Tire/Rim Question.

[waterninja]

This might sound like a silly question, but how can you tell by looking at a tire rim, or a tire/rim combo if it will fit your vehicle?
Recently I bought a new to me 2005 Ford Ranger. It did not come with a spare tire. I would like to buy a spare tire for it, and am checking on KIJIJI for a reasonably priced one in good condition. Besides the fact that a seller tells you it will fit a Ford Ranger, is there any way to tell by looking at it if it is for a Ford Ranger? Are tire rims "stamped" Ford, Dodge, etc? Is there an easy way to tell if a tire will fit your vehicle? Thanks.

PS.... If any of you have a spare 16" tire for a Ranger, I know someone looking for one. lol

[Okotokian]

I would think any dealership, Canadian Tire, etc. can tell you what tires will fit. Also bolt pattern for rims, etc.

or you can look here:

https://www.sizemytires.com/make/ford/ranger#all

Personally I'd just get what's on it now.

[Jeron Kahyar]

They will not be stamped but you can measure them pretty easy.

Your Ranger will have a 5x4.5" bolt pattern. That basically equates to 5 bolts (first number) spaced out on a 4.5" (second number) diameter circle.

To get your bolt pattern draw a circle that intersects the center of each lug hole. Measure from the center of one lug to the middle of the opposing lugs on the line. You can also measure from the center of one lug hole to the center of the lug hole skipping one hole (two over) then add 1/4" to get the diameter (only for 5 bolt pattern).

Once you have the lug pattern check the center bore diameter matches (center hole).

Measure the rim width. Measured from the bead seating lip on either side. This is not really 100% required you can likely just eyeball it 1/4" difference wo t matter here.

Only other measurement is the backspacing. Which is again not overly critical. It is the space from the back of the axel pad (mounting point at lugs) to the inside lip of the rim.


Long story short measure the inside diameter of the mounting hole and the lug pattern. Unless it is some custom rim (doubtful if it is for your spare) you are good to go.

[Arty]

There's 2 main considerations, wheel dimensions and tire size & ratings. (The wheel is that metal thingy which people call a 'rim' for inexplicable reasons).

A make, model and year of vehicle has a very specific set of numeric wheel dimensions spec'd by the suspension engineers of that vehicle. You can't really deviate much from those with the exception of slight increases or decreases in diameter. Any ford dealership or good tire shop should be able to reference what the wheel dimensions of your vehicle should be. I could never tell just my looking if something would fit. You'd have to get out your tape measure and maybe micrometer and measure up all the critical dimensions.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheel_sizing

There's a little more latitude in tire sizes, cast into the sidewall of the tire, which of course have to match to the wheel diameter. People will adjust those all over the place depending on what they're trying to achieve. Stock won't hurt, and those specs should be readily available but remember all vehicles sold on the market are a set of compromises. OTOH, the more radical you get, the more you better know what you're doing and why.
http://www.goodyearautoservice.com/c...eName=TireSize

I'd get a steel spare wheel with the same diameter of the other wheels I usually have mounted, and of course are otherwise compatible with the vehicle. I'd get the same size of tire which I usually have on the vehicle most of the time.

[waterninja]

Thanks guys. I guess it is as complicated as I thought. The tires I have on the truck are big "donuts" on custom mags. I'm hoping that a good 16" spare tire/rim will be all I need to get me to a tire shop to repair a flat. Something tells me the tires I have now are pretty expensive. IMG_1105.jpgIMG_1104.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jeron Kahyar]

It really isn't as complicated as you think for the spare. Don't worry about all the extra numbers.

Get a steel rim that fits your vehicle. All you need to know is bolt pattern (yours is 5x4.5") and the diameter of the inside hole where the cap goes on your wheel.

After that just make sure the tire you put on the rim is close to the same diameter of the ones you have on currently. Doesn't need to be exact you aren't going to be driving on it a lot.

[purgatory.sv]

This is what I use when looking for rims.


http://www.wheel-size.com/size/ford/ranger/2005/

[CaberTosser]

So far everyone has overlooked mentioning wheel offset which is another factor to consider. Ever see a badly modified car with wheels that stick out too far past the fenders? Or alternatively a vehicle with wheels tucked in so far that they resemble a railroad service truck?

Wheel diameter
Wheel width
Bolt pattern
Wheel offset
Does the vehicle call for hub-centric wheels? (hub-centric is where the wheel hub had a tapered ring protruding out that mates up with an appropriately sized machined taper on the wheel. This perfectly centres the wheel and the bolts more clamp the assembly to the hub than are responsible for the wheel being centred.

Some wheel types even call for specialty bolts or nuts that are conical or such

One time I made the mistake of getting some wheels for the wife's Corolla that must not have been hub-centric or whatever Toyota calls for, with those wheels (properly balanced) the car had a horrible shake between 100-115 km/h. I turfed those pretty quick.

[DiabeticKripple]

for your spare, all youll need is a wheel that has the right bolt pattern, and is big enough to clear the brake calipers.

a bigger thing is to make sure that you also have the same diameter tire to what you have on your truck.

this is one thing i havent thought about until now actually. i went from 33" tires to 35" and my spare is still 33". its not good for the mechanical stuff to have a tire thats too small.

