Advice on HMMWV tires on these things with stockish wheels

[AJMBLAZER]

We all know that Alpha Heaven and some others have been throwing 36x12.5-16.5 HMMWV tires on the CUCV's in order to counteract the low gearing and in the case of the K5's to just look cool.

I like the stance and I like the look...

...only problem I've found so far is that Alfa Heaven doesn't do anything to keep the tires off of the forward end of the drag link when you turn the tires all the way to the right...whoops. I always figured it was the tires rubbing the body but nope, it was the side lugs of the tires slowly dismembering the draglink's boot.

Need a new one now.

The simple, easy, and probably not long term fix was to redo the steering stop on the driver's side axle. Grade Eight 3/8" fine thread bolt about 2" long and a nut and that was it. I lost some turn radius to the right but not much. On the road driving wasn't affected, mostly just very sharp parking lot turns and such. Not that I tried many of those with a truck this big or long though.

 

[flippydidit]

Thank you AJMBLAZER,

I've been trying to find advice on this issue from people who have actual experience making the change themselves. I had heard that it was the tires rubbing the body also. It's good to know that I can prevent some damage before learning about it for myself...the hard way. Thanks for taking one for the team!! Just kidding!

Nate

 

[AJMBLAZER]

You're welcome.

I actually forgot all about this thread. DIdn't even get a notification you had posted.

Personally if I wanted to stay in the 36" range I'd go get some 36x12.5R16 Interco Super Swamper TSL Radials. They're famous for actually only being about 10-11" wide. Put those on the stock wheels, trim your fenders a bit, adjust the steering stop as necessary, and I bet they'd be AT LEAST twice smoother and rounder than the HMMWV tires.

Either that or get some 11.00R16 Michelin tires like I did, cut the body, and have fun....which is what I ended up doing.

 

[bht50]

did you have to cut the fenders to make the HMMWV ties fit or just do the steering stop trick? I found a set of rims and tires from a HMMWV but want to make sure no major work to body for them to work. If I am reading right the rims are a direct fit from HMMWV to CUCV right or do I need to mount them on my stock CUCV rims?

 

[AJMBLAZER]

There was fender trimming to make them work. Not a lot though.

The HMMWV tires are 16.5's and the CUCV rims are 16". You need either stock GM 16.5's or Dodge 16.5's from older 70's era trucks to make it work. HMMMWV rims will bolt onto these trucks but they have about 2" too much backspacing without using spacers or DRW truck hubs.

There's better tires to use than the HMMWV tires. They came with my truck. If they hadn't of already been there I wouldn't have bought a set.

 

[ABN173]

I had a 6" lift kit and HMMWV tires so there was no need to cut anything, also the solution I had was the the use of 16.5" Rockcrawler rims. Oh I am using past tense as I had to sell my M1009 as I am moving across country and my wife did not want to pull the 16' trailer nor did she want to drive the CUCV. I hated to let it go but it made sense as it would cost $1500 to ship and for not much more I can pick up another from GL. I will be getting a replacement soon.

Dale

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Lift = expensive and won't fit in garage.

Bummer on having to sell your truck.

 

[allrevup]

You could use the Humvee wheels and tires with a 4"-6" lift, NO CUTTING neded, and using 2" spacers for the front and back or if you lke to even the front and rear track as the rear is about 3" norower then the front) you may want to use 3" - 3.5'" spacers in the rear they are about $125 for a 2" set if you shop aroud the internets for T6 Alum. forged ones. The 16.5" X 7"+/- OEM wheels are really to narrow for 12.50" wide tires, they are OK with the bias-ply 36" as the side wall is softer, but not recomended and probably dangerus ( for street use) if you were to used then with say the Humvee 37" RADIAL tires. As someone before mention, The best value solution is to get Rockcrawler steel wheels with 3"-4" of B.S. as you would save quite a bit of rotating weight mass compare to eigther of the HUMVEE wheels. The 36"x12.5"X16.5" tires and wheels set up, can be a PITA to balance often requiring 10-16 oz. to come close.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Mine never got balanced...ever. Pounds of weight. Ran out of room to put weight on both sides even with balancing beads inside the tire.

 

[kennyw]

Also, if you get the wider aftermarket wheels you won't have problems with tires rubbing on the steering components. My truck is running HMMV 37" tires on 16.5 x 19.75 steel wheels.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Yeah, but then a lot of cutting would be involved to make them fit. Stockish 16.5's avoid that problem with only minor trimming being necessary.

Like I said before I'd skip the problem entirely and get some 36x12.5R16 Super Swamper TSL Radials and put them on the stock rims. Probably need even less trimming than the HMMWV tires and less steering stop adjusting.

