Tire and wheel weight ratings

I hope Stockton gets their carp in order. They made an excellent product and had the market cornered too. No reason for them not be successful with it again, unless they're badly mismanaged.

Jefe,

I think your idea would fly with greater success, if the weight rating per tire were increased to about 5500 lbs. This would open up a new market of dually pickup owners wishing to replace their rear duals with a super single for better off road use, which can still maintain the ~11,000 lb rating of their combined 4 original rear tires. A 4500 lb version could be offered as well, for those SRW pickup owners who want something part-way in between a typical SRW and DRW rear axle weight rating.

SoCalDesertRider,
Long time no see in print. June 15th and no wheels yet. Someone on here did mention that one of their Stockton whees did fail, but that was before the owner committed suicide and there was a shakeup with the company who now claim they have nothing to do with the pre-suicide Stockton Wheel. Boy, that's ugly. Time will tell.
My favorite truck camper tire of all time is/were the Mickey Thompson 375x55R16's (33x15.50R16) on 12 inch wide rims that are breathing their last. They have lasted and lasted for years with a lot of hard miles on them. They wear very slowly. Simply the best all around TC tire that will work on sand as well as street, in any weather. We have put 2500 miles on the rig on two sorties along the coast and they are getting down to the wear bars.
I was tempted to call Thompson Tire to see if they could produce them again with some changes. I'm thinking their marketing was all wrong. What if you could have a super single tire that would take place of a set of duals with a 4500 pound rating and also an aggressive All weather tread. Once you have pressure down to floatation levels the tread doesn't matter so much on sand. The term, "Grave Digger", a skinny aggressive mud/snow tire was called that because the users had no clue about deflating them down for floatation. To seal the deal, Thompson (or someone) would have to make, say an 11 inch wide super single wheel for the rear axle with a 4500 pound rating (with a 4-1/2 inch B.S.) to go along with the upgraded tire. Now, would anyone buy such a rig? I don't know. There seemed to be very little interest in my super single design on here when I put it together about 6 years ago.
jefe

karenor59 wrote:
I decided to go with the Vision rims 4500 lb rating and Gladiator QR90-PT 4850 lb rating. Any recommendations for a brake upgrade kit?

Doing it right!
Do you need brakes? Or are they working fine but want more braking power?
Suggestion, if there's nothing wrong with them now, but you're not comfortable with braking performance, spend the brake upgrade $ on an exhaust brake instead.

I decided to go with the Vision rims 4500 lb rating and Gladiator QR90-PT 4850 lb rating. Any recommendations for a brake upgrade kit?

WHEEL SPECIFICATIONS
Max. Wheel Capacity Load (lbs. @ ground)

Steel (SRW) 16? x 7.0? K 0.25 8 170 (6.7) 3415
Steel (DRW) 16? x 6.0? K 5.35 8 170 (6.7) 2600
Steel (DRW) 19.5? x 6.0? RW 5.35 8 225 (8.85) 3750
Steel (DRW)(MOTORHOME) 19.5? x 6.75? RW 5.50 8 225 (8.85) 3750
Deluxe Forged Aluminum (SRW) 16? x 7.0? K 0.25 8 170 (6.7) 3415
Premium Forged Aluminum (SRW) 16? x 7.0? K 0.25 8 170 (6.7) 3415
Polished Forged Aluminum (DRW) 16? x 6.0? K 5.35 8 170 (6.7) 2600
Polished Forged Aluminum (DRW)(1)

Looks like 3415 lb capacity Per '00 Fords body Fords fleet service guide page #58 fleet ford

Jefe, it's sad that your awesome, giant super-single rear tires are now discontinued! :(

The 18" tires do have greater weight ratings available, but I agree, more sidewall with the 16" wheels is better off road and you're just within the 7500 lb combined rear tire rating with the 285 16's.

.

The Ford/Sterling 10.50" axle housing is rated at 9750 lbs in the '99-'04 F250/350SRW/350DRW pickups, per the axle manufacturer.

Stockton Wheel custom made me a pair of 16x8 heavy duty steel wheels for my '92 F350SRW back in late '07, which my truck still has on the rear axle, some 9 years later, with 285/75-16E BFG AT's, rated 3750 each.

These wheels and tires have carried 4000 lbs of utility body and welding equipment in the bed of my F350 from '08-'12, the years I used it as my welding truck, as well as pulling my trailer at the same time. The truck carried my old 8' truck camper (about 2500 lbs) and pulled trailer from '03-'07, with the old 16.5" wheels and 33x12.50 BFG's on it. Now it carries another 8' truck camper on it with the Stockton wheels and 285's.

Never had any problem whatsoever with the Stockton wheels or that model/brand/size tire carrying near the maximum weight for so many years.

The Stocktons are very heavy duty, with solid 3/8" thick flat disc steel centers and thick wall DOT rim shells. I think there still may be my write-up about the wheel/tire upgrade posted in the truck camper help section from several years ago.

All of the newer DOT approved truck wheels I've had, both factory and after market have the weight rating stamped on the inside, backspacing part of the wheel. I'm not sure, but i think this is a DOT requirement after a certain year.
However, this is only a guide, as real world use has shown a wide range in strength of wheels. My 16"x12" wide Mickey Thompson cast aluminum wheels are stamped at 3600 pounds. They are very hefty with a thick almost solid center. I have put these to the test over and over on rough ground, with my rear axle loading ground pressure of around 6800 pounds. My guess is these are over built for the rating. Yes, I'm using non-scientific, personal use as the yardstick to the ever expanding dismay of the purists. The only casualty so far has been a strip chipped out of the rim edge from a passing rock in Death Valley. But it still holds air. These big, discontinued (boo-hoo) 375/55R16 tires have one more long trip left in them.
In the meantime, after a long and fruitless search for more heavy duty wheels for my XTC I've engaged Stockton Wheel to make me a set for my Dodge SRW D-70/D-80 axles. They should be here by June 1st. Why not just buy aftermarket wheels you ask? I'll be writing a complete expose on the TC wheel business with examples and whys and what fors. I"ve ordered two front wheels: 16x10 with a 6.25 inch backspacing. Two rears also 16x10 but with a 4.5 inch backspacing and will be using Cooper STT Pro LT315/75R16; E/3860 pound rating; recommended wheel size: 8 inch to 11 inch wide; 34.53 inch diameter;11.7 inch wide carcass; 9.69 inch tread.
I know, you're thinking I should have gone with 19.5's for carrying ability. These do not work well in sand. I spend some time in the dunes, so with low pressure the 16" wheels and tires should be fine.
The choice I faced was with 18x10 inch wheels which could hold the Cooper STT's; LT295/70R18's which have a 4080 pound load rating. Respectable. Oh so tempting but not enough sidewall for me. I need lots of air space to float on once I drop the pressure to 22 pounds.
jefe

Oregun wrote:
What size tire on the 19.5 spare fits underneath?

Any tire/wheel combo up to a 35" diameter will fit in the spare location on a Super Duty. My 305/75R18 (35") fits just fine with some room to spare even.