My Luxurious late model truck (not so much)

[Palf70Step]

Especially for the white truck, I think the chrome looks better.

[sdailey]

X3

Keep them polished and I lean more toward a white letter out look, but the blackwall out looks good as well.

[Tx Firefighter]

I guess my indecision on wheel color stems from how common they are. Yesterday at work we went up to the coffee shop for breakfast. As I was walking inside, I counted six trucks in the parking lot there with PY0 wheels. I don't know about every place, but they are probably the single most common wheel seen in my area overall. There's also a bunch of po boy hillbilly junkyard reject GMT400 trucks around here with them too since they can buy pull off wheel and tires dirt cheap from the guys building late model Brodozer pickups. Basically if the poor guys can't afford tires for their junk they just grab a set of PY0s off Craiglsist cheap to get them by. I want to stand apart from that look.

[Jonboy]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

I guess my indecision on wheel color stems from how common they are. Yesterday at work we went up to the coffee shop for breakfast. As I was walking inside, I counted six trucks in the parking lot there with PY0 wheels. I don't know about every place, but they are probably the single most common wheel seen in my area overall. There's also a bunch of po boy hillbilly junkyard reject GMT400 trucks around here with them too since they can buy pull off wheel and tires dirt cheap from the guys building late model Brodozer pickups. Basically if the poor guys can't afford tires for their junk they just grab a set of PY0s off Craiglsist cheap to get them by. I want to stand apart from that look.

The white letters on real tires will help it stand out. I like the pic of the truck you posted. I think you are on the right track there.

[aggie91]

Around here the black wheels are kinda played out...seems everyone has them. I agree, they are easy to get the PY0 wheels in some areas, but they are a good looking wheel on there own.

I say stay with the polished on the wheels and its your choice on white letters in or out.

We all know whatevery you decide the work will be top notch and ultimately how the truck looks to YOU is what really maters.

[Stoney]

Get someone to photoshop the wheels black and lets have a look. I agree with you, I see those wheels on alot of trucks, too.

[Tx Firefighter]

I've got four tires showing out for delivery today. 220 pounds worth.



I think the tires I chose will make a pretty good statement in their own right regardless of wheel color.

[68Timber]

I'd probably go polished/white letter but that is me. No matter how common that look is locally, yours will stand out just for all the attention to detail you do. If you are digging the black wheel look, those new temp color coats that peel off might be an option to make sure that's what you want before you powder coat them. Or put your own spin on it - black chrome powder coat? Looking forward to seeing what tire you went with.

[flashed]

I like the polished with white letter out ,but thats just me .

[sdailey]

Tires show up yet? We need pictures man!!

[Tx Firefighter]

My UPS guy is usually mid to late afternoon. I'm sitting here babysitting a crew installing our new AC unit in the house. I have been repairing the old one myself about twice a year for the last few years so we decided to get a complete new system. The old one made it 17 years. It was time. HVAC systems in Texas heat just take a beating.

And for anyone who doesn't know, writing a check for a new 5 ton system installed is a tear jerker. I was all for box fans and window units but Valerie, being a girl, likes to not sweat when sitting on the couch or sleeping at night. Pshaw....girls.....such sissies

[rusty76]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

My UPS guy is usually mid to late afternoon. I'm sitting here babysitting a crew installing our new AC unit in the house. I have been repairing the old one myself about twice a year for the last few years so we decided to get a complete new system. The old one made it 17 years. It was time. HVAC systems in Texas heat just take a beating.

And for anyone who doesn't know, writing a check for a new 5 ton system installed is a tear jerker. I was all for box fans and window units but Valerie, being a girl, likes to not sweat when sitting on the couch or sleeping at night. Pshaw....girls.....such sissies

Geez a five ton unit. My lord you live in a mansion. Just kidding. It's funny I've pulled out Heat Pumps that were twenty plus years old. I know when you wrote that check it hurt.

