How to convert dually to supersingle?

Hey guys,

I am thinking of converting an '06 T1N 158" 3500 dually Sprinter into a supersingle. I was always under the impression the super single was a ridiculously wide tire until I came across this video;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmOA_Mfqrgc

I think I would much prefer this over the dually setup. Does anyone know how to actually go about converting this? Is it even possible for a T1N?

The answer is yes. I have seen a number of them rolling around Oz.

The super single conversion consists of two things. One, a tire that can carry the weight. This doesn't have to be the gross axle weight rating, assuming you vehicle is lighter, you can use a lower rated tire. This has some advantages, as tires that can handle half the dually axle weight can either be hard to find, or very wide.

Two, you need a wheel/rim that can carry the load, and has the right offset. Now, you also need to match the wheels width to the tire. You can't normally put a 265mm wide tire on the factory 5.5-6" wheel.

Being in Europe, there are more choices for wheels, and I would not be surprised if there is a common-ish supplier that makes them for the T1N. Another option is to see if Mercedes offered a super single wheel package. If so, you just need to identify the part number, and do some searching.

Some wheels/rims change the offset some from the factory rim . You may want to have the same rim front/back which can pose some challenges if the offset is changed. The rear rim is flipped 180 degrees from the front so any change is offset is multiplied by 4x to create a difference in track width (not desirable). So some rigs opt to have a different rim (not necessarily tire) front to rear. Or some use a spacer. This is not required if you keep the factory offset.


Here is the specs on the NCV3 factory super singles. I am not sure, but the NCV3 may use the same bolt pattern! I believe user Cole upgraded to 16" tires/wheels from a NCV3 on his T1N dually, which seems to indicate they are the same size? See this thread.
https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30471

Wheels and tires – The wheels on the dual rear wheel model are steel wheels 5.5×16 with 215/85 R16 tires on all 6 wheels. On the Super Single the wheels are Steel Wheels: 8.5×16 Rear & 6.5×16 Front with Super Single Tires Rear 285/65 R16 and 205/65 R16 tires in the front.

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If the offsets are close or the same, you could in theory put the 8.5x16 rear rims on the front. This would be desirable, as it lets you use a single spare. You can then go with a narrower tire (245/265) and use the same tire front/rear. Obviously make sure you are not overweight for the smaller tire. Due to the 4x4 system, you need to have the same diameter tires front/rear. They don't need to be the same width though, so you could have different sizes as long as the rolling diameter is within a couple percent.

Assuming you can get your hands on NCV3 SS wheels (8.5/16) you can fit a 265/70R16 tire. The BFG AT KO2 is available in this size, and is 30.6" diameter. It will fit on your van (might need to adjust mudflaps).


It has a weight capacity of 3195lbs at 80PSI. The Rear Axle load rating on your van is 7056lbs, half of that is 3,528. 3528-3195=333 333x2=666lbs. So this tire would be acceptable if you can keep your rear axle load 666lbs under max. That should not be a problem, as you will have at least 3500lbs on the front axle I suspect, and the max combined weight is ~10,000lbs.

So will the NCV3 wheels work on a 2006 T1N? Isn't there a bolt pattern problem here? Not the poster but I'm a bit confused!

kjg912 said:

So will the NCV3 wheels work on a 2006 T1N? Isn't there a bolt pattern problem here? Not the poster but I'm a bit confused!

Click to expand...

2500 and 3500 sprinters use different bolt patterns and offsets.

The T1N and ncv3 2500 vans use different bolt patterns as well.

Based on the thread I linked, it appears that 3500 T1N and NCV3 vans use the same bolt pattern and offset. So 3500 NCV3 and T1N wheels are compatible. 2500 T1N and NCV3 wheel are note interchangeable.

Midwestdrifter said:

2500 and 3500 sprinters use different bolt patterns and offsets.

The T1N and ncv3 2500 vans use different bolt patterns as well.

Based on the thread I linked, it appears that 3500 T1N and NCV3 vans use the same bolt pattern and offset. So 3500 NCV3 and T1N wheels are compatible. 2500 T1N and NCV3 wheel are note interchangeable.

Click to expand...

Thanks for all the info MWD. It has been a real pain trying to track down 16x8.5 rims in Europe. I literally can't find the MB SuperSingle wheels. Is it possible to do something like a 16x8 instead?

Something like this?
https://www.tyresdirectuk.co.uk/product/modular-16x8-et-35-black-6x139-7/

I checked http://www.tyresizecalculator.com/tyre-wheel-calculators/tyre-size-for-rim-size-width-calculator which stated the maximum width tyre I could put on a 8" wide rim would be 245. The max for an 8.5" rim would be 255, and the max for a 9" rim would be 265. Does this sound accurate to you?

There is no reason you cannot use a 8" wide wheel. The wheel obviously needs the correct offset and bolt pattern, and it needs to be rated for the weight.


That tire calculator is just an estimate, you need to check the tire manufacturers specs. For example, the BFG KO2 in 265/70/R16 and 265/75R16 lists 8" as an acceptable wheel width. You can also install a wider tire on a narrower than specified wheel. it can cause tire wear to be a bit off, and impact handling some. For example my 245/75R16 tires specify a minimum 6.5" wheel. My sprinter has 6" wheels, despite the 0.5" discrepancy, I have not had any major issues.

You should be able to do a quick diagram with the wheel width and ET of your current wheels vs the size you want to buy. This will let you work out the required ET to clear the body at the rear. If you plan to use the same wheel on the front you need to work out how the wheel will fit on the front.


You do have the option of buying the SS wheels direct from mercedes. I have no idea what the cost is though.