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Semi Conversion

54K views 31 replies 22 participants last post by  05gitsumexchevyguy86 
#1 ·
Anyone do a Semi Tire/Rim setup on a SRW F250? Thinking of running either 22.5 or 24.5 Alcoas. But I have heard some negative opinions on running the actual semi tire. Also how do you know the size of the semi tire since its listed as a 11R or 12R by whatever rim size?

Any opinions and or pictures would be awesome.
 
#2 ·
I am pretty sure there are quite a few guys running them. The adapters are expensive. The semi tires last forever too...

If I had a duallie I would have 24.5's on there right now...
 
#3 ·
You will rue the day you put a wheel/tire combo designed for ten times the weight of your truck on your truck. Almost no wet weather traction, Little dry weather traction (Do NOT go offroad), rides like total butt, and eats yer fuel mileage. Im sure there are many who would say different.
They are fooling themselves.

Thank you, drive through.
 
#4 ·
That is the first I have heard of that. The only negative I thought was more wear on your wheel bearings/ball joints...
 
#5 ·
i know 2 guys who have semi wheels and tires, one loves it, the other hates it. the one who loves it only loves the way they look, and he's runnin a 05 dmax fat bottom. the other is an 07 powerstroke fat bottom and he absolutely hates it for the above reasons. I do not however know of anyone running semi set ups on a single rear wheel truck. I'm not sure how that would look......:dunno:
 
#6 ·
I never even thought about running a set up like that, and I can definately see where Sleeperstroke is probably right about the traction. A bobtail semi is a whole lot heavier than an F-250 and has absolutely no traction without a trailer hooked up with some weight on it.

On the other side of the argument, some real nice looking Alcoa 24.5's with Michelin super singles would look bada** on a lifted SuperDuty.
 
#15 ·
I can definately see where Sleeperstroke is probably right about the traction. A bobtail semi is a whole lot heavier than an F-250 and has absolutely no traction without a trailer hooked up with some weight on it.
you are comparing a truck that is designed to hual 25tons on the far rear axles WITH NO LOAD ON IT... to a truck 1/2 its size! but only needing to compare its tires ! i would like to see a weight scale put under each set of tires to compare the quality of your statement.

the poor stopping of a bobtailed tractor is poor weight distribution of weight. not its tires... at all... when tires lock up and skid, it is not the tires fualt they don't stop, nor the brakes, it is all about the weight above the axles.... + the tractor is designed to 70% braking in the front axle by the brake limiting valve, this decreases the braking ablity so the truck has steering while the brakes are applied....kinda like a bike when you hit the brakes and not the rear brakes you tend to travel over the handel bars. i am a tractor trailer instructor when i am off the web.
 
#7 ·
Can't you have the wheels machined down to 22 or 24's and run normal tires if you want?
 
#9 ·
"Super Singles" Are what some use for SRW trucks.... Machining?? :doh::hehe: Just buy the proper rims at the size you want. Your pocketbook will thank you later, along with your Truck. And yes, there are many more problems associated with the "Semi-setup" That I did not list. BAH! What a :tard: thing to do to a really nice truck, IMO.
 
#10 ·
I sell tires and Iv had 2 customers run em, both loved em at first and they looked great. They are hard on brakes and are hard to balance. rear tires wore great but a lil trouble with front end alighnment and you can ruin a front tire fast



 
#27 ·
I sell tires and Iv had 2 customers run em, both loved em at first and they looked great. They are hard on brakes and are hard to balance. rear tires wore great but a lil trouble with front end alighnment and you can ruin a front tire fast

Beautiful!!!!!!!!
 
#11 · (Edited)
there are alot of guys running them actually. The look great. There are basically 2 sizes. One is 37inches tall and the other is 41 inches tall.

You will rue the day you put a wheel/tire combo designed for ten times the weight of your truck on your truck. Almost no wet weather traction, Little dry weather traction (Do NOT go offroad), rides like total butt, and eats yer fuel mileage. Im sure there are many who would say different.
They are fooling themselves.

Thank you, drive through.
When was the last time you rode in one? My buddy has em and it rides like a caddillac. He has no issues with traction either. If you are running semi tires they are highway tires. They aren't meant to be offroad. Fuel mile goes down some in town because of the greater weight but can go up when cruising on the highway because it lowers you rpm.

