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05-21-2022, 09:37 PM
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#1
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: California
Posts: 35
THOR #25895
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Largest tire size on your Axis/Vegas factory 16in rims
What is the largest tire size you have on your Axis/Vegas? We have a 2021 Vegas 24.1 that we put a 4" lift kit on for more clearance. We currently have the factory 225/75/16 tires on it but would like to see if the next set we get with ease the ride. I know we could probably increase the sidewall size just not sure how much might fit.
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05-21-2022, 09:45 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2018 24.1 AXISSIXxSIX
State: Arizona
Posts: 6,887
THOR #13932
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Dually wheels will require spacers so the tires clear each other for wider and I'm at just about maximum sidewall size at stock even with my lift.
To go much taller you'll have to trim your front flares.
It looks like you have room in front but with tire squish in a corner it's within under a half inch of a fender flare collision.
I have looked for flares from other vehicles and it's hard to find a flat sided vehicle I can adapt the wider flares from.
But
Look at yours closely. My axle change might have added an inch or so of wheelbase.
My 4"lifted 24.1 is seen in my signature thread.
To get any tires of any added worthwhile change you'll need wheels with different offset so they stay under the fenders.
Wider will not change the ride.
Sidewall stiffness changes the ride.
I'm considering mtrk kevlars when I need tires.
Continentals will get you a better ride but I don't know the sizes available.
Contisilent is the specific tire.
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05-22-2022, 12:43 AM
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#3
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: California
Posts: 35
THOR #25895
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Thanks Duckface. So it seems we need to increase the aspect ratio or soften the sidewalls? There does not seem to be any tire sizes for 16 rims that get us a taller sidewall (assuming a taller tire would even fits in the wheel wells)?
The current tires are a load index 115 and range E so I would assume if we went with a lower index it might soften the ride slightly but I am not that crazy about going with less toughness on the side wall.
Is there simply a different size spacer between the duals that would allow a wider tire in the back? Or would new wheels be required? I am going to go out and measure how much room we have in the wheel wells...
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05-22-2022, 01:55 AM
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#4
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Junior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: VEGAS 24.1
State: New York
Posts: 23
THOR #24657
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19.5 tires
I installed 225/70 r19.5. 12 ply. Tires and wheels handles great. Like the extra load cap
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05-24-2022, 04:39 AM
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#5
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Texas
Posts: 53
THOR #3459
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Very cool! I assume you were able to find 19.5" wheels with 8x6.5 bolt pattern and the right offset?
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05-24-2022, 02:50 PM
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#6
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Junior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: VEGAS 24.1
State: New York
Posts: 23
THOR #24657
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Yes buytruckwheels.com i have used them many times. Call them or look on the site. The six wheel kit is for a ford f350 drw 1984-1997. These are a direct bolt on for a 2021 vegas. 4 aluminum and two steel wheels. Brand northstar 19.5x6 item # 995604 for a single wheel.bolt on and go clearance is close does not hit.
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05-24-2022, 03:31 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 25.4
State: California
Posts: 784
THOR #6582
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tjracer
Yes buytruckwheels.com i have used them many times. Call them or look on the site. The six wheel kit is for a ford f350 drw 1984-1997. These are a direct bolt on for a 2021 vegas. 4 aluminum and two steel wheels. Brand northstar 19.5x6 item # 995604 for a single wheel.bolt on and go clearance is close does not hit.
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Did you lift your Vegas? What diameter did you end up with?
I put 235/85 Hankook Dynapro ATs on my stock 16" rims, no lift. The taller sidewall makes the tire about 1.5" bigger. The ride is nice but the speedo is off by 5% but I use a Garmin satnav for that. The fit is tight and may have contributed to losing a rear flare (attached with silicone glue and two #8 screws. Really?) The look is beefier, less like a Hot Wheels toy.
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I'm wearing trifocals now but my hindsight is 20/20.
*************
Bilsteins and Sumos front and rear...HUGE! FatMat and Hoodliner...HUGE!
Hellwig sway bars F&R, 235/85 Hankook ATM, alignment...HUGE!!!
Battery watering, 260watts Solar and BigFeets to make life easier.
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05-24-2022, 04:28 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Brand: Still Looking
State: Texas
Posts: 6,187
THOR #2121
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gnach
Did you lift your Vegas? What diameter did you end up with?
I put 235/85 Hankook Dynapro ATs on my stock 16" rims, no lift. The taller sidewall makes the tire about 1.5" bigger. .....cut......
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The nominal (specified) diameter of your size is +/- 2.44 inches greater in diameter than stock, so a much larger tire on average (there is slight dimensional variation between tire manufacturers).
In between the stock and your size are LT215/85R16 tires that have same load rating as stock tire, but are just over an inch taller. These were common size with dually pickups back when they still used 16” wheels.