I like the look of the rims and tires you have chosen for your truck. They look good. I'm glad you went with chrome, although I'd liked the black as well. That rearend looks to be chocolate flavored fluid. I bet it smelled like a bed of roses too..... Shew..


So I have a question. When you put the gears back together will you have to set the backlash on it? Will you have to replace the shims and crush sleeve as well. I don't know the terminology all that well but I'm curious if this stuff will go back stock and not need any adjusting for wear patterns and such. Thanks.

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by rusty76

Geez a five ton unit. My lord you live in a mansion. Just kidding. It's funny I've pulled out Heat Pumps that were twenty plus years old. I know when you wrote that check it hurt.

I like the look of the rims and tires you have chosen for your truck. They look good. I'm glad you went with chrome, although I'd liked the black as well. That rearend looks to be chocolate flavored fluid. I bet it smelled like a bed of roses too..... Shew..


So I have a question. When you put the gears back together will you have to set the backlash on it? Will you have to replace the shims and crush sleeve as well. I don't know the terminology all that well but I'm curious if this stuff will go back stock and not need any adjusting for wear patterns and such. Thanks.

Are you an AC guy ? I wondered if maybe having a 5 ton unit is because of the extreme summer temps we get here. Our house isn't really that big. It's just north of 2000 sq/ft.

On the gears, I will use a new crush sleeve along with the bearings. I asked a couple of Jedi mechanics I know from way back and they both said that since I'm replacing Timken brand bearings with new Timken bearings that it's pretty much a full guarantee that the pattern will be where it should be. I'll put it back together with the same shims under the pinion bearings as the stock bearings and check it when I get it put back together, but with a set of 200k mile gears, I'm not exactly doing it textbook perfect no matter what. As long as its reasonable I'll run with it.

[rusty76]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

Are you an AC guy ? I wondered if maybe having a 5 ton unit is because of the extreme summer temps we get here. Our house isn't really that big. It's just north of 2000 sq/ft.

On the gears, I will use a new crush sleeve along with the bearings. I asked a couple of Jedi mechanics I know from way back and they both said that since I'm replacing Timken brand bearings with new Timken bearings that it's pretty much a full guarantee that the pattern will be where it should be. I'll put it back together with the same shims under the pinion bearings as the stock bearings and check it when I get it put back together, but with a set of 200k mile gears, I'm not exactly doing it textbook perfect no matter what. As long as its reasonable I'll run with it.

I do AC work and that seems really big for a 2000 sq/ft for me. Understand I'm in a different zone as well. Just to give you an idea my house is roughly 2200 sq/ft and we have a 3 ton unit. I can't say if it has to do with the heat down there or not. It does seem to reason. If it is too small of a unit it will run all the time. Then with a unit sized too big it will come on and shut off a lot. Which is hard on a unit. There are other factors as well. Is the attic, basement and walls insulated? How many windows and so on. If the unit before it worked fine, then there should be no problem. Looking at the chart http://www.acdirect.com/ac-package-u...ing-calculator I found on line it shows roughly 2400sq/ft for a five ton unit in zone 5, which you are in. There are several other factors, please understand each situation is different.

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by rusty76

I do AC work and that seems really big for a 2000 sq/ft for me. Understand I'm in a different zone as well. Just to give you an idea my house is roughly 2200 sq/ft and we have a 3 ton unit. I can't say if it has to do with the heat down there or not. It does seem to reason. If it is too small of a unit it will run all the time. Then with a unit sized too big it will come on and shut off a lot. Which is hard on a unit. There are other factors as well. Is the attic, basement and walls insulated? How many windows and so on. If the unit before it worked fine, then there should be no problem. Looking at the chart http://www.acdirect.com/ac-package-u...ing-calculator I found on line it shows roughly 2400sq/ft for a five ton unit in zone 5, which you are in. There are several other factors, please understand each situation is different.

