Birdgog or surplus?

[sang_route]

Once I get back to the states I'm going to be tearing into my truck, so my question is this.

 

Would it be better to get army surplus M1151 rims already with good 37" rubber on it or go and get the birdog rims and probably KM2s, also in 37"?

 

Ither way my cad 30 is hitting the trash. I have a 58" wms to wms ford 9" but its a weaker 28 spline. I think I can fix that, tho.

 

Pros M1151

Cheap beadlocks and rubber. Common bolt pattern. Army still has Sherman parts, so availability is good. tires last FOREVER!

Probably go for D44/semi-float 60 

Con

7.5" backspacing. heavy, need both new axles, 16.5" rims

 

 

 

Pros Birdog

Nice new parts, choose common sizes, can keep rear axle w strengthening and lug pattern change.

Con

Expensive, not easy to get just yet.

 

 

So what would you do? 

[benjy_26]

Depends. What's your intended use for the vehicle?

[Incommando]

I have had both versions of humvee Goodyears and they both suck. Why do the last forever? Because they are hard and do not grab. How are you going to adapt that 5x5.5 half ton ford pattern to 8-lug? Or is it a car axle with 5x4.5? What 8 lug front are you going to graft on? A 3/4 ton D44 as mentioned above? MJ suspension or the not uncommon swap to leafs on the front? Either way that is a lot of work for a marginal gain over a nice HP D30. From that little bit posted it seems like maybe rim choice is still some planning away. I can see maybe planning a build around rims that you already have but to start from scratch and plan around rims that you do not have yet and that do not work with the axle you already have to use? That may not be the easiest or most cost effective way to do this.

[sang_route]

Mearly planning. the 9" is the 5x4.5, I have the 44 w the humvee tires offered to me for a steal and I am having trouble making a decision on it. I plan on using it for long  trips and deep woods wheeling, with lots of roots, mud, clay and granite outcrops. I'm done trying to keep a 30 alive on 33's now much less the 37's I want to run. I'm trying to find a shaft kit for the 9" that ither brings it up to a 5x5.5 or the 8x6.5. but if i uwill end up under my wifes cherokee, the 35 has a crack in the upper center section. and I wanted to keep the comanche suspension up front. though to get the right with I'll need a wider rear housing anyway. Nither myself or the seller knows what the 44 came out of but its a hp at 86" wms so with the rims its roughly the same as the 30 I'm running now.