Need some help with wheel situation
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Freshman User
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 43
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Need some help with wheel situation
guys,
I was given a 98 ranger xlt 4.0 4x4 a few years back for practically nothing. Just had about $1000 work to get up to speed runs great!!! It had wheels from what i hae just been told are from a bronco 2. My mechanic says they are too big in the hub and will not center correctly. I just picked up a set of 15 steel wheels(very ugly but oh well) to replace. Is this statement true? Also what can i do to make the wheels look better. I was hoping to paint black and some clear coat. What process and will they look good being steel.
I was given a 98 ranger xlt 4.0 4x4 a few years back for practically nothing. Just had about $1000 work to get up to speed runs great!!! It had wheels from what i hae just been told are from a bronco 2. My mechanic says they are too big in the hub and will not center correctly. I just picked up a set of 15 steel wheels(very ugly but oh well) to replace. Is this statement true? Also what can i do to make the wheels look better. I was hoping to paint black and some clear coat. What process and will they look good being steel.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,979
Likes: 2
From: central ohio
bronco II rims and most rangers (at least before the '98 model year, dont know about '98 & up) arent a hub-centric wheel. (meaning that the centering of the rim is done by the wheel center/hub on vehicle, like the '97 & up F150) they center the wheel by the conical seats where the lug nuts tighten down to. it is posible to have non-conical lug nuts, like those meant for a aftermarket wheel or maybe the lugs have neeen tightened & loosened so may times that the conical seats are damaged. overtighting could damage then also. id look for some alloy wheels from a salvage yard or check craigslist. sure you can paint/clearcoat steel wheels. just clean them good, scuff the surface to get good paint adheadsion. i run a set of steel wheels during the winter, every fall i do a "refinish" on them. almost time to kick that set to the curb & bring the alloys back out!
Elder User
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 681
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From: SE Michigan
gregbj33, the wheel stud spacing on the Bronco II and Ranger will be the same. However, on your 4X4 Ranger the wheel hub flange that sticks up a bit from your rear axle or front axle may a little larger in diameter than the center hole on the B II wheel and it won't let the wheel sit all the way down flat on your axle. One cure is to grind some of the flange away enough all the way around to let the wheel sit down over it. You can also file or grind off some of the center hole of the wheel all the way around to help as well. Most of the wheels have more than enough metal around them in this area, so taking off a little for hub clearance won't affect strength.
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