[waterninja]

HOLY POOP! The more you guys explain, the less I know. lol

[spoiledsaskhunter]

........stoopid me....I'd go to a wreckers and pick up a rim for it.

or did I miss something important while quick reading this thread?

[dewalt18]

X2. Hit a wreckers and pull thenoarenout from under one. Most spares never even see the light of day. . .

[ghostguy6]

I have an unused tire and rim from a 96 Explorer. It should be a 5 x 4.5 bolt pattern. If it fits its yours. Just send me a message some time tomorrow evening and ill get you the details once i can get to the tire.

[bubba 96]

Originally Posted by CaberTosser

So far everyone has overlooked mentioning wheel offset which is another factor to consider. Ever see a badly modified car with wheels that stick out too far past the fenders? Or alternatively a vehicle with wheels tucked in so far that they resemble a railroad service truck?

Wheel diameter
Wheel width
Bolt pattern
Wheel offset
Does the vehicle call for hub-centric wheels? (hub-centric is where the wheel hub had a tapered ring protruding out that mates up with an appropriately sized machined taper on the wheel. This perfectly centres the wheel and the bolts more clamp the assembly to the hub than are responsible for the wheel being centred.

Some wheel types even call for specialty bolts or nuts that are conical or such

One time I made the mistake of getting some wheels for the wife's Corolla that must not have been hub-centric or whatever Toyota calls for, with those wheels (properly balanced) the car had a horrible shake between 100-115 km/h. I turfed those pretty quick.

All this a thousand times, especially about the off set.....

[Jeron Kahyar]

Originally Posted by CaberTosser

So far everyone has overlooked mentioning wheel offset which is another factor to consider.

It was mentioned just not directly. Honestly he is looking for a cheap steel rim for a spare I believe; non issue.

/**/
P.S to the OP you may want to get your tires re balanced. Looking at your pictures they were done poorly or your rim is warped.

6 1/2 oz of weight (that's a lot) and some in a different spot then the rest.
/**/

[Tactical Lever]

Originally Posted by CaberTosser

So far everyone has overlooked mentioning wheel offset which is another factor to consider. Ever see a badly modified car with wheels that stick out too far past the fenders? Or alternatively a vehicle with wheels tucked in so far that they resemble a railroad service truck?

Wheel diameter
Wheel width
Bolt pattern
Wheel offset
Does the vehicle call for hub-centric wheels? (hub-centric is where the wheel hub had a tapered ring protruding out that mates up with an appropriately sized machined taper on the wheel. This perfectly centres the wheel and the bolts more clamp the assembly to the hub than are responsible for the wheel being centred.

Some wheel types even call for specialty bolts or nuts that are conical or such

One time I made the mistake of getting some wheels for the wife's Corolla that must not have been hub-centric or whatever Toyota calls for, with those wheels (properly balanced) the car had a horrible shake between 100-115 km/h. I turfed those pretty quick.

Hub centric would be pretty important, if you don't have "acorn" lug nuts and the wheels to accommodate them. If they are lug centric they will work fine, even if OEM was a hub centric wheel.

[Tactical Lever]

Originally Posted by Jeron Kahyar

It was mentioned just not directly. Honestly he is looking for a cheap steel rim for a spare I believe; non issue.

/**/
P.S to the OP you may want to get your tires re balanced. Looking at your pictures they were done poorly or your rim is warped.

6 1/2 oz of weight (that's a lot) and some in a different spot then the rest.
/**/

Some tires are hard to balance. I doubt he has that many weights on for fun. I am now convinced that the best option is bead balancing. Self balances even when you get that mud on the wheel that normally throws it way off.

To the OP: google the rim bolt pattern. You may want to try matching up the backspacing with the other rims to ensure it'll fit with the over width tires.

Doesn't really matter how big the rim is (as long as it clears your brakes), but I would make sure it's the same diameter as your other tires. If not, it could be problematic with a 4x4 (shifting in and out mainly). Also it would cause issues with an auto locker.

Also try to find a tire that matches tread and grip somewhat. It doesn't have to be new (I found my spare chucked out on a trail with a screw in it), but it's nice to have a similar amount of traction available when trying to make it back off an ugly side road or trail.

[tirebob]

Bolt pattern, hub bore and offset are the important factors (apart from size obviously). If the bolt pattern is right but the hub bore is too small, it will not fit on. It can work if the hub bore of the wheel is larger than the hub of the truck, but non hub-centric wheels are prone to vibrations that feel like a tire is not properly balanced. No biggie if you are driving across town for a quick repair but annoying if you are driving home from BC.

Offset is important, even on a spare. You are not stuck to a single offset, but if the offset is too low the wheel and tire may not clear the mud flap or bumper area while turning on the front as well as potentional rubbing issues on the fender edge under compression. If the offset is too high, it could cause interference with the tire/wheel rubbing against the strut tower or the frame side of the inner fender area while turning etc. You also need to make sure it clears the brake caliper although a Ranger of that era does not have the massive brake calipers seen on newer cars today.

