Super Singles for 8 Lug MB Trucks (917,1120)

VerMonsterRV

Gotta Be Nuts
Would anyone have a US source for 8 lug super singles for the MB trucks like the 917 and apparently the 1120. I just sent an email to Hutchinson in Germany in case they are not available here.
 

Haf-E

Expedition Leader
I think your wheels would be the same as the "big" unimogs - U1700 etc?

Here is their specs:

Backset is 104mm
Centre hub dia : 220mm
8 Stud
PCD 275 mm
Standard Studs 20mm

There is a company called "Stazworks" which can make you new wheels or recenter mil surplus HMMT or MRAP wheels - www.stazworks.com
 

VerMonsterRV

Gotta Be Nuts
Thanks, one thing I forgot to mention is I would like the rims to be reversible so they could be used front/rear so I would need to carry just a single spare. And since I am wishing I have read that 22.5" tires are easier to source world wide, plus the 20" tires seem to be mostly heavy tread off road and something with a less aggressive thread pattern might be easier on highways.
 

erwin z

Member
A point to remember is, super single tires are drive or trailer tire positions only, they don't make steer tires.
The design was to replace dual tires.
Your single spare option being reversible, isn't an option.
Before you get too far ahead, you will still need tires before you figure the wheel issue.
 

erwin z

Member
He said he wanted if he could to run one spare that would be reversible allowing it to be for front and rear.
His idea, not mine. I don't think he was aware of position tires.
Im not familiar with the truck either, so I don't know if a tire that wide would even fit the front.
 

grizzlyj

Tea pot tester
Hiya

Just regarding tyres, our Mog started with 20" Continental MPT 80 which have a directional lug and were quite noisy and the shoulders wore a little unevenly and may have needed rotating more than they were. No complaints on how they performed on tarmac on an old 150Hp truck.

Next up were 20" Michelin XZLs which wore less unevely, non-directional, much much quieter and again no complaints.

I think neither had directional arrows from the manufacturer on the shoulder to suggest they should be mounted either way round. The slight tractor tread V on the 80's could be mounted "backwards" if traction while reversing in mud was more important than driving forwards. But that's a bit of a maybe. The XZL's once aired down were awesome in mud (with portals, long soft coil suspension, flexy chassis, 4x4, three difflocks, amazing driving skill etc etc :))

There's a book and dvd by a German Mog expert called Gisbert Hindenach that looks at the different 20" tyres suitable for a Mog a little more technically, with a grading depending on your expected usage. It mainly covers a Mog off road in all respects, very informative.
 

VerMonsterRV

Gotta Be Nuts
Hi guys, well as you have figured out I am definitely new to these kind of trucks (or any heavy truck for that matter). I am in the process of buying the 1120 and just wanted to make sure getting single wheels was not impossible (or crazy expensive). Now if I did want to carry just a single spare, without reversing the rim would I be looking for a "split rim"? Any idea as to custom steel wheel builder in the USA that could do these?
 

grizzlyj

Tea pot tester
Hi

A Mog we had in the UK had 8 bolt rims which we couldn't find a used one for as a spare until one turned up after being re-centred and then broke. I would think asking a Merc dealer in Europe that deals with older trucks may be able to point you to either some used ones or new from Merc which you know will then fit. Merex or Atkinson Vos maybe?

A split rim is how a multi piece wheel is constructed, some are described as two piece some as three piece, (ours were three piece but had four if you included the sealing rubber), so to change tyres you maybe don't have to unmount the biggest bit of the wheel from the hub if the wheel is mounted the right way round to do that (dish out).

If you look at Bill Caid's lovely blog you can see his 1017A that I think had Unimog U500 super single split rims front and back. The front hubs have the wheel dish out, the rears have the dish in to end up with a suitable track width front and back.

http://www.billcaid.com/2010/1017ACamperConstruction20100921/TripMain.html
 

Joe917

Explorer
Running singles on all four corners with one reversible spare is the standard for 917, 1017 etc. 20" tires are not readily available in South America. You will want "all position tires" .
 

Neil

Observer
I have 22.5 super singles on all 4 corners. Totally reversible and can be used front and rear.
I would steer away from split rims.
Despite earlier posts it can be done and works well
Neil
 

Joe917

Explorer
There is some confusion here over "super singles". Tire manufacturers have come out with a single tire replacement for dual trailer tires that they refer to as super single. The heavy truck 4x4 crowd refer to the replacement of dual rears with a single that matches the front and has the load capacity to handle the gvw as super single also. Just to add to the confusion you can get a rim that is reversible to fit front and rear or you can get a vehicle with axles that will accept the same rim front and rear. A tire that is not directional would be best as a single spare, however running a directional tire the wrong way would still get you to help.
 

VerMonsterRV

Gotta Be Nuts
I have 22.5 super singles on all 4 corners. Totally reversible and can be used front and rear.
I would steer away from split rims.
Despite earlier posts it can be done and works well
Neil

Hey Neil, if you have the info handy could you tell me the details about your rims? The offset, rim width and tire choice would be great. Our truck has the more difficult to source 8 lug rims but I have a company in Wisconsin that will modify a 10 lug rim at a reasonable cost. They just need the offset and width to build them.
 

EAB

Observer
Jon,
The truck I am purchasing already has super singles on it with Hankook 385/65 R22.5 tires. I would prefer a XZL style tire as they will air down better and be better in mud so I am probably going to look at going to something different. I know the rims were bought in Europe and I could find out from who if you are interested.

Eric
 

VerMonsterRV

Gotta Be Nuts
Hi Eric, I am still trying to work out whether 20" or 22.5". I have a lot of recommendations to go with the 22.5" but I see most, if not all, the builders in Europe putting 20" rims on. I know of a place GABO in the Netherlands that will build the 20" demountable reversible rims. I also have a shipping quote that is not too bad (would be better with a combined order of a few trucks). I also know of the company in Wisconsin for the custom 22.5". They really do not recommend the demountable rims at all. Since this is all new to me the decision is taking a bit of digging.
 

mog

Kodiak Buckaroo
Besides the off-road performance, I'd say that 20" are popular in the USA with all the 'surplus' Military tires. I bought a couple spare XZLs and the shipping was more than the tires.
My XZLs have a surprisingly great ride on the freeway and very little to none tire noise (395/85-20 on an MB1017AF). As they are not '+' tires they are speed limited to 55mph, but I ran 60-64 mph most of the way on my last trip (1300 miles) with no problems. The 22.5 are certainly more available both here and in the rest of the world, and someday our 'cheap' 20s will be going away and we will all be complaining.
 

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