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Meats and Potatoes

Departed home base at 0230 this morning to pick up my new 16.00-20 Goodyear meats and HEMTT rims,for my M813A1. After a 200 mile trip to north central WI, I purchased 8 tires and 12 rims and loaded the trailer. After the 200 mile return trip we headed out with the Deuces for a 1030 start of a poker run that was put on by our local fire dept. My tire pimp did not have valve stems, so my Sunday of installing tires will have to be put off until I locate some. Can't wait!
 

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Speddmon

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Those are gonna look good!!!!!!!!

Make sure you keep us posted on how you "cook your meat and potatoes"
 

spicergear

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I got valve stems from a local tire place that handled Agricultural wheel parts. The 'A3 wheels I put on the front of my crane truck have a larger stem hole than the typical OTR wheels. Plus the 'A3s have the CTIS which give them a massive pipe like stem into a block at the wheel. The Ag stems I got had the large diameter stems, fit darn near perfect, and I got the end adapters to bring them down to standard stem size.
 
After a bit of a delay, I mounted up the meats.
I used a 4 wheel dolly to manuver the rims, then split the rims and installed the valve stem and O ring. To put the tires on the rim I used my 10K service hoist, I rolled the tire up to the hoist arms and tipped it on. Then I lifted the tire with the hoist and rolled the rim half under on the dolly. I then lowered the tire on to the rim and put on the second half. After torqing down the nuts I would lift the assembly and tip it off of the hoist arms. Then I airred them up and set the bead.
This may sound a bit easier than it really was, these things are HEAVY.
It took 4 hours to mount 8 tires. I did not have enough steam left to put them on the truck, I will do that in the morning, with a clear head and a better outlook on the project.
For anyone that is going to do this, if the tire assembly is laying flat on the floor, there is no way you can tip up by hand (unless you are a freakin animal), that is how HEAVY these things are.
You will also need a good size air compressor.
 

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Hammer

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Actually, it's not THAT hard to stand them up if they are laying flat on the floor. It is more about getting used to moving the weight, and knowing when to grunt, and when to reposition them.
But, at about 500 pounds for each rim/tire combo, do NOT be under them when they fall!

You are not kidding on the air need to inflate these things. I have a fairly big shop compressor, and it still took a long time to fill them.

Now, show some pictures of these things ON something!!
 
Today they went on the truck, had a few issues with the removal of the old tires and rims, but with a little help from some buddies, it got done.
I put on all new budd caps and nuts, used some anti-seeze and a little sweat.
I really like the outcome, the proportions are right-on. I have the tire pressure at 60 psi all around, but as they are the Good-Years and have a super stiff side-walls, I think I will air down the fronts.
The truck now runs out at 65 mph, up from a top speed of 56 mph. I have a wobble in the front end at speed, so I will first play with air pressure.
Took the truck for a nice ride, then pressure washed the new tires and the bottom of the truck. With the new tires you see the bottom more than you see the top.
I still have to mount the spares (2) in the bed, so let me know how you like it, so far.
 

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steelsoldiers

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Nice! That truck is a beast now! I am glad to see some more Excursion owners on here too. Is yours a 7.3L or 6.0L? Mine is a 2000 7.3L with 212,000 miles and counting.
 
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