Lastly just make sure the lug nuts you have will accomadate whatever rim you choose. Factory Ford Ranger nuts should work with almost any steel wheel but if the vehicle is new to you and you are not sure if the previous owner hasn't altered stuff from factory, it is a good idea to verify the fit...

[waterninja]

Thanks for all the tips, advise and offers guys. This is not as easy as I thought it would be. When I do get a spare I will be sure to mount it on my truck to be sure it fits correctly. It doesn't help that a lot of after factory work has been done to this Ranger, including the doughnut tires.
One poster mentioned that a rim might be bent, but it drives smooth with no pulling or vibration on the hwy.

[Jeron Kahyar]

Originally Posted by Tactical Lever

Some tires are hard to balance. I doubt he has that many weights on for fun. I am now convinced that the best option is bead balancing. Self balances even when you get that mud on the wheel that normally throws it way off.

Some are hard to balance but hardly an excuse for a poor job. There is no reason to have weights in multiple locations. That is simply a lazy way out.

How much weight are you tossing in your need balancing a light truck tire? Only time I have used them is doing large truck tires (I think we tossed 4 or 6 oz in the semi tries).

Originally Posted by waterninja

One poster mentioned that a rim might be bent, but it drives smooth with no pulling or vibration on the hwy.

Not necessarily bent just a suspicious amount of weight on the rim. If it drives fine don't worry about it. More than likely a new guy on the balancer and was having a hard time getting it balanced.

[couleefolk]

I have had to deal with rangers at work. I can tell you that not all ranger rims can be switched from one to the other just because the bolt pattern is the same. We had a new set of tires on a truck that got retired to a yard truck, so we decided to put them on one of our highway rangers. Low and behold, couldn't bolt them on. There are a lot of things ford comes up with to complicate life, like 7 bolt rims, why?

[Au revoir, Gopher]

I take it not many of you include your spare when you rotate your tires...

ARG

[DiabeticKripple]

Originally Posted by Au revoir, Gopher

I take it not many of you include your spare when you rotate your tires...

ARG

not everyone has a full size spare. my truck came with a donut

[Tactical Lever]

Originally Posted by Jeron Kahyar

Some are hard to balance but hardly an excuse for a poor job. There is no reason to have weights in multiple locations. That is simply a lazy way out.

How much weight are you tossing in your need balancing a light truck tire? Only time I have used them is doing large truck tires (I think we tossed 4 or 6 oz in the semi tries).




Not necessarily bent just a suspicious amount of weight on the rim. If it drives fine don't worry about it. More than likely a new guy on the balancer and was having a hard time getting it balanced.

Now that I look at it again, it makes me wonder why there would be that much weight in spots (and they aren't huge tires). As you say, it should balance with it in one spot. Maybe the guy balancing was lazy and didn't take off the old weights. I would be a little miffed about having those types of weights marring the wheels, if I paid good money to a tire shop.

Just my opinion, but I don't think you can bend an aluminum rim that much, as they are likely to break a lot quicker.

On my truck, it is 2 bags per tire. 35x12.5" with a 17" rim.

[Tactical Lever]

Originally Posted by Au revoir, Gopher

I take it not many of you include your spare when you rotate your tires...

ARG

Depends on the vehicle. On the truck the spare wheel is an ugly steel one, with a non matching tire.

Maybe when it's time for another set, I may go for 5 matching with 5 steel bead locks.

[Jeron Kahyar]

Originally Posted by Tactical Lever

Just my opinion, but I don't think you can bend an aluminum rim that much, as they are likely to break a lot quicker.

On my truck, it is 2 bags per tire. 35x12.5" with a 17" rim.

I think you are correct in your hopothesis. Unlikely to be able to bend an aluminum rim without cracking it.

Thats a fair sized tire you have on your truck. Have you tried the balance bags on lower profile tires? I am intrigued with this idea as they are super simple to use.

[man of steel]

Make sure you check your new rim on the front as some wheels that fit on the rear will not clear the calipers on the front.

[hayseed]

Sounds complicated hey??

Just go buy a new truck.... ( make sure it has a spare though... )
Problem solved!!!

[Au revoir, Gopher]

Originally Posted by DiabeticKripple

not everyone has a full size spare. my truck came with a donut

I understand that; but here we have someone with a vehicle with no spare wanting to buy a spare, and nobody is suggesting that maybe he should try to buy a the proper rim/tire for the vehicle so that maybe in the future he won't have to limp down the highway or worse be stuck somewhere because the spare is completely inadequate to the task at hand.

I ditched the 'convenience spare' on an Oldsmobile Firenza station wagon just so I wouldn't have to limb to service station in case of a flat (a full size spare would fit in the well, barely). But to each their own. If you never leave the city, the doughnut will do fine... if you never leave pavement, just call AMA... I prefer a full sized spare for most situations and my current vehicle and driving conditions require it.

ARG

[Au revoir, Gopher]

Originally Posted by man of steel

Make sure you check your new rim on the front as some wheels that fit on the rear will not clear the calipers on the front.

That is vehicle dependent as well... some vehicles with 4 wheel disc brakes have larger calipers on the rear.

Maybe hayseed is right; just buy a vehicle with a spare

ARG