Hey all,
I am trying to setup my truck and I am looking at maybe getting the H1 tire and wheel setup from these guys

37" Goodyear MT Hummer 37x12.50x16.5 tire with 12 bolt wheels

I am wondering what is needed to mount them to the H2 as painless as possible (since I have heard a few different ways (ie spacers or machine work)) and where I would get the parts or the work done at?
I am also asking for brutal honesty in regards to this setup (I would like to hear from those who have them, dont have them, and those who refuse to have them)

The truck is more of a daily driver and less of an off roader
It is a 2003

 

The steel rims have a nasty habit of getting out of round. The surplus tires also tens to get out of round. I know guys that buy 6 to try to get 4 good ones. If they have the run flats in them most tire shops can't balance them. I know guys that have bought surplus tires thT have been plugged. I have had several sets of these tires. They are fair at best. I do not know the seller and have never done business with them. I have also been told that H1s running H2 wheels have to hone the wheel out a little to get them to fit. That may mean there will be some slop to the wheel fit on your truck. I would research that more.

 

I got mine from www.rallequip.com great business to deal with. Be prepared when you get them to clean them up, have a local semi shop dismount them, inspect and reassemble with fresh rim half seals and balance them correctly for highway use. Here's one example of their packages, when I got mine I was able to get 95% tread and when they arrived they were new and probably just had a hummer rolling around on them before going to surplus (http://www.rallequip.com/Goodyear-MT...095WHEEL-4.htm).


The tires with runflats installed are HEAVY so be prepared to have to do hub work sooner rather than later as it takes a toll on the control arms/hubs/etc.


From my research you don't want the 8 or 12 bolt wheels - they aren't as strong as the 24 bolt wheels and are older in design. The 24 bolt wheels are safer to run on and off road and less prone to leaking air.


Lastly, you will need 2 or 2.5" spacers as the Humvee wheels do not have any backspacing and the H2's require it to clear the brakes etc. Don't go cheap on these (spacers that bolt to the hub which have lugs pressed into them to bolt the wheel onto) as they are critical in keeping everything together. Use locktite!


The tires are a bit of a handful on the highway and not as grippy as my Terra Grapplers were but I'm okay with that and drive accordingly. The tire compound is much harder on the MTs and you will get small vibrations periodically as there is only so much they can balance them, but again its not really noticeable and I keep it under 85 at all times.


The wheel setup looks great - just be prepared to trouble shoot any issues and take your time during the install of the spacers. Feel free to PM or post up with any additional questions if you're thinking about going this route - I'll pass on and collect the other threads where I gleaned knowledge before I committed.

 

Also to add: the Semi Truck shop had no issue balancing them with the run flat inserts installed, but a lot of tire shops won't touch these due to the weight (around 130 lbs) and the fact its a split rim. Find a Semi shop or industrial tire shop and ask as these guys will be instrumental in getting a safe and reliable setup.

 

I think I replied to your thread on the other forum regarding this. Let me hit the main points:


-ridiculously heavy, one member weighed each wheel at 172 pounds. That will definitely cause premature wear on suspension components if not upgraded to aftermarket parts.


-price of tires are cheap now. Say the surplus wears thin or the military goes to a different size and you can't get them cheap anymore. Look up the price of 16.5" tires online. You're going to spend upwards of what 40" tires cost because 16.5 is not a popular size.


-you most definitely need 24 bolt offset wheels, anything less is a safety concern.


-2 piece wheels mean possibly leaking air unless you replace the O-rings. Also many consumer tire shops will not touch them. Too much of a liability for the shop to work on them. I've heard most won't even balance the things.


-cheap upfront cost which is great but I always look to the future which was why I paid a little more and went aftermarket to keep my 17" wheel size.


-spacers. I've read mixed reviews. Some have never had issues and some had constant issues. I was always told to stay away from spacers and buy the correct backspace/offset for your wheels. Then there's lug centric and hub centric spacers which are out there but hub centric are a little more expensive (those are the ones you want).


-the package Reaper posted is $1,100 before shipping. Add the cost of high quality spacers-$400, now you're at $1,500 without shipping. I bought my Method wheels and MT's from tire rack for $1,900 shipped to my door. $400 more dollars for peace of mind and having an extremely common wheel size is a no brainer IMO.


All of that being said, I still love the look of the H1 wheels but all the above info led me to the aftermarket scene instead. I had researched those wheels and spacers for months wanting to make it work but the more I looked into them the more issues I would read about.


There was even a mechanic here in AZ who was partially decapitated and died working on an H1 wheel when the front plate blew off and went straight through his neck.....things to think about.

 

Also to add to the cost portion, I paid $80 per wheel to have taken apart and reassembled with brand new O-rings then balanced.

 

It's a cool setup that is unique but the weight is a big turnoff as far as I'm concerned. Lots of extra driveline/suspension stress, increased stopping distance, decreased handling, decreased fuel mileage (not that most people who drive this vehicle really care about this) and decreased acceleration. Also that harder compound tire isn't going to be as good in inclement weather such as snow/rain. Again..... this is strictly my opinion and you know what they say about opinions


Best of luck on whatever way you decide to go!!!