Need some tire options for the M715

[Grantshire]

My M715 project will be coming home soon with all its modifications finally complete (6.2, NV4500, 205, SOA, GM Dana 60, 14 Bolt, power steering, hydroboost, and a lot more). The truck will see mainly farm, highway and light tow duty and pleased with the power the 6.2/NV4500 combo with 42" tires and 5.13 gears has. I think the truck could comfortably run interstate speeds but not with the Swampers that are on it. The ride is terrible at anything over 50 mph! I want to stay in the 40"-44" tire size range and would ideally like to have 11.00x20 XZL's on it but have been unable to find them.

Anyone know where I can find either Michelin 11.00R20 XZL's or Firestone T831's? Are there other reasonable alternatives? The truck already sits pretty high so anything over 44" is going to be too tall.

The Swampers are 16.5 so I know I would need to swap rims, got my eye on some custom jobs that would look pretty cool on "Big Cheese".

 

[bcowanwheels]

I have 5 nice 16" RIM michelins i,d sell almost brand new with tubes $1250.00+ shipping
IN FACT I COULD HAVE THEM DELIVERED ALONG I-64 OR N. I-95 THIS THURSDAY FOR 100.00 ( GOING TO QUANTICO M/CORPS BASE....
BOB
423 384 8938

P/S
MIGHT TAKE YOUR 16.5 SWAMPERS IN ON TRADE IF TREAD IS GOOD......

 

[Grantshire]

I have 5 nice 16" RIM michelins i,d sell almost brand new with tubes $1250.00+ shipping
IN FACT I COULD HAVE THEM DELIVERED ALONG I-64 OR N. I-95 THIS THURSDAY FOR 100.00 ( GOING TO QUANTICO M/CORPS BASE....
BOB
423 384 8938

P/S
MIGHT TAKE YOUR 16.5 SWAMPERS IN ON TRADE IF TREAD IS GOOD......

Bob,

Thanks for the offer but I have a set of new 11.00x16 XZL that I run on my Commando. As the post says, my M715 is geared and lift for bigger tires (11.00x16 is 38.5" tall). Now if you had 11.00R20 XZL's we would be talking!

 

[bcowanwheels]

Thats a real heavy tire and will be hard on axle shafts so be careful. Just thought i'd offer.
Regards
bob

 

[Grantshire]

Still looking!

 

[ALA2]

You could try 12,5 20 x l s that is what i put under my m 715 about 40 tall

 

[MJCougler]

Big tires

Do an e-bay search for "military Tires". Many pop-up. I just don't know how to tell how old they are (susceptible to dry-rot). There were four new 1100x16.5s in Fl, $600 with $195 shipping. Bidding ended an hour ago.

 

[CGarbee]

Try Alan at Berg Tire in Fayetteville, NC. He has great prices and wonderful customer service. I've purchased a LOT of Michelin 1100r20 XZL's from him (brand new). Don't know if he has any in stock as they don't sit in the warehouse for long...
He also is my "go to guy" for Goodyear and Firestone radials...

If he does have some, and you don't feel like making the trip down I95 to get them, I'll be going by sometime between now and Thanksgiving and could run through Richmond on my way home that weekend if you needed some delivered...

Good luck.

 

[Wolf.Dose]

For the original 9.00-16 the propper replacement is 255/100R16 or 285/85R16 of at least 8 PR. 11.00R16 also fit on the original rims, however the spare will not fit in place any more. 7.50-20 is very close to the original tire size. 9.00-20 might also fit. Everything larger needs modifications on the truck.
Wolf

 

[MJCougler]

M725M725 Tires

Wolf.Dose,

Possibly you know the answer to the dilemma Grantshire and I share : You said that 285/85R16 is the the proper replacement for the original 9.00-16. Commercially here in New York the biggest tires I can easily find for my M725 are 315/85r16s and they're about 34.8-inches tall. I did a Google search for military tires and many companies are selling military surplus tires mounted on rims that came off the HUMMERs. I'm thinking seriously of purchasing five 16.5-inch custom Marsh Racing wheels so I can purchase these HUMMER military surplus tires and I can run them tubeless. Many dealers are also selling 20-inch military surplus tires. You said that 9.00-20 might also fit. Everything larger needs modifications on the truck. I understand bigger tires also put more of a strain on the brakes and axles. 20-inch Marsh Racing wheels are also much more expensive.

So my question is this: Is the military converting Hummers to 20-inch rims? Why are so many hummer rims and tires available now? There is also a company selling adapter plates that would bolt to my M725 to let me run HUMMER rims, but these adapters are about $125. each. Running HUMMER rims sounds tempting. 10 years from now, what military tires will be more readily available in surplus sales, the 16.5 HUMMER tires or the 20-inch tires? How tall are the 1100x16.5s and which military tires are about 40 inches tall?

Thanks,

 

[odiegreen]

nice to see another 715 in richmond. mine should be on the road soon.

 

[33duce]

Wolf, These are very good questions. I did not see where they were responded to. If you got your answers I have almost the exact same questions.

Do you go 20" rims? more options? Or get 16.5 rims made with 6 x7.25 bolt pattern? or just go with adaptor plate and wait for the military to change to 20"
Let me know which way you went if possible.

Thanks Bob.