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Picked up the wheels this morning at 8 AM. Seller on craigslist met me halfway between our houses, 30 miles each way. I left a little early as I always do when the wife is not with me and got there about 10 minutes early. Shut off the truck and get out, it had just stopped raining. Call the number, he answers, I tell him my location. He says "Im looking at you LOL." He had actually just arrived at the same intersection in Providence Forge Va. Might have been 30 seconds difference in his and my arrival. Put the 5 wheels in the back of the truck, gave him the $50 and grabbed breakfast on the way home, and sitll got back before 9AM. Popped off the trim rings and unscrewed the hub caps from the wheels. Scrubbed them down twice on each side and rinsed them off.
My cousin was celebrating his 70th birthday at 3 PM in the afternoon of the same day, Sunday. Dropped the truck off at Costco on the way to his party. When we got back 3 hours later, they were just finishing the tire install. I did not even check the wheels to see if they would fit, but the seller said they were off a 90 model Bronco II which was the same platform as the Ranger.
It was raining all day off and on, not too heavy but enough to form puddles in the road so it was difficult to get a feel for the difference in rolling resistance. It may be the "placebo" effect but I don't think so. The difference in ride and rolling resistance seemed to be dramatic. This thing rides as nice as most cars now, before it rode like a truck. The tires are rated at 1270 pounds each for max load. The door sticker lists the rear axle max load at 2570, I think, so it is within a few pounds of the tire max capacity. The trucks curb weight is under 3000 pounds, I think less than 2900 but that may depend of the amount of fuel in the tank which can weigh almost 120 pounds for 17+ gallons.
At 65 MPH this truck rides as good as most passenger cars. Before the steering wheel was always bouncing a little, even after two trips to Wally World to have the old tires rebalanced. I'd bet this truck rode better today than when it left the dealership brand new.
Will top off the tank tomorrow to get an idea if the mileage will be any better than the previous 33.34 per tank. Pizza pans next, then the rear extension of the cap. This project is beginning to look like it may be possible to come close to 40 MPG average when the weather warms up in 2013, and the gubbmint will be sending me my social security checks beginning in January. Last tank of gas here was $2.88 a gallon (E10). At 40 MPG that is less than 7.5 cents a mile in a truck that can haul a 4X8 sheet of plywood.
regards
Mech
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