Your thoughts on 19.5" rims please..

[Sitec]

Hello again all.
Ok, now having the new toy I can think about doing some mods to aid its use on the roads. Have been doing a lot of trawling thru threads on here, on the OKA forum and the expedition forum, I think I have settled on a suitable tyre size and rim replacement for the 101, giving it a decent radial, that is no bigger than the XZL, but cheaper, and giving a bigger rim to allow some decent truck disks to be fitted to the front axle. The tyres I have found are Toyo 285/70 R19.5 (M608z's). Here is a pic of them against the XZL.... Thoughts and comments positive and negative wanted.

[Sitec]

Here's a nice OKA and trailer setup on Michelins and 19.5" rims. I can find rims at the wreckers and get centres put into them at sensible money, and think they'd look ok on a 101 too! (Their might be a set of 5 101 rims with bar grips for sale in the not too distant future!)

[101RRS]

Why not just go for Unimog 20" rims - freely available and the stud pattern is the same as the 101 so no mods needed - tyres no such an issue as well.

[Sitec]

Thought about that... but they're not the prettiest things (I know.. Neither is the 101 but its a looks thing). They're not common either.... This is the pic I found with those Mog rims...

[stuee]

I've was just searching this very topic yesterday. Good timing!

Agree the Unimogs aren't there nicest looking rims, have also read there may be some minor steering arm mods required to fit? This would most likely be the case for the 19.5" rims too. I need to look more into this as again its only been comments on the 101 club forum.

I thought I was set on XZL's but I really like Garry's rims and also the rims on the Rage Rover that you posted a link too. Only issue I'm finding with the 16" rims is that it appears to be limited to around 35" tyre size for commonly available tyres now that everyone is moving on to 17" rims. (I've just been using Tire Rack in the US as a reference). I'd like some 36 or 37's Just to give that for a better stance (If I'm forking out mega bucks I may as well make it look just like I want it too). Eastern wheel works do a nice custom rim made to order, but the flat plate jobbies on the Rage Rover look cool too (except for the fact that the step is useless...).

With the 19.5" rims are you limiting yourself to essentially truck tyres? If I was going to the effort of getting custom rims made I'd want a wide range of tyre types hence why I'm now looking at the 17's. Mind you I haven't look at whats our there for 19.5" rims.

Also with the Zeus disc kit (which I have) it fits in the standard rim so I don't get any real benefit by going much bigger than 16".

These are the tyres I'd like to run:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....MTRK&tab=Sizes

Either that or the KM2's like Garry.

[amazing]

you may find the truck tyres lack flexibility in the sidewall and may cause the rear of your 101 to skip a bit.

if you have the tyres side by side with them off rims or deflated low. sit on them and compare flex.

[cooee]

from my experience get your get 8 inch rims ford 8 in weld 101 centres
I had 38.5x14.5-16 maxxis brilliant set on my 101 Iand sleepy 101 has the same I think
cheers cooee

[Sitec]

I've thought about widening the rims. AJ has them, but... You still have the issue of only being able to run std brakes or Zeius, which I believe to only have the same power as original brakes but without the constant adjusting. With a 19"+ rim there's room for some decent stoppers. Do like the look Sleepys tho.. Like these too which are on 19.5's...

[Sitec]

Or there's the 20" option with BFG's which would go away from the truck tyres and give me back a known great tyre that I've always loved. Ignore the Alloy but these are BFG All Terrain 305/55 R20's. Believe they are as rare as chooks teeth over here tho!

[101 Ron]

The standard 101 brakes suit the machines performance and there is nothing wrong with the Zeus after market brakes.
Yes a up grade from bar treads is a good idea to take advantage of todays safer tyres.
That's right theres going to be that big diesel up grade and performance increase etc.
The 101 is a light weight military gun tractor....or designed as one anyhow.
I do not mean anything in a bad way, but just looking at the other side of the logical coin.
May be something like a OKA should have been the starting point and save all the hassles of engineering and time.
Something I learnt along time a go was when I had a old BSA B40 motor bike and though it could be improved greatly for what I wanted to use it for.
I put a jap long travel suspension under it, high compression piston, change the looks of it to be more modern etc.
At the end of the day I turned the bike into a Honda 350 XL type motor bike when may be I should have just purchased a Honda 350 XL that done the job better with less effort.
Everyone is different regards
Ron