 

[flippydidit]

Ok, so I have HMMWV wheels, runflats, seals, and tires (37.5x12.5x16.5). I don't want to purchase Rockcrawler rims, I don't mind parking outside, and I plan on doing a 6" lift. Is there anything I should focus on besides the draglink boot? Would there be any need to trim the fenders, or is a 6" suspension lift enough clearance? Do I still need spacers to adjust the backspacing, or should I be ok reversing the wheel to an inside stance? Would the spacers put too much stress on steering components (since the weight is further from the arms)? Thanks for your advice everyone.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

You can't reverse the wheels. Spacers or Dual Rear Wheel hubs solve the HMMWV rim problem.

Since you're lifting it you'd be best served by cross over steering as well. Consider a steering box brace as well.

Even with 6" of lift you could probably get 37's to rub. In fact, I'd lay money they will rub if you twist it up offroad.

 

[gocmndo]

Cross over steering

I am running the 37" Goodyear HMMWV tires on 16.5 X 9.75 Rockcrawlers and have not had any issue rubbing the steering. However I did install the cross over steering from Off Road Design. This uses a 2WD steering box and crosses over to the passenger side knuckle. Would this help with your rubbing the drag link?
One of the challenges I was trying to overcome was the steering issues when the front end is articulated.
I do have a 4" lift and have trimmed the front fenders as well.
There is also no way this will ever make it into my garage, so now I am going to mount my spare on my rack!!

 

[allrevup]

YOU are so right AJMBLAZER , about litterally running out of space for the nesesary weights to balance this wheel/tires combo. 5 years ago I found a couple of articles about Humvee's 2 piece wheels use. I like their option of easy(?) on the trail dismount in case of complete tire failure and if the wheel fails, I may only need to repair/replase one half of the wheel, the truth is, I like their Military/industrial LOOK in my M1008 more then any other.
Do not use the expensive and offten inefective fluid filled disks to balance this wheels they may not have enought wheight for the 36" bias-play tire in particular.
have the wheels recenter to the correc B.S.
if for off-road use, is not critical to balance then, for just ocacional burts of speed.
find a tire shop that has a HUNTER 9000 ( or a '09 equivalent) tire balancing machine. That thing will tell you after all data has beign enter were to install each tire; side to side, and front to back. if they do not use the center glued-on weights (made by 3M = $$$) as AM general / Huchingson did, use tractor trailer weights, they are 2x heavyer then automotive weights, in the same amount of space and have better H.D. attachment clips.
X-over steering will eliminate the rubbing agaist the draglink, not to mention the steering would articulate better and eliminate, with the use of steering box reinforcement the Chevy frame craking issues, I was told that with cross over stering the stresses on the steering box mounting area is practically eliminated(by itself) if using 44" ( the max ratting of a built Dana 60) I would reinforceor even with smaller tires and you will also adress the NO steering at severe front axle drops problem. if you use the Humvee wheels with corrected back spacing 3"-4" via , recentering or spacers. The tire scrobbing area and steering geometry will be closed to ideal and should not overload the Dana 60, bearings and components. I fdesiding between 36" Bias-ply or 37" radials from Humvee aplications ...The 36" had prove to be more reliable to the military, when under inflated they comform and offer better traction, this at the expense of the 37" radial tires benneficts; higher load rating, truer roundness and construction and NO flat spots.

 

[flippydidit]

I really appreciate the responses. The reason I asked about the wheel reversal, is that we have an M1028 out here in Iraq that has off-center wheels that are reversed to give it an "out-side" stance. Are all the HMMWV wheels centered or off-center? Maybe I didn't look close enough, and in fact they are aftermarket wheels. I don't think they are, but I have been wrong a few times. Any idea how much the cross-over steering conversion kit costs? Thanks again.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Everything you ever wanted to know about cross over steering:
www.OffRoadDesign.com

HMMWV wheels have 7" or so of backspacing so the mounting faces are NOT centered.

 

[allrevup]

Is hard to envision the reverse wheels that you are talking about??? However if they are the wheels from a dually with some kind of mod. to the lugs holes or with adapters so that they may fit on to a the single axles found on non dually truck, I guess that may be what you have seen and discrived. If that is what you descrive that would be hard on single axles bearings to say the least.
I don't think that other then for looks ( a very wide stand, some Pulling Competition Trucks have very wide track's) That could not be very practical for a street used vehicle, not to mention D.M.V. complaiant in most States, trowing debrie up and back and with The frontal area of The side of a barn you would need a ship yard to Park it.

 

[AJMBLAZER]

Back in the day before the modern lug nuts with the taper at the end of them near the threads lug nuts were typically flat at the back and the holes on the wheels didn't have a tapered shoulder to match the lug nuts. It was possible to reverse that sort of wheel (IE run it "backwards") so the outside of the wheel was now towards the inside. Great way to turn a high backspacing wheel into a low backspacing wheel back in the day.

Pretty uncommon now.

Not to mention doing this would be like running rims with about 1" of backspacing and instead of the tires hitting suspension and steering components they'd be eating the outside of the body work and fenders alive.

 

[allrevup]

AJMblaze, Sory to steal the tread for a moment. How do you like that tire that you are using off road and for street? I imaging this things will last a long mileage as well with the CUCV light weight? they look right as well!