16.5 Wheel Decisions

[lowrollin70gmc]

Well, I just picked up my third set of 16.5s and would like a little help deciding which wheels to run my HMMWV tires on during the summer. I personally lean towards the slots and turbines to save weight compared to the steelies, but I like all three looks. Seeing as I love posting pictures of my rigs, feel free to visit the 68's build thread is in my signature (The Dakota Cadillac).

Winter wheels will be the current 315/70/17 (~35/12.5/17) Goodyear Duratracs on their black aluminum 17s. This is just a reference picture.



Summer set choices (although I do have a set of chains for these tires):

37/12.5/16.5 Baja T/A military surplus on the three following wheel choices:

16.5 x 8.25 Steelies
Powdercoated black, exposed hubs/lugs. I might change the color to white once the burb is painted it's original gold/white combo.






16.5x9.75 slots
Clean up and go with a brushed finish, possibly color inside the slots.



16.5x9.75 turbines
Clean up to nice, cast aluminum. I do have 6 of these, so I could run a matching spare.




Feel free to respond to the poll as well as post opinions supporting your choice or adding another suggestion. I did enable multiple selections, so vote for two if you can't decide either!

Andrew

[1985-GMC]

I think if you got a set of stock hubcaps to go on the steelies that would be my favorite!

But I do like the slots and turbines too, they just need cleaned up.

[Rubble]

Had a set of turbines years ago,they look good cleaned up & you don't see them that much anymore.Old school all the way!!!
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[vectorit]

I vote black steel OE wheels.

[martindc1]

I voted black steelies, though I really like the looks of white steelies, with or without blue bowtie hubcaps.

[1985-GMC]

I voted for black steelies but like you said I would change to white when you paint the truck gold.

[Redcap]

Turbines!

[bilfman]

Turbines all the way
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[special-K]

I like the open black steelies for now. Custom wheels are cool once the rest of the truck is spruced up,but for now the steelies work best,IMO. Just plain tough! Back in the day they just got wheels so they could run larger tires,then came slots for those who wanted more style. I like 'em all and have 'em all,like you. I sold my 9.75 steelies and got together a set of 8.25s (white w/caps) so my 12.50/37 SSRs would clear better. The 9.75 slots have 12.50/35 BFG A/Ts. The turbines (8.25) will get Ground Hawgs,if they're still around when that happens. I plan to order 10 x 16s for open black steelies and not sure what rubber,but probably something for sand.

[argonaut]

I like the look of the steelies the best, but nit the weight. Especially when they are shod with big heavy tires. So then I think that the turbines look good if they were cleaned up and maybe painted black. Then again, at 100lbs per wheel+tire maybe another 10-15lbs for the steelies isn't so bad...
I'm having the same dilemma on my pickup.
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[lowrollin70gmc]

Thanks for all the opinions, I'll side with Special-K on running the black steelies for now as he has a good point about the rest of the rig coming up to par. It also helps that the tires are currently mounted on the steelies. I only picked up the aluminum wheels because both sets were local and a great deal. I have less cash in the 6 turbines and 4 slots than the powdercoating on the steelies!

I like aluminum for the weight savings; I just cleaned up the garage today and stacked the 37s and steelies. Definitely lighter than the full HMMWV wheel at the bottom of the stack but my back is hurting from hefting them up there. The rotten 33s/slots were casually tossed in the back of the burb like car tires, so there is a difference even accounting for tire weight.

[Redcap]

"Weight savings" on a 4x4. I LOL'd.

[str8axle55]

I like the steelies, black & naked for now, then white with caps. I do also like the other options, and stuggled with the same dilema myself. I am not a big fan of the shank lug nuts on the other rims, I like to just toss the rims on and slap the lugs on. I had a nice set of Turbine I did years ago that I painted black between the spokes, the polished up the rest with snadpaper/scothbrites, and cleared them. Those wheels looked awesome on my black 82.

[special-K]

Weight savings,yeah. To clarify,that's "unsprung" weight savings and that matters.
I voted the black steel wheels,but thinking how cool it will be with the turbines just etched clean with a good strong wheel cleaner.

[lowrollin70gmc]

I am serious about the weight savings, as stopping that rolling mass is just as important as starting it moving. This is even more important because I can't run any larger brakes than the stock 13" rotors (front and back) with my 16.5s. I attempted to fit my steelies and slots over a friends late model Dodge 2500 (the one that a member here is adapting to his D60) and it was a definite no go.

And I do have some nice wheel cleaner, I use it on the cast centers of my 63 wheels and it works great, takes weeks of brake dust off no problem. Smells like a mile acid and it will etch a polished surface. Now to photoshop a gold/white burb with turbines...

[in deep 72]

The Turbines bring back fond memories of my '69 GMC......Sure with I could find another set. Just out of curiosity, what's the width on them? I need to run a 12"wide rim. Can probably get ever having them again out of my head.

[Space Monkey]

Guess what I voted

[stanton77]

Kind of fond of the turbines myself

[bfay17]

Really crappy pic of my 70 and it looks totally different now but I voted slots!

[lowrollin70gmc]

I've finally made a decision: slots. I currently have the turbines for sale in the parts board as well as the 37s/steelies to clear up some room in my shed as I run 35s in the winter.

[Mike C]

How much lift do you have? I have the 36 12.5 Wrangler II on 16.5 Centerlines on the Jimmy. Running 4" lift. I'd like to move to the 37" radial, but I don't want to go to 6" lift. Would consider the 1" zero rate if that would make it happen, and would consider trimming the front of the fenders I guess.

[lowrollin70gmc]

I'm running 4" of lift, with a little trimming of the front of the rear quarters. I could have moved the rear back an inch but I wasn't sure if that would open a can of worms with the rear of the wheel well. My rear axle is also wider than the stock one, I would've had to trim less with the stock axle.

[Mike C]

I trimmed the front of my rear quarters as well when I was running 35's on the 12 bolt. With the 9.5 semi-float, I had to move it back an inch in order for the driveshaft to fit. (custom built CV rear that was made for the 12 bolt). My issues with rubbing are in the front.

The 36" Wrangler II are exactly the same height as my old BFG 35 12.50 15 MT's. Your front clears?

[dieseldawg142]

turbines painted black with polished spokes