3/4 ton 5 Lug

[DannyB1954]

I bought a conversion van to make into a camper. It says Ram 250 Custom on the side and the title says vehicle type B2. I could not find a data plate anywhere for gvwr. It only has 5 lugs on the wheels. Most 3/4 ton that I know of have 8 lugs. I am thinking that because it was a conversion van they wanted nice rims so 5 lug there would be more options. 

I did a web search and didn't come up with much as far as can a 3/4 ton axle have 5 lugs. I am certain that 20 heat treated studs can handle the load of 3/4 ton, (4wheels X 5 lugs). Any ideas to what I have, or where a data plate may be? I looked under the hood and in all of the door jams.

 

[bcbullet]

We had the same...Dodge B2500. Five lug and 237/75/15 tires. It did just fine.

 

[ZoNiE]

Run the VIN on carfax. It may tell you.

 

[highdesertranger]

yep read the vin, http://dodgeram.org/tech/specs/VIN_decode.htm . the 5 lug 3/4 tons are the lite duty models, 15 inch tires, smaller axles, liter axles, etc. funny story a friend bough a brand new Dodge ram truck in the 90's he bought a 1/2 ton. when he brought it over to show me I was checking it out. on one front fender it said Ram 1500 on the other it said Ram 2500, I started cracking up. he asked what was so funny so I pointed it out. didn't make him happy. great QC there Dodge. highdesertranger

 

[DannyB1954]

The VIN indicates 3/4 ton. I found out that the Dana 60 came in a 5 lug pattern and that is a heavy axle.
I guess it is heavy enough for whatever I want to do with it anyway. Maybe tonight I will put it on my buddies lift and see if I can ID the rear end.
Title says empty weight 3359, gross weight 6,200 lbs. so payload should be 2,841 Maybe I will drive it to the scales at the dump to see what it is now.

 

[steamjam1]

I bought a conversion van to make into a camper. It says Ram 250 Custom on the side and the title says vehicle type B2. I could not find a data plate anywhere for gvwr. It only has 5 lugs on the wheels. Most 3/4 ton that I know of have 8 lugs. I am thinking that because it was a conversion van they wanted nice rims so 5 lug there would be more options. 

I did a web search and didn't come up with much as far as can a 3/4 ton axle have 5 lugs. I am certain that 20 heat treated studs can handle the load of 3/4 ton, (4wheels X 5 lugs). Any ideas to what I have, or where a data plate may be? I looked under the hood and in all of the door jams.

"B2" indicates 3/4 ton. "B1" is half, and "B3" is 1-ton. 3/4 ton dodge vans from '85 and up will all have 5 lug 5x5.5 pattern wheels. (15x6.5) It should also be equipped with the Corp 9.25 no float rear axle. B1's got the 8.25, and the B3's got Dana-60's. The data plate on the van will be located behind the battery either against the firewall or against the inner fender. There you'll find paint, axle, options codes etc.

 

[steamjam1]

yep read the vin,  http://dodgeram.org/tech/specs/VIN_decode.htm .  the 5 lug 3/4 tons are the lite duty models,  15 inch tires,  smaller axles,  liter axles,  etc.  funny story a friend bough a brand new Dodge ram truck in the 90's he bought a 1/2 ton.  when he brought it over to show me I was checking it out.  on one front fender it said Ram 1500 on the other it said Ram 2500,  I started cracking up. he asked what was so funny so I pointed it out.  didn't make him happy.  great QC there Dodge.  highdesertranger

Yeah that sounds like Dodge in the '80s and early '90s. Mismatched badges, misaligned body parts, piss poor paint, crap undercoating,.. I could go on and on...

 

[steamjam1]

Oh yeah, Its easy to tell... Crawl under the van. If the rear axle cover is shaped like a stop sign and has a rubber push-in plug vs a threaded REAL plug, You got yourself a classic C-clip Dodge Corp 9.25.

 

[Benjamin Dejo]

Research indicates that Dodge made 1 ton window vans with 5 lug wheels also. The wheels will be 16 inch commercial rims.

Not all 3/4 and 1 ton vans had 6 or 8 lug wheels.

 

[akrvbob]

The lugs probably aren't much of a safety issue, but 15 inch tires are. You buy a 3/4 to and think you can carry some weight on it but the extreme weak link will be the tires.

The highest any normal sized 15 inch tire is rated for is less than 2300 pound. That allows you 4600 pounds on the rear axle, but because of the design of vans nearly all the weight you add goes to the rear axle. Load it up to 7000-8000 pounds (which is what you expect from a 3/4 ton) and you will have overloaded your rear tires. Very risky to overload tires.
Bob

 

[DannyB1954]

Maybe I can find 16" tires with a diameter of 29.1 and get new rims to fit them and my bolt pattern.

