aftermarket wheels

[xploder1208]

i have a 1994 eddie bauer explorer 4x4. i was going to get some new tires and i wanted to get some new wheels while i was at it. i want to stick with 15's but idk about some things. i have found 15x8 and 15x10 a so forth. idk what to get and also it keeps saying stuff about offset and backspace and hubcentric. i dont know anyting about this stuff. any help would be GREATLY appreciated. thanks
brandon

 

[94Gexplorer]

what size tire

 

[xploder1208]

30 9.50 15

and would that tire fit the stock rim also?

 

[rileyrs]

http://www.customtacos.com/tech/index.php?article=40

http://www.fourwheeler.com/techarticles/wheels/129_0602_wheel_backspacing_etiquette/photo_01.html

 

[xploder1208]

can i put cragar soft 8 15x8 wheels on my stock 1994 explorer with no modification?

 

[briwayjones]

You're going to want 15x7 or 15x8 and between 3.75" and 4.5" backspacing. 15x10s are going to be too wide.

 

[xploder1208]

would i need to purchase any hub centric rings or anything?

 

[glfredrick]

You don't need any special rings, etc., to mount custom wheels to an Explorer. The hub-centric thing is where the wheel is fitted precisely to the hub on the brake drum by an exact sized hole in the wheel that presses over the part that sticks out of the hub. Wheels on an Explorer don't have to be hub-centric.

Here is a site that explains it very simply.

http://www.miata.net/garage/hubcentric.html

Since vehicles have been produced, about 90+ percent of them are just "lug-centric." No real big deal. Of course, hub-centric will be stronger, but that isn't really the determining factor for Explorer wheels -- width and backspacing are more important.

Wide wheels tend to have problems (along with tires over 33" - though 35" will run) on the axles found under Explorers. 10" wheels add a lot of stress to the spindles on the front axle, which have bearings that are too close together to run well with the wider rims. They WILL run and work, but expect additional maintenance to the bearings.

For the size tires you are thinking, even the stock rims would work. I'd go no wider than 8" even with 33 x 12.50 x 15 tires.