The theory is well above my expertise. I asked Valerie and she said we are 2300 sq/ft. She's lived here for 15 years so she knows the house best. The old unit was also a 5 ton. I can say for sure, there's not too much concern for it short cycling. It runs for a while when it does come on. The house is insulated walls and attic with brick construction. It does often exceed 100 degrees here for a week or more at a time and the old 5 ton unit would put in a full day's work keeping it cool.

[83GMCK2500]

I still like the idea of white letters out. I'm on the fence with black wheels and chrome centers, I'd have to see it with GMT-400 centers and not the -800 ones. I do like the chrome lug nut covers and black caps though... I very much understand your desire to stand apart from those you've described in your area.

Black on Black on Black w/chrome:

[Tx Firefighter]

I think I'll need to see the tires before I'm pulled one way or the other. I've never seen a set of these in person. Not sure how much of a statement they'll make on their own.

I guess I could mock up the wheels and GMT400 (Chevy) and GMT800 (GMC) center caps that I have on hand too, to see what variety that gives me on the look. I've never been a guy who cares at all whether I use GMC or Chevy on any particular truck. For some reason, even with all my OCD issues, center caps matching the grille on any truck has never entered into it. I could damn near stand putting Ford center caps onto it if the look worked for what I was trying to achieve.

[Palf70Step]

How about white powder coat?


Not same as yours, but it is a different look.

[83GMCK2500]

I'm excited to see the background-check-required tires as well. You said it best, need the tires to get the full visual.

That's interesting, someone as detail oriented and meticulous in his work as you do not mind how hub caps are labeled.... Bowtie or my three favorite letters have to match for me, grille, steering wheel center, hub caps, and tailgate (if present). My dad ran F*rd hubcaps on a trailer because "it's what he had", for years and I never got it. Well, I get "it's what he had", but he vehemently dislikes F*rd. (unless they're close to his age or older). Friend of mine slapped square body GMC hubcaps on his 1978 Nomad travel trailer shortly after buying it, and with his GMC pulling it everything matched.

Bill, I've seen white powder coated PY0s on a white Duramax and they were HAWT. The owner had very tastefully "Stormtroopered" the truck.

[Tx Firefighter]

Here is my luck. Big Brown pulled up and dropped off a tire. One tire. Not four. I told him I showed 4 tires out for delivery today. He says they must have hit the wrong truck. He assures me they will be back tomorrow on the right truck with the other 3.





Pizza cutters. Tall and skinny.









The tall to kill some of the highway RPM with having 4.11 gears and no overdrive. The skinny to try and help mileage as opposed to a 285/75 which is the only other tire this tall. They spec at 33.3 inches tall. That's right at three inches taller than the stock size. But only 10mm wider than stock.

[83GMCK2500]

Wooo-HOOOO! I, too, have been looking at that size for Das Flatbed (already have them on '83), I stopped by Cooper Tire to get a quote on their new ST MAXX, 6 of them, out the door, $2,152.76 *thud*

Those are going to look freakin' awesome on your truck. A regular cab long bed with a set of get-sh!t-done tires on it? Oh yes...

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by 83GMCK2500

Wooo-HOOOO! I, too, have been looking at that size for Das Flatbed (already have them on '83), I stopped by Cooper Tire to get a quote on their new ST MAXX, 6 of them, out the door, $2,152.76 *thud*

Those are going to look freakin' awesome on your truck. A regular cab long bed with a set of get-sh!t-done tires on it? Oh yes...

Just know these BFG's were way, way, way less than that price.

[flashed]

Those look very rugged ,well the one does .

[sdailey]

At least the cat's out of the bag now. BFG's are hard to beat.

[83GMCK2500]

I know I was very pleased with the RPM drop I experienced in my '83 (same gearing as you), I hope you will be too. Fortunately for you there is a (relatively) easy way to correct your speedometer. With your previous experience with these trucks I would not doubt that you are familiar with modifying the DRAC, but if you are not: GM DRAC/VSSB Calibration