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SM0304 Wheel Picture Thread 2018

15K views 73 replies 28 participants last post by  GAGT 
#1 ·
With the new batch of Sportmachines hitting hubs near you, I though it would be a good time to start a Show Us Your Wheels thread.

I got mine earlier this week. I went with 275/40 tires, may go with 295s next time around. I was concerned that the ride might be a little stiffer with the larger wheel and lower sidewall, but nope... it's negligible. The truck feels more nimble and responsive now. Overall I'm really happy with the look (though I may bump the rears out with a 1/2" spacer). As others have said, it seems like this is the size wheel Ford should/could have installed from the factory!

Big 'kudos' to the folks who made and marketed these wheels!
 

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#4 ·
These look great on your red truck.

It's unfortunate that the larger diameter accentuates the inboard offset on the rears. That's always kept me from getting them, because it looks less muscular from certain angles. Dealing with spacers and/or longer studs is a PIA.
 
#10 ·
You are absolutely right, on both accounts... I was surprised how the larger diameter made the rear inset look more obvious. And yes, it's just from certain angles, but it's there. The front looks great, but the rear looks really different now... less aggressive.

Going into this, I didn't think that widening the rears would be a priority. I wanted to stay with the same size tire front and rear, so I could at least rotate them front to back. But seeing it on the ground, widening the rear stance has become my next concern (obsession?).

I guess if I do go wider, I could always just 'flip' the tires half way through their life... I've been doing that on my BMW for years, with the staggered Hartge wheels it has.
 
#14 ·
Got mine (three of the first batch of SportMachine 20" and three OEM 18") shipped off to him a few weeks ago. Also spoke to him a few months ago and realized he wasn't going to be widening wheels anymore.

I'm in no hurry to get mine back and will likely run either 305's or 315's on the back with a small spacer (1/4" or 3/8") to push them out to the wheel lip.
 
#12 ·
I've been running staggered tires on both my Ranger and Lightning for years. I have a friend who does tires, once a year I take the front tires off one of the trucks, throw them in the bed of the other, take them to my friends shop and have them flip the tires inside out. Do both trucks once a year. Also don't run really pricey tires on the front. My Lightning has Fusion Touring 225/60-18 on seven inch rims. Costed $170 for both installed. Rears are rather pricey Nitto NT555R in 305/45-18.

As to the 20 inch rims, don't like the tire selection. 18's are bad enough. Have a line on a set of Centerline Qualifiers in 17 x 11 rear, 17 x 7 front. May have them next week.

The difference between Ken Mitchell's L, and Jblot's, at the rear wheels is amazing. Jblot's look close to perfection. KM's look like they're tucked under a mile. On the driver's side at least. Bet the passenger side looks good though. Typical for these trucks, and the reason I have a panhard bar on mine, to push the axle over toward the driver's side enough to make them the same on both sides. The axle moves easily, and it doesn't take much to balance them out.
 
#13 ·
CB, part of my situation is that I got 275s front and rear. I bet the black truck is running 295s.

But... I do have a panhard bar, still in the box. This may finally motivate me to install it!

Also, I just ordered a set of 1/2" spacers and longer studs. Not sure what level of PITA those will be to install (?), but it should put the rear wheels just about where I'd like to see them.
 
#19 ·
If the panhard bar you have is from BroncoBeater, it's not difficult to install, nor time consuming. I have 5/16 spacers on mine with the stock studs, been that way for quite some time now. Still plenty of thread engagement. But 1/2 should be better.
 
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#24 ·
Would seriously put these on my top priority list if some how available. Maybe slightly wider if possible. Never really found any aftermarkets that appealed and in my older age, keeping relatively stock look is definitely becoming alot more appealling.
 
#25 ·
#26 ·
Yep, they're available. Just received a set last week. They're in my shop waiting to get mounted.

I do have to ask you guys though. Why do you run a narrower tire and a shorter tire ? I've had 20's on my Lightning for14 years ( KMC 820SS wheel) and have run a 295/45-20 tire. 3 inches lowered in front, rear is lowered with 2 inch shackles and one leaf removed from the leaf springs.





Scott
 
#27 ·
for 1, there's no sticky tire in a 295/45 size, then a 295/45 is a fat meaty tire up front on a lowered truck, a bit smaller sidewall up front looks nice, and also a narrower tire up front improves driving quality because it wanders less with ruts in the road. I used to love driving my truck on 225 "skinnies" because it wouldn't wander like it would when I ran my 295's
 
#28 ·
For all the reasons Harley 365 mentioned. Plus 275/40 matches the original wheel (rim and tire) height most closely. For the fronts, it's the way to go.

That being said, now I'm left wanting a little more width in the back, so I'm going to install 1/2" spacers and longer studs, just for the rear wheels. This change will also work well if/when I widen the rear wheels to 11" :laugh:
 
#39 ·
#42 ·
Have to make a decision soon. I'm leaning towards the factory silver yet but would like to see if anyone has close ups on either the black or charcoal grey. I couldn't find any.
 
#43 ·
With 1/2" spacers...

For anyone wanting to know what difference the 1/2" spacers make on the SM 20" wheels, here are a couple of pics. The pic angle isn't the best (I was cropping out a vehicle parked next to me), but you can tell that the rear looks better than in the previous pics. I may lower the vehicle another inch front and back, and I may widen the rear wheels one day, but for now the immediate rear inset issue is resolved.

Lastly, replacing the wheel studs wasn't too bad, but the new studs were a royal PITA to install, mostly because the splines are really coarse on the replacements (see last pic).
 

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#44 ·
Any examples of what it looks like without spacers?
 
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