Look what UPS just brought me!

[Dan Long]

Those nice guys driving the big brown trucks just dropped off a couple of big packages for me!



[Broken External Image]:



They're Method Race Wheels "The Standard" wheels, 17x8.5 - 0 offset, with Cooper Discoverer ATP 265/70-17 tires.



I'll admit, I'm insanely picky when it comes to selecting wheels and tires for my vehicles, and I've been searching for the right set of wheels for weeks, if not months, and finally found these after 3 failed order attempts and a lot of disappointments in the bolt pattern offerings of other wheels I liked. The first wheel I ordered was no longer being made in the size I wanted, the second was discontinued despite being listed as "in stock" (Eddie, you get to continue to be the only ST with the RT-6's), and the third set (which was the same as the first, just in a different size) would have taken at least 3 months to arrive. Discount Tire Direct worked with me a bit on these due to the issues and I wound up with a fantastic deal, so I'm happy. I was hoping to go with an 18" or 20", but no one likes to make good looking, off-road style wheels in large diameters with a 5x4.5 bolt pattern it seems, so I settled on the 17". There were a few other options that I liked, but I'm not dropping $400 per wheel...



And before you say it, I know, I know... get pictures of them installed!!! Unfortunately, I'm waiting for a few more goodies to arrive next week, then I'll be completely rebuilding my front end and they'll get installed at that point after I've had the truck aligned. When that is all done, believe me, there will be pictures!:grin:

 

[Keith S]

Awesome! I am planning on purchasing Method NV's for my Gen 2. Now when you say "standard" are you talking about their original rim? Also, did you get true beadlocks or the imitation? The big thing that made me choose the imitation beadlock is that I don't feel like torquing each bolt every 500-1000miles as my truck is my daily driver.

 

[Dreman]

Nice wheels, but what was wrong with the current wheels? I like those, too!

 

[Dan Long]

Keith, the wheel model name is "The Standard". They're imitation beadlocks, as unless you're doing a lot of serious off-roading and running very low tire pressures, true beadlocks serve no purpose. Honestly, I would've preferred that those bolts not even be on the edge of the wheel, as it's just one more thing to clean around... apparently they're actually threaded in and can be removed, so I may change them out for a flush allen head bolt if I can find one that fits right.



dreman, thanks, and I like the current wheels as well, but they have more of a sport truck style, and I've decided to go for the more rugged look. I don't know that the Acura wheels would look right with an all-terrain tire on them, plus I wanted to widen the stance up a little more and since I'm already using spacers on them, that isn't really possible.

 

[H D]

You are great at choosing wheels! Well done, again.

 

[swshawaii]

Agree. I love the clear coat look but am very concerned with peeling, bubbling, and white oxidation that seems to happen to all of them. Any secret to preserving the finish?

 

[Dan Long]

Lol, it's hard to say Steve, as I rarely own a vehicle, let alone a set of wheels, more than about 2 years before I get bored and move on to something else! I did, however, promise my wife that I would keep this truck for at least 4 years. Aside from the '73 Vette that I kept for about 6 years (and desperately wish that I still had!!!), 3 years has been my record.



I'd say that keeping the wheels clean and free of brake dust is the biggest thing, along with not using any chemical cleaners. I wash the truck and wheels with Turtle Wax car wash soap and use microfiber rags, and the Acura wheels that I currently have (which I've owned for a little over 2 years) still look perfect. They recommend waxing clearcoated wheels 3-4 times a year, just like your paint, but I can't say that I've ever done that. I "plan" to keep these new wheels for the duration of the truck, so maybe I'll actually get to see how they hold up long term... if the finish does start to deteriorate, I'll probably have them powdercoated. Hopefully that won't be necessary though.

 

[EddieS'04]

Dan,

Nice, I like them...:supercool:...Tire difference is about 1" taller..right?

Thanks for the update on the RT-6. I need to be most careful now...



Steve,

The two wheels that didnt have to be refinshed. Still look as good as the two that did. I suspect Enkei's clearcoat qaulity is better than oem wheels.

My oem's are in my shed. The clearcoat is starting to crack & peel, without being in the elements.

 

[Dan Long]

Thanks Eddie! I probably could have pieced together a set of the Enkei wheels from 2 or 3 different vendors, but the logistics was going to be a pain and it would have cost significantly more due to shipping charges and not getting the free mounting and balancing I would from DTD.



Most 265/70-17's are listed as about 31.7" tall, but being that this tire is a DT exclusive, I couldn't find the official specs since they don't list them like Tire Rack does. They measure out at about 31.5 on the 8.5" wide wheels (which is on the wide end of this tire's range), which is indeed about 1" over stock and what I'm currently running. I'm hoping the increase will be enough to let me keep the 4.10 gears I currently have, as while it's great running around town with them and the V8 swap, the truck doesn't cruise quite as comfortably at 75-80 MPH as the Explorer did with its 3.55 rear end. I'm keeping my eyes open for a good disc brake rear end to swap in though so if needed I'll just find one with 3.73 gears, which were pretty common in the Explorers from what I recall.