 

[ccbreder]

My B250, 1987 has a maximum weight on the front of 3300 pounds, and the rear of 3700 pounds. This is with 235/75R15 tires. That is what the manufacturer designed. Safely carry the designated weight with 15 inch tires. All the 250 dodges had 15 inch 5 lug rims. My 300 had 15 inch 6 lug rims.

 

[highdesertranger]

the biggest problem with 15 inch tires is very few are made in load range E and they are very hard to find. most are rated C. heavily loaded C's are no good especially off road, you will blow a side wall. highdesertranger

 

[steamjam1]

Maybe I can find 16" tires with a diameter of 29.1 and get new rims to fit them and my bolt pattern.

It would be just as easy (If not easier, and cheaper) to just go to the wreckers and convert your 3/4-on into a 1-ton. It's all bolt together. No adapters needed. That way you get the big brakes, high rate springs, and full float rear axle.
[img=302x179]http://oi62.tinypic.com/2m66a2g.jpg[/img]
Thats a dana-60 full float I just stuck under my B150 shorty when I first began the 4x4 conversion. It was easy. 4 bolts and disconnect parking brake/brake hose. The front spindles are just as easy cept for needing a pickle fork. 

I have never seen a 80's and up dodge 1/2, or 3/4 ton van with 6, or 8 lug wheels thats not an owner mod.

 

[DannyB1954]

If I put a 1 ton floater on the rear, I should also put 1 ton spindles on the front. I would be looking at rims as well, (don't want to carry two spare tires, one 5 lug, one 8 lug). That is a lot of work. It is a domino effect when one does a mod. If you do this, then you should also do that. After a while it makes more sense to sell what you have and get the larger unit if you really need it. My solution may be to just not put the weight into the van to start with.

The van is rated for a max weight of 6,200 lbs, If 60% of the weight is on the rear, that comes to 3,720 lb. Divided by 2 tires is 1,860lb. If I buy tires rated for 2,200 lbs, that gives me a safety factor of 680 lb, (2,200 - 1,860 X 2). Besides how much weight a tire can handle there are also other considerations such as how well will it do in the dirt.

I do need tires anyway, so still shopping for those. looking at tire reviews at http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/wheels-tires/129-1204-4x4-tire-guide/

 

[ZoNiE]

The VIN indicates 3/4 ton. I found out that the Dana 60 came in a 5 lug pattern and that is a heavy axle.
I guess it is heavy enough for whatever I want to do with it anyway. Maybe tonight I will put it on my buddies lift and see if I can ID the rear end.
Title says empty weight 3359, gross weight 6,200 lbs.  so payload should be 2,841 Maybe I will drive it to the scales at the dump to see what it is now.

If that thing only weighs 3,359# empty, wow. My Ford Explorer Sport Tracs weigh 4,500#.

 

[steamjam1]

If I put a 1 ton floater on the rear, I should also put 1 ton spindles on the front. I would be looking at rims as well, (don't want to carry two spare tires, one 5 lug, one 8 lug).  That is a lot of work. It is a domino effect when one does a mod. If you do this, then you should also do that. After a while it makes more sense to sell what you have and get the larger unit if you really need it. My solution may be to just not put the weight into the van to start with.

The van is rated for a max weight of 6,200 lbs, If 60% of the weight is on the rear, that comes to 3,720 lb.  Divided by 2 tires is 1,860lb. If I buy tires rated for 2,200 lbs, that gives me a safety factor of 680 lb, (2,200 - 1,860 X 2).  Besides how much weight a tire can handle there are also other considerations such as how well will it do in the dirt.

I do need tires anyway, so still shopping for those. looking at tire reviews at http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/wheels-tires/129-1204-4x4-tire-guide/

Yah.. conversions like this tend to "grow"... :-D

 

[highdesertranger]

the empty weight on the title is a big lie. truck manufactures got in trouble for this a couple of years ago. the weight they come up with was on a stripped down truck, they would remove everything they could. rear bumper, tail gate, spare tire, no options, no AC, very little fuel, nothing just a stripped down truck. then the manufacturers could inflate their capacities and tow ratings. highdesertranger

 

[DannyB1954]

Just about ready to go with these, https://www.walmart.com/ip/General-Grabber-AT2-Light-Truck-and-SUV-Tire-255-70R15/14964177
Anybody have something they like better?

 

[highdesertranger]

I like BFG's highdesertranger