Method 705s Are Another Lighter Weight Wheel Option

[Lion77]

XTM's in 285/70R17 are 53 lbs per tire vs. the OE Ford spec. BFG KO3 at 56 lbs per tire. So, your dropping 12 lbs in tire and another ~ 12 lbs in wheel mass.

I came over from Ford Beadlocks, which were insanely heavy at 36 lbs per wheel! So, stock setup with OE beadlocks = 56 lb tire + 36 lb wheel = 92 lbs.

My final set up will be Method 705s + Pirelli XTM = 53 lb tire + 25.2 lb wheel = 78.2 lbs.

That's just per one wheel and there are obviously 4 wheels (spare tire too, but it's not rotating mass so while if you also do the spare, which plan to do, it won't have any noticeable impact).

Total Weight Difference: (92 - 78.2) * 4 = 55.2 lbs less rotating mass! That is HUGE in terms of WHP. Yes, the engine makes the same power, but less power is wasted trying to spin up large mass (think of swinging a weight on a rope around in a circle, heavier weights are harder to get going), so, more of the available power goes to the rear wheels to actually move the entire vehicle.

If you put a truck or car up on a dyno meter and test with heavier and lighter wheels, you will see differences in measured RWHP (rear wheel horsepower), because with the lighter tires and wheels, you're getting more of the available power to moving the truck, less if being wasted just spinning up the mass.

On top of that the entire truck weighs less too, so the total difference in mass for me (steel spare wheel weighs about the same as the OE beadlocks) = (92 - 78.2) * 5 = 69 lbs lighter truck.

That means you add weight for other gains without increase the total weight of the truck aka use the weight more efficiently, like a heavier higher performance inter cooler, rock sliders etc. I look at the RR more from a performance car perspective, if I add weight in one location, it is ideal to remove it from another location IF possible and not affecting reliability.

I think the Method 705 + Pirelli XTM AT 285/70R17 is the perfect combination for Road / Rally Truck. It's not a "big tire rock crawling" setup, it is more of a high performane race truck setup tailored for higher speeds and better handling, braking and acceleration. It enhances steering precision and also performance on a prepped track, dirt roads, gravel roads, sand dunes etc. anywhere that is high speed.

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[Lion77]

The Lion's Road-Rally Build Goals:

1. Ford Performance Pro Cal (455 hp / 536 lb-ft torque)

2. Wagner Intercooler (still haven't bought this yet, on stockintercooler for now until I am past the 36k warranty)

3. TirboTEX In Situ DLC of the entire powertrain to achieve super lubricity

4. Worksport AL4 Tonneau Cover (< 50 lbs, solid aluminum, reduces aerodynamic drag losses from tailgate and offers practical coverage of contents in the bed)

5. Method 705's in 17x8.5 ET+35mm @ 25.2lbs per wheel

6. Pirelli XTM AT 285/70R17's (lighter than KO3's, same off-road traction, better steering and less weight, once my KO3's are worn out, I will switch over).

7. L-track in the truck bed for cargo management, extremely lightweight method of securing cargo (~2lbs per L-track rail).

8. GOAT 20-degree rock sliders (still gotta save up to buy these) for better side clearance and rocker protection on trails.

The build is focused on balancing performance both on and off-road, I also need to balance utility and performance while maintaining high reliability / durability with an expectation of at least 150k mile service life, possibly 200k~250k. Balance is key.

I want to preserve maximum handling dynamics, acceleration, braking and turning. But I also want to enhance off-road for rough terrain without taking away from performance driving (rock sliders help side clearance, the biggest impediment with stock side steps, everything else is pretty good clearance for most off-road use).

I am leaving the intake stock to avoid risk of running the engine lean due to error in flow from aftermarket intakes, factory turbos and piping etc. since that is what the Pro Cal was all tuned around. Factory paper air filters offer better filtration for long-term reliability, changed regularly.

I use Motorcraft GF-7A spec Full Synthetic oil and OE oil filters to avoid wet belt compatibility issues and unexpected wear issues since all Ford Ecoboost engines were designed and tested with Ford OE spec oils. KEEPING horsepower should be the goal, not making massive amounts more for a short time until something fails or wears out rapidly, unless you just like pissing away money or are intending on building a new custom engine anyway (short block with Forged Pistons and Rods meant for bigger turbos etc.).

I use TopTier gas (Shell, Sunoco, Marathon etc.) to minimize carbon buildup on the intake valves and combustion chamber. Basically, good maintenance goes a long way to avoiding problems. I also avoid full throttle until transmission oil is up to at least 170F, transmission takes longer to warm up than engine oil, but I have no issue going WOT once it's up to temp and having some fun! I've also already jumped it numerous times, love jumping this truck!

I use my truck on-road and off-road, for both practical and sport uses, so balancing performance / reliability / utility is critical. Bigger tires only help off-road in very rough terrain, not something I usually need to drive on and they take away a lot of acceleration, braking and cornering performance, worse fuel economy and higher wear on drivetrain, so for my present uses, stock tire size is best balance. Plus, going all the way up to 35x11.5 only gains you 1" of minimum running clearance which is not much for all the tradeoff / cost / wear.

Also, the Pirelli XTM AT's have 1" wider tread, so makes them look bigger than OE KO3's (9.7" vs 8.8" tread width), all without actually going to bigger / heavier tire. I get why factory size is 33", good balance between performance vs. clearance, much lighter than larger tires and the Ranger is a Rally truck, NOT a rock crawler. It is the ONLY truck with a Watts Link and the only mid-size truck with 405 hp stock, 455 hp with Pro Cal.