That is the first I have heard of that. The only negative I thought was more wear on your wheel bearings/ball joints...
yes it does wear them harder but that is caused by the adapters...:doh:

I never even thought about running a set up like that, and I can definately see where Sleeperstroke is probably right about the traction. A bobtail semi is a whole lot heavier than an F-250 and has absolutely no traction without a trailer hooked up with some weight on it.

On the other side of the argument, some real nice looking Alcoa 24.5's with Michelin super singles would look bada** on a lifted SuperDuty.
Can't you have the wheels machined down to 22 or 24's and run normal tires if you want?
Personally I think the super singles look goofy.

yes you can but i hear that it is pretty expensive.
Machining is typically 125 a rim. or you can buy them already cut.

"Super Singles" Are what some use for SRW trucks.... Machining?? :doh::hehe: Just buy the proper rims at the size you want. Your pocketbook will thank you later, along with your Truck. And yes, there are many more problems associated with the "Semi-setup" That I did not list. BAH! What a :tard: thing to do to a really nice truck, IMO.
Maybe he wants to be different... Everybody seems to have the same wheels nowadays. I can't count the number of rockstars I see or the number of mickey thompsons classic 2s I see every day. I rarely see super singles or big rig wheels

I sell tires and Iv had 2 customers run em, both loved em at first and they looked great. They are hard on brakes and are hard to balance. rear tires wore great but a lil trouble with front end alighnment and you can ruin a front tire fast



These trucks all look great. Of course they will be harder on the brakes. Your stopping a much taller and heavier tire. Plus side to the tires are you can get 100-150k out of them.
 
#12 ·
A kid in town has a truck with a huge lift and the semi conversion. I think he is actually a member of this site.

Here is a pic
 

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#13 ·
upside is the semi tires will last SO DAMN LONG!!!

I've seen the 10 lug semi wheels in just 22" and 24" for sale, and if you're gonna go with the set up, that would seem like the best bet to me.

I always thought, why not just leave the wheels on the vehicles they belong on? :dunno:

for daily driving, you couldn't pay me to put semi wheels on my truck. I have seem some SRW trucks with the super singles and I liked it. So maybe if i was gonna show it, or something like that. Otherwise, for the same money you could have one hell of a nice set of rims and tires that are meant to be on your truck?
 
#17 ·
Thanks for the info guys.
 
#21 ·
I've checked them out before. I am seriously considering it for when I get new tires, which won't be for a little bit. but those tires last so long. It would maybe be worth the extra cost. I was gonna get wheels next time around as well. SO, it really wouldn't be a stretch. The cast aluminum wheels in 19.5" with 285/70R/19.5. With a leveling kit, it would be PERFECT!!!!



 
#19 ·
Wow, not the most practical conversion I've seen! With each tire weighing easily over 100Lbs (that's for 22.5's... 11R's are huge and stupid heavy...not including rim), that's gonna wear down some hardware in a hurry! And each NEW tire costs around $400+/- (depending on what you get - recaps are about $100 cheaper, but are not legal on steer axles)... not to mention the actual cost of the conversion! Tho, with almost an inch of tread on a new lug tire they'll go forever... you'll be changing hubs, ball joints and brakes between sets too! Rotating weight per wheel is gonna double, if not triple compared to a factory set.

Sorry, guess I started ranting there. IMO, the only thing I can say for the conversion is that it does look sweet (from the pics above). Tho, if you want a semi wheel, I suggest buying a Freightliner or Peterbilt:thumb:
 
#26 ·
I was gonna put them on my 550 for the added mileage. It shld be sweet!
 
#28 ·
That truck is sweet,, i have a 2002 F-350 and I am very interested in doing this. .. Semi COnversion.. Can you give me an idea on the price of tires and wheels.. I have a krappy 6" skyjacker lift w/ 20" wheels 35 tires. I just cant get over the truck in the picture, this is exactly where I want to be.
 
#29 ·
that truck in the above pic is saweeeeet. But he might het his a*s kicked by some ricer for running those "JDM" tail lights.:punish2:
 
#31 ·
what about some 19.5 wheels? they come as direct bolt ons and im guessing it wont wear out your truck as fast as the 22.5" wheels.
 
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