I do not have first-hand experience with specifics of OP question, but in general doubt much of a ride improvement as long as tires require same air pressure to handle the load. Also, taller tire sidewalls that flex easier could adversely affect steering. And taller tires will adversely affect braking, though drivers may not notice the difference. Lots of trade offs to consider as with most revisions.
.
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05-24-2022, 06:09 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Tuscany 42GX
State: Missouri
Posts: 1,158
THOR #9178
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason977
Very cool! I assume you were able to find 19.5" wheels with 8x6.5 bolt pattern and the right offset?
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I have ran a lot of 19.5 tires on F550's and trailers. Not for the ride but for load capacity and longer life
They do not ride easier as they have heavy sidewalls and are typically E and up rated
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05-24-2022, 06:14 PM
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#10
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Junior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: VEGAS 24.1
State: New York
Posts: 23
THOR #24657
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No lift kit but would like to lift it. Does anybody have real life experience with a lifted vegas. Like the handling of the vegas as it
is. Thinking only a 2 to 3 inch kit and to make it level.my tires are 225/70r19.5 spec
diameter 31.9
width 8.9
sidewall 6.2
curcum 100.2
revs/mile 633
235/85r16
dia 31.7
width 9.3
sidewall 7.9
curcum99.6
revs/mile 636
almost the same size i went with this size because tire a little narrower /not as much sidewall heavier load rating more plys (better for of road) only have to run 65/70 psi and i like the look
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05-24-2022, 07:59 PM
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#11
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: California
Posts: 35
THOR #25895
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Our Vegas lift kit
Quote:
Originally Posted by tjracer
No lift kit but would like to lift it. Does anybody have real life experience with a lifted vegas. Like the handling of the vegas as it is. ...
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We had our Vegas lifted by Weldtech Designs out of El Cajon, CA. They have 2, 4, and 6 inch lift kits for class C and vans.
We purchased our Vegas used and found it was easy to drive below 50mph but driving highway speeds was not very comfortable. It is a 500 mile drive down to El Cajon for us. It was not very windy and driving I5 at 55 mph was kind of exhausting. Had to concentrate on the road every second. Really got pushed around by passing semi trucks, tracked road ruts, and it was hard to hold a conversation with my wife as some bumpy section of roads made internal rattling/road noise very loud. I was exhausted by end of day.
We went with the 4" lift with front & rear suspension. Ride home was soooo much better. Could drive with one hand on wheel, much less effect from passing semi trucks. Internal ratting/road noise much, much lower. Could really enjoy the ride. Another bonus is that there seemed to be no effect on gas mileage. We got 12.5 mpg on the way down and 12.3 mpg on the way back. Even slight wind changes could change mileage more than that.
All in all we are very happy with the changes. And now we can go in/out of our driveway without dragging the rear end. If you want to see some examples of Weldtec work search Youtube for Weldtech Class C lift; they have a number of videos showing their options for class C RVs.
So now with the investment in lift and suspension system done we are looking to see what to improve on the load carrying and ride with the tires and wheels.
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05-24-2022, 08:03 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2018 24.1 AXISSIXxSIX
State: Arizona
Posts: 6,887
THOR #13932
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My signature thread has info about a 4inch lift.
I cannot tell you about the lift having affect because I did it at the same time I did the straight axle/leaf spring front end conversion.
Post 532 has some pictures but they'll barely be relative.
I have lift blocks in the rear because they are adequate, so I didn't have Deevers(santa ana CA) make me new leafs for the rear. The plan was custom rear springs but they weren't needed. The leaf wrap I expected doesn't happen.
I don't know anything about a lift on the squirelly front coil springs but I'd check closely with the F450 forum truck crowd to see what they think of it.
I don't have any of the off the shelf stabilizers or track bars or sway bars or sumos.
Custom Bilstiens on the front because I had to, stock everything in the rear except longer leaf spring bolt overs to accomodste the 4" blocks.
There were two long gone members here who had some wonky
'Bend and replace' lift added to their c class rv's.
The last we read, one was completely ruined and the other wouldn't admit the failure of the system.
I love that I can race around under the lifted RV from end to end and side to side on a creeper to redo wiring, check things, weld, add storage.
The now higher step out of the door is a bit jarring until you get used to it. Not far enough for an electric step yet too far to take the step without full thought.
Taller tires would require a step for full comfort,
MTR kevlars(my Hankooks are the same size 16's as some jeeps) are in our future if the load rating (I haven't checked) is viable.
If not we'll go 12 ply.
I'm running stock Hankooks and I don't have a single slight complaint. They're, round, black and roll. We're not concerned much about tires. I've learned that some tires recommended here are seat-of-the-pants/esoteric changes/enhancements and some are not. I'll pay attention but I won't concern myself too much.
Look at that steering wheel angle. Speedometer reads 80mph on a dead straight section of i80 with a 50mph+ cross/headwind.
We don't complain much. We just drive it.
