Ok from any of my searches I thought the stock aluminum rims that were a option on 99?-2002 wont fit on my 98 but a guy at the local tire shop said in his book it shows 99-2000 will and 01-02 wont, so does
.......Any Body Know.......
for sure or changed to the aluminum ones on a 98
I like the factory aluminum rims look but never persued it because I thought they wouldnt fit.

 

94-99 are the same fit and 200-2002 are the same fit. They switched the makeup on the front axle in 2000, making the tie-rod end connections on the steering knuckle lower, closer to the center of the axle, which made the smaller inside-diameter aluminum rims fit. They also made the rear drums have a smaller outer diameter until 2001.5, when they went to rear disk, and then it was moot because there is plenty of clearance with disk on the rear.

I know because I have switched my 99 over to run 2000+ aluminum rims. Works
OK, but you have to do some customer grinding to the steering knuckle, and turn .125" off the outside diameter of the drums.
I think I have pics someplace, if you want them.

Chris

 

So the aluminum rims didnt start till 2000?
Thats what I thought but the book at the tire shop said 99 so...

 

I guess the book's wrong, or it it may be more "technical" about it, as the 2000 model year was actually manufactured predominately in 99.
As I said, I've been through this on my 99.
2000 is also when they went to dual-piston calipers, which probably explains the reconfiguration of the steering knuckles. I was thinking of swapping the steering knuckles, but another change they made is the ball joints enter the axle from the top on 2000, vs from the bottom on 99 and before.
If I had known about this difference in axles before I bought my 99 I would have held out for a 2000+, just for the better calipers.

Chris

 

I'l throw a wrench here, I don't know anything about all these changes but my early 99 came from the dealer stock with alluminum rims. I also have the drum rear brakes if that means anything.

 

Interesting. What kind of aluminum rims? Trying to verify the style.
Which direction do your ball joints go into the axle from?
These are the 2000+ wheels I am talking about:



I wonder about this because even a mid-year change would have to be a 1-99 manufacture date.

Thanks,
Chris

 

That looks like the rims, been a while since I paid any attention to them. They weren't on long. If the updated rims were a big difference in looks than I am sure that is them.

 

Well, please check when you can. I'd like to have as much info about this as possible so I can give accurate info when this question comes up. Not to dis your ride, but I want to know if you have something that is one-off, whether it be rims or axle.
Please check the actual production date also.

Thanks,
Chris

 

You might want to be really careful about doing this. Manufacturers typically don't build anything with extra material. It adds to the cost and cuts into their profit margin. They use Finite Element Analysis software to model the components. They then use the software to apply all the forces the components will be subjected to and see exactly where the stresses occur. They can then predict where the part will fail and tweak the design to get rid of the high stress areas. An example of this: Check Page 2 here

If you grind away at your suspension parts, you stand a really good chance of weakening them beyond the manufacturers' margin of safety that went into the design. No wheel and tire is pretty enough to die for, literally.

 

Berner,
Yeah, I agree, now. I have already done it though. I like to think that I have just reduced the safety factor a little. I have heard that many parts have safety factors of 2-4 times what the part should ever see, built into them, so maybe I just reduced that a bit. I wish I could find the pics, I'd show you what I did.

Thanks,
Chris

 

Thanks for the info guys your info is what makes this site great.
Stamey maybe 99s truck was a real late build and got the change over stuff kinda like my last 98 with a 24v and my pressent one with a 12v