The "Squirrel" goes under the knife... | Page 8 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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The "Squirrel" goes under the knife...

WoW, as I typed it I was thinking about all the other wheels that are no longer made in US like "AMERICAN racing"... My wheels have the D's not the circles (circles look alot better). Glad to hear they took care of you for all your troubles and to open their eyes as well.

These are the wheels I purchased from them:

http://www.4wheelparts.com/Wheels/5...s=209&t_pt=100021&t_pl=100347&t_pn=PCW52-5165

Hope these are still made in USA or they will have some unhappy customers since they are proudly Advertised that way.
 



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...Let's call this their transitioning page..:popcorn:
http://www.4wheelparts.com/Wheels/Pro-Comp-Rock-Crawler-Steel-Wheels.aspx?t_c=11&t_s=209&t_pt=100021

..You will notice the model "97" and model "98" I previously mentioned, and it also shows your model "52" and a model "51"..;)

..The model "97" I previously referred to even said on the box, made in China..:thumbdwn:..While the model "98" (USA) are as described in my previous post...

Note: Even though it says on this page that each of those wheels are made in the USA, that has just now changed..


..But my new wheels definitely have "Made in the USA" stamped into them..:salute:
 






..A couple of teasers...:popcorn:

IMG_20120901_111746.jpg


IMG_20120901_112021.jpg
 






What's the weight of the new tire/wheel assembly? And the old?
 






..:scratch:...I'll have to work on that..

..I do know however, the 152 wheels I bought are actually 6#'s lighter than the model 97 wheels I originally purchased...

...IIRC these are the weights of the wheels I was looking at..

Flat Black 8 hole alloy = 16#'s
Flat Black 8 hole steelie model 97 = 32#'s
Flat Black d hole streetlock 152 = 26#'s

A couple reasons on why I bought what I did..

Model 97 flat black

..Buy 3 get one free at $56 bucks a piece and since I was buying 5 it made cents..:D..get it?..Haha..Anyway... the thought I could easily rattlecan any scuffs and in the future, these wheels would be perfect candidates to cut for true bead locks..

Model 152 flat black

..Made in America...Add the outer face is 2 1/2 times thicker than the model 97 so it won't ding like a normal steelie..(After seeing the already damaged one from China and their seam on one of the wheels kinda spooked me)..The valve stem is also tucked into the center of the wheel for better protection..This is also 6#'s lighter than the model 97 according to 4WP info on shipping specs..:dunno:

..The BFG a/t KO tire weights are on the last page in a previous post..;)

..I gained a little more weight on the tires and wheels but I feel I can do more damage to these wheels than I could an alloy and still make it out to the highway..Between the pounds I personally lost it's a wash plus the Ranger should be shedding a few pounds of it's own in the future..:D
 






..Between the pounds I personally lost it's a wash plus the Ranger should be shedding a few pounds of it's own in the future..:D

That's all sprung weight. Tire/wheel weight is un-sprung weight. There is a difference. :D

Not trying to start an argument, just curious about the differences in weight...
 












..:shifty_ey ..Don't you guys have anything better to do this weekend like go and "Dimple Die" something or "Expo" something with a wiffle ball bat..:rolleyes:..:p:

..I'm going to add some more info here (for those who stumble across this thread in the future) and are looking for wheel info..

..American made..The proof..:salute:
IMG_20120901_122301b.jpg


..How the stem sits inside for more protection than standard wheels..
IMG_20120902_112348.jpg


..Oh yea...I can't forget the color whoops..:rolleyes:..I'm going to try and hang in there to see if these will fade back to silver out here and if it drives me more ..:crazy:.. then I will head down to my local commercial hardware store and buy a few boxes of bolts..

..At least the nuts are still silver..:rolleyes:
IMG_20120901_122321.jpg


...These wheels are 15x8 5x4.5 with 3.75" backspacing which is the preferred b.s. for my ranger as well as first gen Explorers (same TTB set up)..This helped push the tire out from being tucked way under with the stock wheels..

..I previously still had a rub on my custom R.A.'s at full lock but that is 99% gone now as I can (by forcing it) barely get it to rub when locking hard left...That's a pretty good test for brand new tires and street driven..Offroad will present other rubbing (AKA self clearancing) but I have some other stuff I need to work on before this heads offroad again..:hammer:

..The stance now..
IMG_20120902_112421.jpg


Note: these wheels are not Hubcentric

They are now lugcentric..

Definition = the difference

Some factory wheels have a centerbore that matches exactly with the hub to reduce vibration by keeping the wheel centered. Wheels with the correct centerbore to the car they will be mounted on are known as hubcentric. Hubcentric wheels take the stress off the lug nuts, reducing the job of the lug nuts to center the wheel to the car. Wheels that are not hubcentric are known as lugcentric, as the job of centering is done by the lug nuts assuming they are properly torqued down.

