> Can someone cover the benefits of 1 peice wheels vs. 2 peice wheels. Also,
> can one substitute 2 peice wheels on the 97's, even if it has to be done

> after market?

There seem to be two big differences:

1. 2-piece wheels - you can change the tires with just hand tools.
2. 1-piece wheels - the run-flats and bead-locks lock only the inside bead (vs. both on the 2-piece).

In the interest of completeness, I have heard the following about the 1-piece wheels:

• more difficult to bend when off-road.
• easier to balance because of the run-flat / bead-lock design.

I cannot verify these last two myself.

Dave Breggin
'95 Diesel Wagon (2-piece wheels)

I have a set of each. I keep MT's on 2-piece rims with runflats and bead locks for off-road and I have a set of one-piece rims with two-piece runflats with AT's for freeway and about town.

I have found both to have balancing problems. ( I guess I'll be calling Stringer after I get done paying for the second set of rims for wheel balancers). The main reason that I use one-piece rims for freeway travel is that just about any tire shop or service station can break down a tire to repair if necessary, as long as you have the camlock tool to remove the two-piece runflats. FYI: the lug nuts are different for each wheel, 2-piece wheels are tapered and the one-piece are flat-bottomed. For ctis hook up, should you want a set on each rim to connect to the ctis valve, all hardware is easy to find at the local plumbing supply or hardware with the exception of the nut that connects to the ctis valve itself. Every piece is 3/8 thread except for the nut to the ctis valve which is 5/16 compression. Imperial makes a 5/16 compression flare that can be drilled out to 3/8 to accept the air supply and give enough of a collar not to cut the tubing that a standard 5/16 compression nut (which also must be drilled out to 3/8) does not have. Suburban Ford-Hummer in Sacramento told me that AMG will not sell this nut without buying the complete valve assembly, so we have to improvise. All parts for four rims should be under $25.00.

Gary Collings
'95 diesel wagon

One-piece wheels:

• Will hold tire without runflat or beadlock
• Tire can be mounted at most tire shops (if not using runflat or beadlock)
• Runflat does not lock either bead of tire
• Beadlock locks only inner bead

Two-piece wheels:

• Special tools required to change tire and beadlock
• Tire / runflat / beadlock can be mounted using only hand tools (i.e., in the field)
• Runflat and beadlock both lock both beads
• Weighs more than one-piece

Comments:

• Some people believe that the one-piece wheels bend more easily,
• some people believe that the two-piece wheels bend more easily.

Locking the bead of the tires is more important for heavy off-road use, or for operation at low tire pressure (i.e. sand).

My $.02 worth, YMMV

Dave Breggin
'95 Diesel Wagon