat, nothing has progressed the rims. Mainly, I'm on the fence on what exactly to do with them.

While they're the same size as my existing rims/tires, I'm not sure my non-rotated and slightly cupped Cooper Cobras are worth moving over. FWIW I did replace my springs as my old ones were pretty rusty and my red mystery shocks don't appear bad (but maybe I should replace them... different thread).

IIRC said tires not really for street use ("cosmetic performance") and while they've served me OK (only one wreck and a few bumps due to traction loss, lol) for the past (almost) 2 years, I'm leaning towards not putting good money after bad and saving up for fresh tires.

So, what do you all suggest for a good mostly street use tire? Not looking for more economy junk (like what I have), but I don't need the best money can buy either. Or is $100 (ish) worth it to move the existing tires?



I'm not in a hurry here... My "new" rims aren't going anywhere and my existing ones aren't that awful... just ugly, mismatched, and out of balance (the latter is partially due to a wheel weight falling off).

Discount Tire should be having a Pre-Labor Day sale here in a couple weeks. After rebates, tires are usually 50% off or more. I'm hoping that the set of used tires on my Ranger will hold out until then.

Those tires are also easy to change yourself. A bead breaker is pretty inexpensive these days. Then you just have to pay to have them balanced.

 

[ratdude747]

Discount Tire should be having a Pre-Labor Day sale here in a couple weeks. After rebates, tires are usually 50% off or more. I'm hoping that the set of used tires on my Ranger will hold out until then.

Those tires are also easy to change yourself. A bead breaker is pretty inexpensive these days. Then you just have to pay to have them balanced.

I'll have to see then. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[ratdude747]

Did some research, my tires aren't quite as bad as I was thinking. Also, I was given a lead on someplace that can move them for a more respectable price. It's local trucking/used car/warehousing comapany that my employer does a lot of business with (Logistics and old machinery storage) and they do auto work like that to keep their mechanics busy.

 

[ratdude747]

Got the rims swapped today:

It's not done. I asked for them to rotated, balanced, and the white lettering out. The last one was a last minute addition, and I'll save that for the next time I put tires on it (the white lettering is stained black anyway, not sure if it would have cleaned up). The other two I'll have word with the shop about tomorrow. Shouldn't be a hard fix since they have lifts.

Still turned out nice?

 

[ratdude747]

Had some issues this weekend. Ended up with new tires. But first, on a 3 hr drive this happened:

That's what I get for not checking the lug torques given the known half-shitty job. Just to be safe while I was stopped I took my torque wrench I keep in the bed to all 15 other lug nuts: (100ft-lb)

Left front: All five super loose, wheel rattling (Note, the hubcap did not fall off, I removed it myself for the pic)

Right front: All five undertorqued, likely to loosen in due time.

Left rear: One undertorqued, the other 4 OK

Right rear: All five OK

So yeah... Luckily I caught it before the lug bores got too trashed.

Anyway, my brother-in-law recently got a job at discount tire, so I went there to get the wheels re-balanced, only to find out that my tires were in legitmatly bad shape. One rear had severe over-inflation wear, the cupping on the fronts was marginal, and one of the fronts also had a nasty sidewall crack that was splitting open.

I've heard that the best investment one can make is in tires, so I ended up with a set of Continental Control Contact Tour AS's. Unfortunatly they were one size smaller (what was in stock), 215/65R15 vs the old 215/70R15 so my speedo is 3.3% fast, which is too small for a speedo gear swap to correct (ideal is a 16.48 gear, I have a 16). So much for realistic MPG calculations (unless I factor in the 3.3% conversion factor.

At least it rides and handles less... and I watched, Discount tire torqued my lugs right. Whew.