22.5's with gears?

[James Hess]

ok i have decided to go with 22.5 independence rims from www.americanforcewheels.com so in past threads i have read about these wheels and the 19.5's being hard on the tranny. well my thinking is this if i change my gearing in the diff's (i say both cause i read about that if you change the rear only that the ABS throws a code saying it is slipping or something) so change gears in both diff's to bring everything back to factory levels if not go one set down to help things out. what do yall think.

[blksmok]

I don't think it's necessary, but that's just me...

[hondarider552]

if dave can pull a 18k toyhauler with no problems in the diff etc, id say its alright for it. i think dave's 19.5's are the same height my tires are (33") just more rim less tire.

[James Hess]

i know these trucks dont have a problem moving this extra weight and circumference but i was thinking this just because to fix my speedo and give better around town milage and take off. i would go only one set down so that i will still have decent milage on the highway and for better ability to climb grades with less work.i know i could fix my speedo with a programmer but still id like to have the lower gears. blksmok how did you fix the speedo? hondarider did you change your gears for better off road with those tires or any other reason?

[carhauler]

James ,I have 19.5s for 100thou ,towing heavy all the time ,they don't bother the trans , and they still lite up good! my only complaint is even at 65 lbs they ride HARD! 22.5's may be better or worse but I would try and get the lowest load range possiable they come in. They look good enough to sacrafice a little smoothness...LOL. Be sure and ask them about load on the wheels , American Force would not sell me the cut 22's or 22.5's knowing what I do because they said they would not take the load?

[blksmok]

i know these trucks dont have a problem moving this extra weight and circumference but i was thinking this just because to fix my speedo and give better around town milage and take off. i would go only one set down so that i will still have decent milage on the highway and for better ability to climb grades with less work.i know i could fix my speedo with a programmer but still id like to have the lower gears. blksmok how did you fix the speedo? hondarider did you change your gears for better off road with those tires or any other reason?

I fixed the speedo with EFILive. :thumb:

Brian (hondarider) hasn't changed his gears that I know of.

I would say you don't need to change the gears until you are running larger than 37" tires. That's JMO. With your 22.5's I think you'll probably be runnin about a 35" tire. Do you tow anything heavy? If not, I definately wouldn't change the gears.

[James Hess]

no not yet but in the future i plan to have a nice 5th wheel and maybe a car haulin trailer not sure what sizes yet but i dont think i will ever put as much load on the truck as carhauler. what do you mean by "cut" wheels i figure you mean the design.

[hondarider552]

hondarider did you change your gears for better off road with those tires or any other reason?

nope stock 3.73. i was looking at the 3.42's but for the $$$ places want for diff change, its not worth it vs fuel savings. 3.73's are IMO the limt for 33's over that and 4.10's would set you back to stock with 35's

[James Hess]

ok i see where your coming from, there is a shop here in tucson that wasnt too expensive for the swap he quoted me in my camaro and that was with changing everything i think it came to no more than 650.00 but that was everything seals bearings new shafts carrier bearing, basically a whole rebuild. let me know if he was trying to jip me. i havent had that done before. tuscon differential thats the shop.

[blksmok]

Plenty of guys running 35" and 37" tires with 3.73 gears...

When you go to 10 lug rims, if you get the 22" or 24", they are really just "cut" down 22.5" or 24.5" semi rims. Guys will get them to have the 10 lug big rig look but still run non-commercial tires. Load ratings need to be seriously considered if your are going this route.

There's lots to consider when going with commercial sizes or the "big rig" look...

[James Hess]

Hhmm yall may be swaying my decision. i definatly want to be able to USE my truck thats why i bought it.

[blksmok]

On top of all the weight requirements... you need to consider bed height if you are going to be hitching up a 5er. I think you'll need at least a 4" lift to clear the rim/tire package. Add that to the height the new tire/rims will give you and even with my trailer axles flipped, it wouldn't give me the recommended clearance between the bedrails and the 5er. I like everything to tow level and it was going to be too close for me.

Lot's of things to think about and these are all the reasons I eventually settled on 19.5's. The 22.5's still look baddass to me though. :D

[Schwinn68]

I've seen both and that would be a hard choice. If you're going to use your truck 19.5's would probably be the way to go.

[James Hess]

im sure startin to think so. i like the classic big rig look but are there any other styles?

[blksmok]

I think we have come full circle... ):h

The links I gave here http://dmaxcentral.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1844&postcount=4

have some 19.5 direct bolt on...

I really like these from budnik
http://www.budnik.com/assets/250/MagnumIIFront.jpg
http://www.budnik.com/assets/250/MagnumIIRear.jpg

or these...

http://www.budnik.com/assets/250/TillerFront.jpg
http://www.budnik.com/assets/250/TillerRear.jpg

[James Hess]

i definatly like those styles and yes we have definatly come full circle):h cant seem to make up my mind. Dave what size tires are yours? width and all and rub issues or are you just running the size that is most common?

[blksmok]

My suspension is stock height and I'm running 245/70r19.5. The tires spec sheet say they are 32.8" tall and although when I first put them on, they would "touch" the front lower black valance on the corner at a specific point in a turn, it wasn't even enough contact to make me want to trim it. Now that the tires (or maybe the plastic) has worn a little, they don't even touch.

[carhauler]

James , The "cut wheels" I refered to are some are using a already done 22.5 semi wheel with only a couple small holes then they cut the pattern in to them and there is no way to really load rate them. the 22's are 22.5's cut down. Like anything out there some do it well and keep proper tolerances and some don't , My Budniks are great wheels but very pricey and I heard they are not going to build the dually wheels anymore ,it took 16 weeks to get mine! Just remember one important thing....You MUST look good!!!!!!

[James Hess]

....You MUST look good!!!!!!

that is a definate :thumb:, if i dont go with some 22.5's or 19.5's ill probly go with the KMC rockstars for the dually. chrome

[hondarider552]

that is a definate :thumb:, if i dont go with some 22.5's or 19.5's ill probly go with the KMC rockstars for the dually. chrome
saw a rockstar'd (haha) lbz dually the other day with nitto 420's on it. sweet lookin truck with the duals!

[James Hess]

here is what i am thinking about gettin the rockstars with pro comp extream all terrains if they make a 10 ply side wall rating in those

[h2oskibumz]

Remember, the Rockstars are not reversible... (the backs are not "pretty") so at every tire rotation you have to dismount and remount tires. -:t

I mostly like the look, but am remiss about tire rotations becuase its a pain...

[James Hess]

h20skibumz post some pics of your set up here.

[h2oskibumz]

h20skibumz post some pics of your set up here.

Damn, that is gonna mean some cleaning and polishing time... Truck has been ridden hard the last couple of weeks.

Seriously, I'll try to get some good pics if it ever stops raining!!

It's really too bad you can't mix and match the Rockstars and centers. I think the Chrome wheel with the black center would be a good looking combo, but @ $75 each for the centers it wouldn't be realistic.

[James Hess]

for some reason you just piqued my curiosity about the chrome with the black centers.:frankenstein:

[James Hess]

here is a sorry attempt but a good look i think :thumb:

[h2oskibumz]

So, when you get the chrome wheels, I'll send you my black centers... you send me your chrome ones! You'll have the above (which look cool) and I'll have the inverse (which I bet look cool, just not AS cool!)

[James Hess]

damn son its a deal!:Handshake::thumb: