[mhnatt]

Okay, I admit it seems that I have time on my hands waiting for my order to progress into a build date, but I actually wanted to take Photoshop and see what it may look like if I pimped out my upcoming Transit family wagon with a nice set of wheels...

 

[6386]

Please do a Blue Jean Metallic version with silver wheels!

 

[PeterR]

Please do a Blue Jean Metallic version with silver wheels!

In the regular 130" WB? The bottom photo is the green, but the overall tone is similar to the blue jeans color we are both getting. Lookin' good . . .

 

[6386]

I like this one from another thread.

View attachment 3529


--Rick

 

[mhnatt]

Something like this rmcnelly and PeterR? (I have to Google "custom wheels" and try to match up the angles and lighting - kind of a shot in the dark though)

 

[6386]

Nice work!


--Rick

 

[PeterR]

I like this one from another thread.

View attachment 3529


--Rick

I'm not getting that ugly gold trim at the bottom, am I? [edited]

 

[PeterR]

Something like this rmcnelly and PeterR? (I have to Google "custom wheels" and try to match up the angles and lighting - kind of a shot in the dark though)

Excellent, thanks!

 

[orton]

Large tire/wheel will not fit in spare tire well. I think I measured stock tire/wheel at 28" OD. Maybe a max. 30" OD tire/wheel will fit in well. Someone needs to confirm the 30" dimension.

 

[zmtthw]

If able, extended low roof with the lunar sky color with black wheels? That might be my dream combo!

Z

 

[PeterR]

Large tire/wheel will not fit in spare tire well. I think I measured stock tire/wheel at 28" OD. Maybe a max. 30" OD tire/wheel will fit in well. Someone needs to confirm the 30" dimension.

[orton maybe you wanted to post this in another thread?]

 

[orton]

I had already posted it elsewhere. Thought it appropriate here since the larger tires are shown on the pictures so a same size spare could not be carried.

Transits do look better with larger tires. When I wear out the stock tires I will be looking at the options for larger. On the sold Sprinter I went one size larger mostly for looks but obtained 1/2 mpg better fuel economy. Transit 3.5 turbo has a 3.31 rear ratio so the opposite might happen with the Transit.

 

[mhnatt]

My thoughts too on the reduced mpg with the 3.31 rear end (which I am getting) and am wondering if doing so in this combination would kick the "eco" into more of a "boost" mode more often.

 

[PeterR]

My thoughts too on the reduced mpg with the 3.31 rear end (which I am getting) and am wondering if doing so in this combination would kick the "eco" into more of a "boost" mode more often.

Not sure if you understood orton correctly? I took his word "opposite" to mean that he might go to a smaller tire when his Transit original tires wear out (because the 3.31 rear end gives some latitude for this, given the generally higher MPG with this ratio).

Thus, by "opposite" orton did not mean that the MPG would go down because of new larger tires with the 3.31, if I am reading you right mhnatt.

orton, maybe you could clarify, as I am also getting the 3.31 rear end and am expecting favorable gas mileage.

Thanks.

 

[orton]

When I said opposite, I meant the Transit MPG might go down with larger diameter tires instead of up like the Sprinter. Sorry for not being clear.

 

[mhnatt]

Not sure if you understood orton correctly? I took his word "opposite" to mean that he might go to a smaller tire when his Transit original tires wear out (because the 3.31 rear end gives some latitude for this, given the generally higher MPG with this ratio).

Thus, by "opposite" orton did not mean that the MPG would go down because of new larger tires with the 3.31, if I am reading you right mhnatt.

orton, maybe you could clarify, as I am also getting the 3.31 rear end and am expecting favorable gas mileage.

Thanks.

I'm thinking he (orton) meant that it is not quite linear. The high 3.31 is generally good for mpg but if the wheel size gets too big or too small the vehicle loses efficiency. Case in point is that I have a Jeep with a very high rear end and large tires. I sometimes find myself keeping the pedal floored against heavy winds and/or inclines just to keep it around 60mph. I'm guessing that a couple inches larger shouldn't make too much of a noticeable difference.

 

[PeterR]

When I said opposite, I meant the Transit MPG might go down with larger diameter tires instead of up like the Sprinter. Sorry for not being clear.

Not sure I understand the logic here. Why would the Sprinter and Transit have opposite results by going to a larger diameter tire? Because the tranny with 3.31 rear end will have to do more searching and shifting to find a sweet spot?

Thanks.

 

[orton]

Not sure I understand the logic here. Why would the Sprinter and Transit have opposite results by going to a larger diameter tire? Because the tranny with 3.31 rear end will have to do more searching and shifting to find a sweet spot?

Thanks.

Sprinter had a 3.92 rear end ratio. Do not know if larger tires on Transit would increase or decrease mpg. I might find out after 40,000 miles.

With the diesel Sprinter I calculated the mpg for 10,000 miles before the change to 10,000 miles after the change to larger diameter tires. So I am sure it helped mpg.

 

[mhnatt]

PeterR,


I don't think he meant that it is linear (i.e. the larger the wheels, the more...) but rather there is an optimum size of wheels (which translates to distance) per the amount of power being applied to get the most mpg. Evidently, his Sprinter had a low rear end (many revolutions of the engine to make one turn of the wheel), and the Transit with a high rear end (relatively less revolutions to make one turn of the wheel). Think of it more like a bicycle: If you put larger wheels on it, then you will need to shift down into a lower gear to get started rolling. The pay off of larger wheels (or a high rear end like the Transit) is that once you are up to speed, as long as you aren't too heavy you can cruise really nicely without much work, but if you put exaggerated huge wheels on it, you end up hardly able to pedal it without massive amount of huffing and puffing.


I hope this helps. Maybe someone can explain it better or let me know if I'm off.

 

[6386]

Back on topic, this one was selling a splitter listed on eBay UK.

--Rick