Wide Wheel Pack - How to Identify?

[oncedisturbed]

Never knew about this set up until I was flicking through evilbay.

How do you identify whether your rig has the wide wheel pack or not?

[GRA.GU]

If you've got genuine nissan wheel arch flares then you've got the wide wheel option, as the conversion cost is prohibitive. Most Australian vehicles are the wide wheels, only the DX came with the narrow wheels. The narrow wheels were 5.50Fx16 split rims, on the manuals, or 6JJx16 steel on the autos. The wide wheel models carried 8JJx16 steel or 8jjx17 alloy.

[oncedisturbed]

ah cheers for the, mine has the 17" alloys on it so it would come under the wide pack. makes sense.

Cheers

[04OFF]

If you've got genuine nissan wheel arch flares then you've got the wide wheel option, as the conversion cost is prohibitive. Most Australian vehicles are the wide wheels, only the DX came with the narrow wheels. The narrow wheels were 5.50Fx16 split rims, on the manuals, or 6JJx16 steel on the autos. The wide wheel models carried 8JJx16 steel or 8jjx17 alloy.


Great responce mate !

[Dingo55]

If you've got genuine nissan wheel arch flares then you've got the wide wheel option, as the conversion cost is prohibitive. Most Australian vehicles are the wide wheels, only the DX came with the narrow wheels. The narrow wheels were 5.50Fx16 split rims, on the manuals, or 6JJx16 steel on the autos. The wide wheel models carried 8JJx16 steel or 8jjx17 alloy.

Hi GRA.GU,

When you say 'as the conversion cost is prohibitive' are you referring to the cost of fitting after market genuine nissan flares? I've heard from others that nissan genuine flares for a late model GU could be up to $900 per pair, $1800 to do both front & back guards, if nissan has them in stock. Is that the only conversion cost involved in order to run 16" or 17" rims on a DX originally manufactured/placared for the narrow wheels? If there are no other conversion costs, then depending on your taste a person could fit the FRP style flares or go for a lighter option with a Bushranger type rubber flare to reduce costs, could they not?

cheers

[04OFF]

You may also need to drill holes in all the gaurds to attach flares, the female side of the clip that sits into the gaurd holes is a oval shape not just round, so drilling holes would be a pain, Sikaflex may work but theres not much of a lip on the flare to work with.

To do it right, the front and rear bumber bars will need to be wider to join up with the flares as they would from factory.



As you said, you could always just put those rubber flares on , cheap and easy, and it can look ok.

[GRA.GU]

040FF has summed it up well, Dingo. The only thing I can add is that the bullbars for both models are also different, the wide wheel one of course being a little wider. I looked into it myself at one stage but came to the conclusion that the only real advantage was in re-sale and on- road driving. In the latter I think there is a significant advantage, but I regard my wagon mainly as an off- road tourer. In this capacity I'm yet to be convinced that wide wheels offer an advantage despite the assumption of most that they "must". Meanwhile the 235x85 x16 that I use are lighter and cheaper, so I'm unlikely to change.

[Dingo55]

Thanks O4OFF, if I do fit flares then no probs witht the oval hole bit, all my drill holes usually end up oval, but thanks for the tip.

[Woof]

Bunnings flares are cheap and easy to fit

[Dingo55]

040FF has summed it up well, Dingo. The only thing I can add is that the bullbars for both models are also different, the wide wheel one of course being a little wider. I looked into it myself at one stage but came to the conclusion that the only real advantage was in re-sale and on- road driving. In the latter I think there is a significant advantage, but I regard my wagon mainly as an off- road tourer. In this capacity I'm yet to be convinced that wide wheels offer an advantage despite the assumption of most that they "must". Meanwhile the 235x85 x16 that I use are lighter and cheaper, so I'm unlikely to change.

Thanks GRA.GU, good info. I've seen the different widths in the genuine Nissan bullbars for DX & ST, but not in the ARB bullbar which is what I have on my DX. It's made for ST so it hangs out either side & would accomodate flares. I hear what you're saying about your 235x85R16s. Drove in snow in Wainwright with the Canadian army on tyres that were about 6" wide. In fresh snow, not much different to deep sand, the narrow tyres were gold. Bit of a different story on hard packed snow where the tyre couldn't pentrate to get a grip & a bit scary driving on the black top covered in slushy snow/light ice back to Edmonton, only about 200 clicks but it took us nearly 5 hrs - a very slow cautious trip. A wider tyre would have improved road holding/handling & reduced the number of piss stops. Split rims & narrow tyres were the ducks guts on some serious offroad trecks west of Katherine, north of Timber Creek, Flinders Ranges. Driving skill has much to do with success but there's a continuing place in off roading for narrow tyres, for a lot of good reasons - horses for courses.
Interesting observations & comments on 4WD tyre options at this link:

http://www.outbackcrossing.com.au/FourWheelDrive/Truth_About_4WD_Tyres.shtml

Cheers

[Dingo55]

Bunnings flares are cheap and easy to fit

Are you talking about 100mm black rubber garden edging Dogman?

[GRA.GU]

Thanks for that link, Dingo. I had not seen it but it is very much aligned with my view on tyres, facts and fashions. as is this one; http://www.expeditionswest.com/research/white_papers/tire_selection_rev1.html
Cheers

[oncedisturbed]

Are you talking about 100mm black rubber garden edging Dogman?



I believe so, if it the ones I am thinking they are, they should have a hollow thread at the top that you can run small guage solid wire through to stop the droopy look

[Dingo55]

Thanks for that link, Dingo. I had not seen it but it is very much aligned with my view on tyres, facts and fashions. as is this one; http://www.expeditionswest.com/research/white_papers/tire_selection_rev1.html
Cheers

Great read in that link GRA.GU - a slightly upsized Tyres 101

Cheers