Willy's Mods Phase 2!

Post project writeups, ideas, DIY mods and off the shelf modifications and improvements. Also "Known Issues" and their resolutions.
Willywalderbeast
Posts: 232
Joined: July 17th, 2016, 5:00 pm

Willy's Mods Phase 2!

Post by Willywalderbeast »

Figured I'd start a new thread now that I'm back with the camper and going to be doing a bunch of mods. I'll post everything in this one "build" thread so I don't clutter the boards with a bunch threads.

First task is to make a list!
- Wheels and Tires
- Install Winch
- Install New TV & Antenna
- Install New Solar Pannel
- Remove, clean, paint, reinstall everything on the roof.
- Install Sienna Seat
- Look into larger Trans Cooler
- Etc.
Last edited by Willywalderbeast on March 10th, 2017, 4:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Willywalderbeast
Posts: 232
Joined: July 17th, 2016, 5:00 pm

Re: Willy's Mods Phase 2!

Post by Willywalderbeast »

Over the last month I have been trying to figure out what tires to get. That also had me looking into options for wheels as well. The options for wheels are slim and I didn't want anything other then a clean stock lookin wheel. I love the look of the 19.5 "big rig" style wheels but the tire options suck and are expensive. After researching for a while I pretty much settled on using the stock steel wheels and a 255/85R16Cooper ST Maxx tire. Looking into buying 7 tires I found that the same tire dimension could be had for about $30 a tire less in 255/80R17. Doing more research, I found that our 8x6.5 bolt pattern is shared with Dodge and Chevy.

So then i decided i was going to look for a set of dodge 3500 steel dually wheels in 17s. Their wheels are the same width and the offset is ET45 compared to our ET0. This actually works out perfectly for me as I was going to have to run a 2" spacer in the rear to avoid the tires from rubbing each other when aired down. Now that 45mm (1.77inches) will do that for me. I've checked and it looks I have plenty of room for the wheels to sit 45mm in more on the front and rear inside wheels as well. 17s will also give me more room for a brake upgrade in the near future, although I think the stock 16s would have cleared the +08 brake upgrade as well.

So for the last couple weeks I have been really checking CL for 17" dodge dually wheels with no luck. Either people wanted way to much for individual wheels that I would have to make a set, or they wanted a lot of money because they have "takeoffs" with new stock tires on them which were of no use for me. Then last night I found a set of 17" dodge dually wheels with get this, the exact tire I want already mounted and balanced on the wheels with only 500 miles on the for a steal!!! The guy wants $1000 for the set of wheels and tires! I couldn't buy 6 of the tires for even close to that, never mind the money to M&B them and the cost of the new wheels! I'm super excited to pick them up today after work, just hoping I can fit them all in the back of my 4Runner :D

Here's a quick reference of the difference in offset. Also the center bore will need to be opened up 3mm which shouldn't be hard.
Attachments
image.gif
image.gif (7.46 KiB) Viewed 4092 times
Manitou
Site Admin
Posts: 779
Joined: January 12th, 2014, 7:18 pm

Re: Willy's Mods Phase 2!

Post by Manitou »

If you offset that much, won't the tires rub the leaf springs? I had spacer/adapters made from a shop out in Reno (stock axle to newer ford bolt pattern. A couple people said it was impossible due to wheel hole and axle hole, but the reno place has done it for several people without a problem)
Willywalderbeast
Posts: 232
Joined: July 17th, 2016, 5:00 pm

Re: Willy's Mods Phase 2!

Post by Willywalderbeast »

Manitou wrote:If you offset that much, won't the tires rub the leaf springs? I had spacer/adapters made from a shop out in Reno (stock axle to newer ford bolt pattern. A couple people said it was impossible due to wheel hole and axle hole, but the reno place has done it for several people without a problem)
I had measured to check that prior to purchasing the wheels and found it would not be a problem. Although now that I have the wheels the offset doesn't seem to be that different then my stock wheels. I must have been missinformed about the offset of the wheels as they seem almost identical.

I haven't put them on yet as the center bore needs to be opened up 3mm. Going to have my friend mill the wheels out so it's perfect and doesn't affect the balancing seeing the wheels are hub centric.

As for adapters really anything is possible haha. I once had a set of adopters made for my 5x100 VW to run Dodge Viper wheels that I had narrowed that were 6 lug. They were a custom 2peice adapter to make it work.

Is there a reason you went with the newer ford pattern (8x170) wheels? I would think it would be better to stick with 8x6.5 as Chevy, dodge, early ford truck (pre '99) and ford vans all had that same pattern so options are better. From running adapters in the past on almost all my cars due to the fact I always wanted to run rare, "different" wheels, I definitely didn't want adapters on my Chinook. Fine for a car I'm using daily or for weekends but on a rig that I'm going to be far from home with a lot, I don't want the added hassle of them.
Attachments
image.jpeg
Manitou
Site Admin
Posts: 779
Joined: January 12th, 2014, 7:18 pm

Re: Willy's Mods Phase 2!

Post by Manitou »

I had my rig converted to 4x4. They used a 2008 f350 front axle (along with other 2008 parts). That meant needing larger rims to clear the larger rotors too (I hear there adaptors for the rotors to clear 16" rims too.. not sure who makes them.. maybe advanced 4x4 out of Salt Lake City).
So to keep all the same wheels I had adaptors made for the rear. They tried to swap in a newer rear axle but claimed the leaf spring wouldn't work with it.. or something like that.
Many ways to skin the 4x4 conversion cat.
Willywalderbeast
Posts: 232
Joined: July 17th, 2016, 5:00 pm

Re: Willy's Mods Phase 2!

Post by Willywalderbeast »

Ahh that makes sense now, forgot you were 4x4.
pdemarest
**Forum Contributor**
Posts: 384
Joined: August 8th, 2015, 11:54 am
Location: Santa Cruz, CA

Re: Willy's Mods Phase 2!

Post by pdemarest »

Hey Willy - what's a Seanna Seat?
Paul Demarest
2003 Premier V-10
Willywalderbeast
Posts: 232
Joined: July 17th, 2016, 5:00 pm

Re: Willy's Mods Phase 2!

Post by Willywalderbeast »

pdemarest wrote:Hey Willy - what's a Seanna Seat?
A seat out of a Toyota Sienna Mini Van. Going to be replacing my ugly front seats with them!
Attachments
image.jpeg
pdemarest
**Forum Contributor**
Posts: 384
Joined: August 8th, 2015, 11:54 am
Location: Santa Cruz, CA

Re: Willy's Mods Phase 2!

Post by pdemarest »

Nice! Will you be able to install the passenger seat so that the footrest extends? My wife would love that feature and I would love to have leather instead of cloth. "Harvest Gold" is not really my color and cloth isn't forgiving for coffee/food spills.

Keep us posted!
Paul Demarest
2003 Premier V-10
User avatar
Blue~Go
Senior Member
Posts: 3716
Joined: July 31st, 2014, 1:01 am
Location: 1999 Concourse

Re: Willy's Mods Phase 2!

Post by Blue~Go »

I'm not Willy, but I can say that yes, the Sienna passenger seat can be installed so that the footrest works. Obviously it doesn't extend much when facing forward; would extend further when swiveled around. On the driver's side the footrest is typically disabled.

Reason I comment is that I had purchased a pair of Sienna seats and driver/passenger bases for my Concourse. I ultimately decided not to install them for various reasons, but I had done a bunch of research on them, tried them out in a Ford van where they were installed, and of course looked them over when I had them in hand.
1999 Concourse
Post Reply