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Wheels

biscuitwhistler37

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Hello all, thinking about doing wheels and tires this spring, thought about the mrap wheels but I want to keep the duals. I found a couple build your own kits, but I'm nowhere near skilled enough with a welder. Are there some hidden wheel sites that I'm missing, or are my options that limited?
 

fsearls92

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Wheel option is limited. You can do MRAP rims with adapters, A3 wheels, Boyce Equipment makes custom wheels. I also on one deuce had recentered hemmt wheels, and another truck did recentered FMTV wheels. All of these options are for super singles. Personally I like the dials on the rear (11.00’s) and super singles on the front
(Can’t remember what size works with the 11.00 rear).
 

biscuitwhistler37

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Location
Michigan
Well, the wheels in my previous post are 24.5" I got them as aluminum blanks, milled and anodized them. This opened up the world of commercial tires to me.
Those also would let me retain duals, definitely going to look into it. I would really like to go to a one piece wheel if possible, which it looks like those are. Are there any downsides to the 24.5s aside from tire cost?
 

montaillou

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Are there any downsides to the 24.5
24.5 tires are less common than 22.5. However, going to commercial tires allows you to go with retreads. Buying commercial tires is different than consumer. I found better deals working with dealers than going to places on the web.

Aluminum wheels are weaker than steel. I believe they are rated at 8k lbs per wheel. I think the minimum rating for the deuce is 6k so they're fine, but I guess that might depend what you were planning on doing with them. They're also lighter, at about 62 lbs/wheel.

There are a handful of places that will do custom steel wheels, but they aren't DOT approved.
 

biscuitwhistler37

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Location
Michigan
24.5 tires are less common than 22.5. However, going to commercial tires allows you to go with retreads. Buying commercial tires is different than consumer. I found better deals working with dealers than going to places on the web

There are a handful of places that will do custom steel wheels, but they aren't DOT approved.
8k per wheel for me would be plenty I think, the only real work the truck does is haul large logs and move things my yard truck can't. Also 60 pound wheels sound waaaaay better than 105. I hadn't even considered that commercial tires are able to be retreads. That alone is a huge bonus
 

montaillou

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You're allowed to put retreads on your steer wheels. I've read the federal language and the restriction about retreads only applies to busses (a simple Google search will confirm if you doubt). However, tire places in my area won't mount retreads on the steers. If you do your own wheel mounting you would be good here, legally.

Also, commercial tires tend to last WAY longer than military tires. Premium commercial tires can be retread several times, this probably won't affect many military truck people.

If you collect your own tire casings (used tires) to be retread you can save some money, maybe $50 - $100/tire. When I bought my retreads I worked directly with a Goodyear distributor, he was able to give me advice on which treads lasted better than others (I chose a tread commonly used by concrete trucks, he collected casings for me (I decided to go with premium since the price cost at that point wasn't a big deal to me). And when they did a set of 8 retreads I met one of their trucks that came within 30 miles of me and we off loaded my tires, at no additional charge.
 
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biscuitwhistler37

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Location
Michigan
It has come to my attention that some Isuzu trucks have one piece wheels with the same bolt pattern, budd style studs. The 22.5 offers a 5k load rating. Food for thought
 
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