Upsizing Wheels/Tires on Beatervan
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Upsizing Wheels/Tires on Beatervan
Our ancient beater has served us well, but is coming to that stage in life it requires a fair amount of work, i.e. timing belt, CV joints, struts, shocks, and tires . . . maybe a few cosmetic items - probably this fall. It's a base '99 Dodge Caravan with the 2.4L engine, so there's not a whole lot to go wrong with it - because the only option on it is an aftermarket stereo. While the exterior has a number of scratches and dents, the interior is pretty clean. and it has no serious mechanical problems at 97,000 miles.
I have it's predecessor out in the shed, a similar '92 V6 model with a blown timing belt and 130,000 miles that will be sold off for parts this fall, but the older van has one option - 15" OEM wheels that are still in good repair, but I'll inspect, clean, and repaint them (again) if I decide to re-use them.
My question is this: Since the 15's were optional on both vehicles from the manufacturer, I assume there's no real speedometer correction needed, the difference in price between 14 and 15-inch tires is negligible, the wheels seem to be interchangeable (same bolt circle and offset), can I simply swap the wheels before I fit new tires to the newer van? I'm hoping for a touch more life from the tires, and maybe even a tiny improvement in gas mileage. Is it worth the swap?
I have it's predecessor out in the shed, a similar '92 V6 model with a blown timing belt and 130,000 miles that will be sold off for parts this fall, but the older van has one option - 15" OEM wheels that are still in good repair, but I'll inspect, clean, and repaint them (again) if I decide to re-use them.
My question is this: Since the 15's were optional on both vehicles from the manufacturer, I assume there's no real speedometer correction needed, the difference in price between 14 and 15-inch tires is negligible, the wheels seem to be interchangeable (same bolt circle and offset), can I simply swap the wheels before I fit new tires to the newer van? I'm hoping for a touch more life from the tires, and maybe even a tiny improvement in gas mileage. Is it worth the swap?
Last edited by Lil4X; 07-01-13 at 06:15 PM.
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