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New tires and wheels for the winter

benlaud87

Well-Known Member
Messages
849
Location
Maryland
Since moving to Maryland I decided to part with my Baja Claws and get something that would handle better in the snow. Not sure how much it snows here really, but I remember a few years ago being snowed in while living in Virginia and driving around in a Lancer. It was pretty fun, but definitely not safe. Ive read that Baja Claws are pretty terrible in the snow, so I found a set of 5 Goodyear Duratracs. I got them with about 1000 miles on them and paired with a set of 18x9 KMC rockstars. I was never a fan of the rockstars really, but at the price I paid theres no way I could say no. They even have tire pressure sensors in all of them. I just need to figure out how to reset the TPMS. I think I read something in the manual about turning the light knob to off three times then letting air out of the tires, etc, etc..

DSCN2963.jpg

DSCN2964.jpg

DSCN2965.jpg

DSCN2966.jpg


Ive got rock sliders on the way and replacement screw covers for the marker lights. I also just put on a set of PIAA 520 lights that I got on craigslist. I painted them from their original chrome to match the truck. Ive got to say, I kind of like the rockstars without the center caps on. I was contemplating painting the star metallic orange or matte black, but might just leave them off for now.


My front license plate mount has a patent pending so I dont want to see anyone trying to steal it.
 
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08SolarFlareH3

Super Swampers
Messages
2,525
Location
Finger Lakes, NY
Nice snow shoes! and socks to :wink:. They look good with out the center caps but for fun it would be cool to see what the center caps would look like on with the stars painted orange (like JeepeaterH3's old 3).
 

benlaud87

Well-Known Member
Messages
849
Location
Maryland
Almost forgot, here is a link to TPMS relearn procedure

:link:


Is that process supposed to get rid of the "service tpm" message? I just ran through that process 3 times and the low tire pressure message always goes away but the service tpm doesnt go away. All the horn chirps went off and everything.
 

M22KLARS

Unsafe At Any Speed
Messages
2,315
Location
Minnesota
Hey those actually look really nice on your 3! I agree with painting the star to match. That would look sweet. Good luck in the snow and ice this winter!
 

Bigunit

Hammer Down!
Staff member
Messages
6,558
Location
Arizona
Is that process supposed to get rid of the "service tpm" message? I just ran through that process 3 times and the low tire pressure message always goes away but the service tpm doesnt go away. All the horn chirps went off and everything.

Benlaud, after you did the last tire and heard the beep to signal it was reset, did you 1) turn the key to "off" to lock position; 2) then turn your key back to "on" and 3) drive your rig to allow the TPM reset to be finalized. The manual does not note this last requirement. Let me know if that works.

BTW, great looking rims & tires. The Duratracs are really good in snow.
 

kflips

Well-Known Member
Messages
776
Location
Virginia
I here the Duratracs are good in snow - should be no problem -- I have Cooper STT's & hit the ice/snow storm last year with no problems, except for having to go down 6 different roads to find each one totally blocked then having to turn around before I finally made my 12 mile journey home from work.

Good looking H3
 

benlaud87

Well-Known Member
Messages
849
Location
Maryland
Benlaud, after you did the last tire and heard the beep to signal it was reset, did you 1) turn the key to "off" to lock position; 2) then turn your key back to "on" and 3) drive your rig to allow the TPM reset to be finalized. The manual does not note this last requirement. Let me know if that works.

BTW, great looking rims & tires. The Duratracs are really good in snow.

It ended up working after I drove around for a few minutes. Its weird not having that yellow light anymore telling me theres something wrong. Im glad now if anything does go wrong and a code is tripped i'll know about it rather than just thinking its my lousy tpms

I'll probably paint the center caps next weekend.
 
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benlaud87

Well-Known Member
Messages
849
Location
Maryland
theyre 325/65/18s. I like them alot so far from what little driving I have done. I miss the hum of the baja claws though.
 

benlaud87

Well-Known Member
Messages
849
Location
Maryland
I painted the stars from the KMC rockstar center caps. I tried using duplicolor clear effex to dry and mimic the pearlescent/metallic look for the solar flare metallic paint. I think I used too much of it and in the sun they look pretty sparkly, oh well.
DSCN2967.jpg

DSCN2968.jpg
heres a picture I just snapped of the caps on the wheels, they turned out lighter than I thought, probably from the duplicolor clear effex glitter stuff.

DSCN2969.jpg
I still need to cut down the posts and screws that hold on the center caps so they sit flush to the wheel.
 
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HUMMERADDICT

Well-Known Member
Messages
252
Location
NH
I painted the stars from the KMC rockstar center caps. I tried using duplicolor clear effex to dry and mimic the pearlescent/metallic look for the solar flare metallic paint. I think I used too much of it and in the sun they look pretty sparkly, oh well.
DSCN2967.jpg

DSCN2968.jpg

Do you have pics with the caps on yet?
 

benlaud87

Well-Known Member
Messages
849
Location
Maryland
I posted one above, here is another one. I can't do much in the driveway, I'll have to get some better pictures later on.

DSCN2969.jpg


DSCN2970.jpg
The pictures make them look very pale, they actually look really good, especially in the sun.
 
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08SolarFlareH3

Super Swampers
Messages
2,525
Location
Finger Lakes, NY
Looks good but may I make one suggestion? Cut down the spacers used to mount the center caps, the gap is one of the things I hate about the Rock Stars. I remember someone on the old forum doing that to theirs.
 
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benlaud87

Well-Known Member
Messages
849
Location
Maryland
yeah, I mentioned that I still had to do that. I didnt feel like cutting an inch off of 20 screws today though.
 

Hummjay

Wild Thang
Messages
347
Location
Seattle, WA
Hi Benlaud- Hey I just LOVE your badd*ss 3! Good job on the stars. Your truck is looking really tight! I think you'll like your Duratracs. I love mine, they're awesome in snow and behave well on highway, etc. Where did you take your signature pic? That's some really red dirt... I grew up in VA so I know there's red clay in lots of places on he East Coast... or were you in Moab? Just curious...
 

benlaud87

Well-Known Member
Messages
849
Location
Maryland
Hi Benlaud- Hey I just LOVE your badd*ss 3! Good job on the stars. Your truck is looking really tight! I think you'll like your Duratracs. I love mine, they're awesome in snow and behave well on highway, etc. Where did you take your signature pic? That's some really red dirt... I grew up in VA so I know there's red clay in lots of places on he East Coast... or were you in Moab? Just curious...

It was taken in Crestview, FL. I guess the closest major city around there would be Pensacola.
 
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