Examples

..My stock wheel was hubcentric..
IMG_20120901_121415.jpg


..My new wheel is not Hubcentric...The dark part between the lugs is the axle hub and the shiny part between the lugs is actually the rotor and not the preferred hub of the axle..(I will ultra flatblack shiny stuff later you fools..:mattmoon:..you know who you are.. )
IMG_20120901_121430.jpg


..Now this brings up the need of some lug nuts to actually hold this wheel centered and in place since the hub can no longer do the job..

..The lug nuts in the previous two pics are actually stock, have a "tapered seat" (AKA conical seat), and are known as "through" lug nuts and their size are 1/2x20...Through nuts eliminate length issues such as I am having with these new wheels (if I want new lug nuts)..

..I kept the stock lug nuts since the steel wheels are over a 1/2" thinner than alloys are so it may take some doing but finding a longer set locally is not happening and the stock set is probably the best fit of all and are cheap to replace anywhere in the States..

..This is an "Acorn" lug nut which comes with a tapered seat.
IMG_20120901_124550.jpg


...Here are a couple examples of after market packages of "Acorn" lugnuts which will work on the stock wheels and other alloy wheels for our vehicles..(again, these are at least 1/2" to short to use with steel wheels)..;)
IMG_20120901_124540.jpg


..and last but not least, a couple pics of the Ranger with new tires and wheels..
IMG_20120901_121124.jpg


IMG_20120901_125441.jpg


Weights

..I almost forgot to add what weights were needed for these 5 new tires..The low was 1.5 oz. and the most was 2.5oz..My X has been known to take 9.5 oz..:(
 






The only place I've been able to find the 1/2x20 acorn nuts that will work on our 1st gen with steelies is Discount Tire. The other reason I like the ones from them is that they are 3/4 OD instead of 13/16. That leaves more room between the lug nuts and the hub/cover.

~Mark
 






..I will check Discount tires, Thanks..:biggthump

...I'm also going to start using an impact on these..

..I need to watch the rear end cause I bang alot with that Detroit on the street...If worse gets to worse or first sign I start eating lugs (and it's not my fault) I will be drilling for 5/8" lugs..:hammer:
 






:scratch: shouldn't this be in the wheel and tire forum

..:shifty_ey ..Don't you guys have anything better to do this weekend like go and "Dimple Die" something or "Expo" something with a wiffle ball bat..:rolleyes:..:p:(

We have to give a hard time to anyone that leaves the 32" tire club :p:
 






:scratch: shouldn't this be in the wheel and tire forum

..I am trying to consolidate all my efforts into simple detailed threads while at the same time conserving and keeping my thread counts down..While I'm waiting on the published tire deflator test results of course ..:p:

..:scratch:..That reminds me, I got another thread to start working on..."Impact guns for offroad"
 






Nice Wheels! Never really got used to the 52 wheels, they have been taking up way too much space in the basement looking brand new. They look a whole hell of a lot better with the bead lock ring. 4wheelparts sent me a set of lugnuts when I ordered them. No idea what brand they are.
 












...I need some parking brake help...:(

..Anyone know where I can get a bolt on parking brake set-up for the transfer case ?...This will be going on the back of the Atlas and I already have the flange for the Dbl Cardan mounted...

..I keep finding this assembly for Toyotas and Chevy's..:dunno:
 












..No ...Seriously Brian...One I can afford...:p:

..I swear I'm coming out to go to work for you..:D

..I have full access to a machine shop and this would be a perfect candidate of a project if I could find where someone else has tried or created one of these...

..Anyone have any links to builds on these?
 






Didn't I read somewhere, many years ago about someone who did this and used a bicycle brake rotor or something ridiculous like that for a driveshaft mounted e-brake?..

I could have sworn it was some west coast person.. or maybe it was Izwack.. That sounds like something he would do. :)

~Mark

Edit: I found a thread about it.. I "think" this might be the one I was thinking of.. but this is a NC person.
and of course, the pics are dead..
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79982
 









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Didn't I read somewhere, many years ago about someone who did this and used a bicycle brake rotor or something ridiculous like that for a driveshaft mounted e-brake?..

I could have sworn it was some west coast person.. or maybe it was Izwack.. That sounds like something he would do. :)

~Mark

Edit: I found a thread about it.. I "think" this might be the one I was thinking of.. but this is a NC person.
and of course, the pics are dead..
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=79982


Hey Guys,

I just uploaded my old pics since I've had several people asking about my e-brake and dual transfer case setup. I just posted the link in the above mentioned thread to go with the descriptions. Here is a link to just the pics:
http://s400.photobucket.com/user/deanos75/library/
 






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