31x9.5 radial swampers!

Well, after a long winter of overhauling my old 47 2a, it's time to get some new tires. After searching around a bit and thinking about this for quite a while, I've pretty much decided to go with the following:

31x9.5r15 swamper radial TSL's
on
15x7 black D-spoke type rims. I found the best overall price on the tires, wheels, and shipping with www.summitracing.com . (tires are about 120/each, rims about 40 ea, shipping about 8/tire (rims were free), plus another 10 fee for the whole mess).

Before I order I wanted to post this up and try to get some feedback/incentive to stick with this direction or do something else!

First question is tires. Or I should say "power"! My 2a is mostly stock--I have a fresh rebuilt lightly modded L134 (solex, 7:1 compression, clifford cam), the lower geared 3.34:1 T90, an OD, and a stock t-case/stock 5.38 axle gears. I'm running 6.00-16 NDT's, and it runs them quite well. The main reason I'm looking to upgrade/change, is that they are downright deadly in the rain, they're old, and well, I'd just like to get a set of swampers. And that's that.

So for those of you running this size tire, how does the L head do? My gearing seems almost perfect right now, and I'm concerned about how it will be with the 31's. I don't run on the highway (much), but a lot of trails/backroads around here are about 20-30 miles away, even my garage is 15 miles from my apartment, so I need something that I can still cruise at 50mph in (which it does quite well right now).

...Any further than that, I have a trailer and a tow rig!


Next question is rims

For rims: Summit has both a 3.75" BS (1/4" neg offset) and 4" BS (0 offset) wheels. My stock 16x4.5's have 3/4" positive offset.... so the first would bump my trackwidth up 1-1/2", the second about 2".

FWIW, the "standard" 15x6" rim most places sell has about 1/8" neg offset (3.75" BS). I would prefer a 6" rim, but I prefer the way the D spokes look, plus they are already black (which I also prefer). I guess choosing between the two rims is a total tossup, on the one hand one would give a little better handling/easier steering, the other a little more side hill stability... but 1/2" really won't make that big a difference. But I can't make up my mind!

Thanks for any thoughts or suggestions.

Here's two useful links I've read through a few times. They both have some photos of w3srl's 2a with the 31x9.50's and 15x6" rims. Steve, any comments or suggestions? (Sounds like you are happy with your choice from these other threads)

http://www.earlycj5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34185

http://www.earlycj5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21539

Jonathan

 

A few photos...





My first trail since the rebuild

 

You may proceed with your order as long as you have checked with national tire and wheel. They have great service. I got my 32x9.5 on 15x7s TSL (bias) from them.

 

NoFly, thanks for the suggestion. I think I've looked at all the major places! NTW was one of the next cheapest, but were still about $25 more total. What do they charge to mount and balance the tires? Summit wants a lot for that, 15/tire I think.

So how do you like the bias-ply 32's? That's really the tire I'd like to run, but I'm thinking they'll be just too much for the flathead. I saw your other post, you got the jeep running--nice! What motor do you have?

Do you think these tires (the 32's) would clear okay with a stock suspension? I tried out a set of 32x10.5 radials last year, they were VERY tight (too tight) but they were also on a set 15x8's with not a lot of backspacing. I thought they were too much for the jeep back then, but I do have a new motor and better gearing now.

 

My drivetrain is all stock. The only mod that I have made is the 2 1/2" superlift springs. I am not going to be driving on the highway much if at all. On the trails near the house I don't think the bias tires are too much at all. I think you want to go towards as little back spacing as possible to keep your tires out of your inner fenders. So I would go with the 3.75 BS and the 15x7 wheels. It sounds like the radials might suit you better with the stock suspension and the highway use.

 

Another thing I see now is I do have the poly body mounts which give it about 1/2" body lift. Yours is on the original style pads right?

 

Yup stock style pads, stock "C" shackles and (what appear to be) stock springs.

 

I just put this size TSL on my Jeep last month and think they're great. Have you considered getting a TSL in the 16" size and use your present rims?

 

Yeah, I did consider it, and had a number of friends push me in that direction, but here's what I came up with:

-the 32/9/16's (in the 6 ply versin) would be a consideration... The 16" radials in (closest size) 265/80/16 are quite a bit more expensive--and they also have 8 vs 6 plies (rated for ~3000lbs ea vs ~2000lbs ea). I think I want something softer/more flexible.
-my 16" rims don't have a 'safety' bead (inner bead)
-with that much offset I think I'll have major rear tire to wheelwell and front tire to spring contact.
-I might want to swap to discs one of these days, and while I think it won't be too hard to get the 16's to fit with discs, it is another thing to deal with.

When you say you went with 'this size' TSL--do you mean the 31" radials or the 32" bias?

 

These bias have very stiff walls. I have 11lbs in mine right now and there is zero bulge. At 15lbs I only the center lugs and about half of the outsize lugs making contact in the driveway.

 

I went with 31x9.5x15 radial TSL's.

 

It's done. Went with 31x9.5R15 radial swamps, 15x7x3.75BS black D spokes (US wheel).

Will report back later when I get 'em on

 

where's the pics?

 

Sorry about the delay. Had a few things come up...

Here's what I think: Definately a change in power from the NDT's to the swampers, but it is tolerable. Where before I could cruise uphill at 35mph in OD and even accelerate (JUST a bit... this is an L head were talking about R)) now I can't... I find myself revving the motor a little harder between shifts and use 2nd/OD a fair bit when accelerating up hills from a stop. As for cruising, I've only done about 25 miles of that so far, but it seems to do 50mph okay still (and can go faster). I think I have to push the pedal a little further to hold 50 than before. (BTW, that's a GPS number, so it's the same actual speed as before). Funny thing, I found that these tires made my odometer more accurate. I also found that my speedo reads low at lower speeds, but fairly close to being correct when running at 55-60mph. Well, it's a 60 year old gauge, I should just be happy it works at all.

Braking seems a little better--well, I have to push the pedal harder--but the traction is better. Steering doesn't feel any heavier (on road), strangely, it actually feels a little lighter than before. Overall I'm pretty happy with 'em.

As for rims and fitment, they appear to fit great. I can turn lock to lock and still have a little bit of clearance between the tire and spring. (my stops are set so that I bottom out the inner bell and hit the stop at the same time). The rims are 3.75" BS (1/4" neg offset) 15x7's.

Summit was quite fast, I ordered on the evening of the 11th and had everything by the morning of the 13th. I had one snag. Two of the rims they sent had red pin stripes, two didn't. So I had to wait until Friday for two more matching rims to show up. They said UPS would be by to pick up the other two rims... but that hasn't happened yet.

The other comment I have, is that they can only mount/balance your tires for you if they are all in stock at the same location. Since that wasn't the case, I chose to get them mounted locally (my other option would be to have them put on backorder until they had all 8 rims/tires in the same place). I called 10 local tire shops, most wanted 20 bucks for mount balance!!!! Finally found a shop that'd do it for 10/ea (walmart was 8.50 btw...)

Long story short, I managed to get the tires on just in time to finish the last lap of the bellefonte cruise before they shut it down. Passed a nice MB during the cruise.... I'll say that doesn't happen too often.

Well here's some pics! Still haven't had a chance to take them wheeling yet.

Look at the flatty, towering above the local GEO.







They (barely) fit under the fenders.


6.00x16-NDT comparison




Passing MB at cruise night

 

Looks great.