bruce l. bergman

If you want to put the spare tire into the rotation, the solution is
to find another matching aluminum rim at a wrecking yard or as a
"take-off" at a local tire shop that sold someone else a new set of
rims, they often keep the old ones for either scrap or resale.

Go leave a written request for a set of Ranger/B3000 wheels at all
the regional car dealers and tire shops with your name and number. A
set will show up. And since you aren't in a "I Need It Right Now!"
panicked rush, you shouldn't be paying full retail - depending on how
fancy they are, some of those rims can be $200 to $500 new at the
dealer.

If you can find a really good price on the rims like $20 each and
they have more than one, get what they have. Then you are ready if
you bang into a curb and bend or break one.

Take-offs usually come in sets of 4 - unless they were removed
because the prior owner broke one and bought four new (non stock)
matching rims, in which case there are three good ones left.
Sometimes they even come with decent used tires on them as a bonus,
but the price is a bit higher.

Oh, and snow tires go much better on a separate set of steel rims -
save yours, find more. Snow means salt and tire chains and de-icing
chemicals, and they are hell on the finish of alloy wheels, which are
costly to have refinished - steel rims can be cleaned up and painted
easily and cheaply.
--<< Bruce >>--