Re: Rehashing a few thoughts

[Dirtball@domain.elided (Paul Brakefield)]

>FYI, I priced the 33x12.50" BFG Trail TAs at Sam's Club at $97 each.
>BUT, these are 4ply tread, 2 ply sidewalls.

Will the Trail T/As give you the kind of traction you need up there?
They're not much beyond a street tire.
>
>The can order the Radial All Terrain TAs in about 1 or 2 weeks, at $135
>each in the 33x12.50".  I know they have 3 ply sidewalls.. are they also
>6 ply tread?

Seems kind of expensive.  The tread has 4 plys.  Tom, don't put too much
stock in those 3 ply sidewalls.  I've seen more punctured sidewalls in BFG
tires than in every other brand combined.  I have two friends who sold
they're remaining three, even though you can get road hazard replacement
(and they had it but got tired of going back to the dealer.  Kind of like
today's Craftsman tools.  I got tired of going back to Sears for a
replacement, so I quit buying them.).  They both went with the Dunlop
Rovers.  I personally like Cooper tires.  I had a BFG dealer rep tell me at
a club meeting that Cooper make the best tires for the money of any
manufacturer.
>
>Anyhow.. pricing those got me thinking about Center of Gravity and my
>fiance's ever present fear that I'll roll my *stock* Scout (let alone 5
>or 6" of lift, and 2" higher because of tires!).. granted, she's been in
>a number of roll-overs, but not one with me (knock on wood, I've always
>kept the rubber side down)
>
>So.. All this time I've been planning to buy some new aluminum wheels
>($100 a pop roughly) to go with the 33s when I buy 'em.. cut down on that
>nasty unsprung weight, and try to counteract the "Big Brick Shoes"
>feeling I got when I put my 31s and steel wheels on my 196 powered '77.

Does it really make that much difference in a Scout?  They're not hot rods
no matter how much the wheels weigh.
>
>The thought then.. with STEEL wheels and 33x12.50" tires, I have a pretty
>good bit of weight down low..  which does two things.
>
>1) Unsprung weight is BAD
>2) Lower weight (even unsprung) lowers the C.G.
>
>Aluminum wheels would lower my unsprung weight, but it wouldn't lower my
>C.G...
>
>So, which is the better compromise?  (Also note, I *like* chrome wheels
>better, not to mention they run $50 or so vs $100)

Go with the steel.  Much cheaper, last longer in the rough stuff, you can
buy a matching spare, you can get them straightened, if you buy white
painted ones you can match or contrast your paint on your truck.  The
center of gravity and rolling resistance won't make near as much difference
as the cost savings, but you could convince yourself easily enough that you
bought safer wheels.  And in many ways you are, because steel wheels can be
straightened enough even in the boonies to get you home.  If you break or
bend aluminum, it's c'est la vie!

>The other thought is, of course, to over-fill the tipped differential.
>Without my Dana 44 in front of me, I have a hard time visualizing the
>fill plug, but I know it's not at the extreme top, so a bit of tipping of
>the pinion would result in not being able to fill the diff "full."  OTOH,
>one could PUMP it full of gear lube, then put the fill plug back on..
>assuming I'm running some fuel line from the vent cap anyway, any other
>problems if I fill the diff too full?  (and how much is too much?)

Write Jim Weed and ask him what he does.  He's certainly expert enough.






Paul Brakefield
"Dirtball"

1966 IHC Scout 800- "The Beast"
Chevy 350/SM465/Dana20
<Springover with 33s>
1972 Scout II
345/727/Dana20
<I'm workin' on it!>
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