Another weekend has passed and I still haven't had a chance to install my lift kit. I've had the parts for over three weeks now and every weekend it either snows, rains, or is bitter cold. I'm keeping my fingaz crossed for this coming weekend. Just ordered a set of 12 ton (30") jackstands from Harborfreight.com so I have everything I need now to do the install.

I have one question and was wondering what you guys think. I'm not gonna wait on doing the installation of the lift. The first nice weekend I get it's going on, but what do you think about my new tires/rims. Should I just put back on my stock crapstone tires/Lariat rims for the winter? Or should I put on my new 35" BFG Mud-terrains and Mickey Thompson rims? The rims are fully polished and have several coats of wax which I'll maintain, but am I better off leaving them off until the Spring so they won't get damaged by the salt and sand they put on the roads for the snow. The truck will look kinda weird with the lift and small tires. What do y'all think? I had fully polished rims on my old Jeep that didn't get damaged by the sand/salt but the Jeep I hardly ever used. It mostly sat in my garage. My 350 I use every day.
-Rich


2002 F-350 Crew Cab Lariat Short Bed 4x4, V10, 4:30 LS, Black w/ Med. Parchment Leather, Off-Road Pkg, Snow Plow Prep pkg, Heated Captain's Chairs, Towing Pkg, Privacy Glass, Rear Sliding Window, Power Telescopic Trailer Tow Mirrors, Auto Shift-On-The-Fly, Fog Lamps

Mods: Westin Nerf Bars, Front Side Windows Tinted, Bed-Liner, Tonneau Bed Cover, 16x10 Mickey Thompson Classic II Rims (not installed yet)

Future Mods: 6" Skyjacker Suspension Lift & 315/75 R16 BFG Mud-Terrains (coming soon), 1" Track Bar...

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 10-Dec-02 AT 12:25 PM (EST)]I think this is going to be one of those "personal preference" questions. Do you want the added snow traction on your BFG's to actually serve a purpose during the winter? Or are you more concerned about the rims being damaged by salt? Do you want your truck to look "complete" with the 35's, or are you OK with a lift accompanied by comparatively tiny tires? You have to make the ultimate decision. I will say, though, that if you have several coats of wax on the Mickey Thompson's and plan on maintaining them, you shouldn't have significant deterioration issues with the rims. The salt affects the metal once it has a chance to bond to it & react on the molecular level. Removal of the offending salt and a well maintained outer coating (such as wax) should act as a "shield" against oxidation. If you're half as **** retentive as you sound when it comes to taking care of your truck (comment not intended to be offensive - I'm **** with mine, too) I doubt you will have any deterioration due to salt.

Long story short: keep it maintained, and you shouldn't have any problems. You only live once; enjoy it! Put the darned things on already! But if you're not going to enjoy yourself and loose sleep worrying about the rims over the winter, then do what you have to do & stick with the stocks. If it were me, I'd put the 35's on as soon as the lift was done. Good luck!

 

I wouldn't worry about the salt and other road junk, just make sure you at least rinse them after every major assult on your rims. I ran M/T Challengers in the muck, they are as clean and shiny as day one. They can always be polished also. If you are the type who only washes his truck after the winter then the rims will probably pit.

 

Thanks. I think I'll put the new rims and tires on! I think I would lose more sleep thinking of how my nice new tires/rims were sitting in the garage when they should be on my truck where they belong.


2002 F-350 Crew Cab Lariat Short Bed 4x4, V10, 4:30 LS, Black w/ Med. Parchment Leather, Off-Road Pkg, Snow Plow Prep pkg, Heated Captain's Chairs, Towing Pkg, Privacy Glass, Rear Sliding Window, Power Telescopic Trailer Tow Mirrors, Auto Shift-On-The-Fly, Fog Lamps

Mods: Westin Nerf Bars, Front Side Windows Tinted, Bed-Liner, Tonneau Bed Cover, 16x10 Mickey Thompson Classic II Rims (not installed yet)

Future Mods: 6" Skyjacker Suspension Lift & 315/75 R16 BFG Mud-Terrains (coming soon), 1" Track Bar...

 

I have always ran a stock tire through the winter, the skinnier it is the better it slices, also road salt will really mess up your rims, I wouldn't chance it wax on them or not, to much $$$.
Plus you get the "full effect" when summer comes and you put them on, it's like a whole new truck, and you won't say I need a bigger lift for at least 2 to 3 weeks after you get use to the new tires.

 

 

Try BFG 255/85-16 Mud Terrains, they are 33" tall and despite what the metric numbers say, they are 1/2" wider than the 265/75-16 f***stones, so they fit 7" wide rims perfect. I've run'em on all my trucks in the winter for years, they have a D load rating, but still handle 3000# @ 65PSI.

 

If your M/T wheels are the Classics or the Challengers they are forged and should not be affected to any great degree by road salt and such.
If they are the Challenger II's you may hava a problem.I believe they are cast and from what I have seen of cast wheels they can corrode easily.Cast wheels are usually protected by a clear coat finish and any chip will corrode quickly.The area where the wheel weights are show the first signs of corrosion.