Tire pressure at 65ish front, 60ish rear helps the ride.
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05-24-2022, 08:46 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 25.4
State: California
Posts: 784
THOR #6582
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WeldTec Designs Vegas upgrade:
__________________
I'm wearing trifocals now but my hindsight is 20/20.
*************
Bilsteins and Sumos front and rear...HUGE! FatMat and Hoodliner...HUGE!
Hellwig sway bars F&R, 235/85 Hankook ATM, alignment...HUGE!!!
Battery watering, 260watts Solar and BigFeets to make life easier.
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05-24-2022, 09:57 PM
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#14
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: California
Posts: 35
THOR #25895
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Weldtec Designs lift kit on Vegas
Quote:
Originally Posted by gnach
WeldTec Designs Vegas upgrade:
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Yup that is our Vegas. Jeremy, Alyssa, and their team were great to work with!
PS - Glad Duckface pointed out the potential need to to add a step into the RV. The phrase "taking a deliberate step" is a great description especially like in one spot we visit where the pad area is sloped significantly downward and we need to raise the front end about 6" to level the RV.
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05-24-2022, 10:16 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2022 Axis 24.1
State: Kansas
Posts: 823
THOR #24565
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Getting ready to crawl around under our Axis. Mainly to see about Sumo springs on the front. Maybe run a wire for extra USB plugs. Sure makes me wish I had a lift.
Appreciate the info about Weld-etc
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05-25-2022, 06:17 PM
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#16
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Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: California
Posts: 35
THOR #25895
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Tire options
Thinking more through all the good input from everyone.
- Moving to 19.5 inch wheels. Seems expensive? $2K for new wheels. I googled tires for that size and the prices seemed much higher? $300-$500?? A significant investment then to replace all 6 - say $4500 or so? There would be a ton of extra load capacity but not sure we would need that much extra. What are other benefits of moving to 19.5" wheels?
- Lowering our operating tire pressure. My goal of researching out new tires was to improve our ride and safety. Our lift/suspension mods have really improved our ride quite a bit already. I had not really considered the last part of Duckface's post where he indicated running at 65/60psi. We have been running front/back at 75-80 psi near top range of the tires. I looked up the Hankook tire inflation tables and based upon our moderately loaded CAT scale readings of 4880 front axle/6900 rear axle it appears we could run the front at 70psi and the rear as low as 55 psi considering we would typically have another 300-500lbs in the back. So I think we will try backing off tire pressures a bit and see how handling/ride feels.
- Increasing tire size to 235/85r16 and staying with stock rims. This alternative seems interesting. There seems to be quite a few options
in terms of manufactures/models with LT tire pricing. All seem to be E rated or higher with 120 or higher load indexes. An additional small bump in height not an issue for us with roads we want to drive. This is the first time I have owned a vehicle with duals. How can I tell if there is enough space between the tires for 235s? Would love to hear from others what their experiences have been moving to 235/85r16s? Any significant change in fuel economy? Plus/minuses in handling or ride?
Great input and comments from everyone. It is great to find a community willing to share!
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05-25-2022, 08:30 PM
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#17
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Junior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: VEGAS 24.1
State: New York
Posts: 23
THOR #24657
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19.5 tires
Thanks for all the info on a lift kit. This will be my next move. The 19.5 tires where worth it to me because
extra load did not trust a 16 inch tire on a class a
(to topp heavy) long sweeping turns puts a lot of pressure on one front tire . Hit a pot hole at the same time thats when a tire will let go.
We travel dirt roads very hard to damage a 19.5 compared to a 16 inch tire pressure on a 19.5 65 avr. 16 80 avr. Higher the psi the easier to slice/puncture.
The 19.5 is a commercial tire better suited for off road and a vehicle that is 11 feet tall.
I wanted to get aluminium wheels for looks and no hub caps to deal with. So the price difference between 16 and 19.5 not that much.
I feel the camper handles better with 19.5 especially in the wind and rough black top roads
like the little extra ground clearance
for the ride not any real change no softer or harder
for me the 85 series tires sidewall is to tall and soft for a 11 "
tall vehicle ( gives a more loose steering feeling)
speedo is of 5 mph at 65mph
i drove 1,000 miles before the tire change (interstate and dirt roads) then switch to 19.5. Have driven 11,000 miles sense the switch. Very happy with the switch. Drove to jackson hole wyoming did lots of dirt or( something) roads /paths very glad to have the 19.5
so for me its worth the money spent.
My background is . I own a tire/ repair shop for 35 years so some of the info is my experience and the feedback from customers. We work on a lot of commercial vehicles with 19.5 tires and small box vans with 16 inch tires. Lots of motorhomes that wander on the interstate
sgrove if you have a inch between the rear sidewalls you should be ok . After driving for a while check the inside sidewall if they are shiny they are rubbing on turns. Remember the lower the air pressure the better chance they wiil rub. I think 55psi is to low could rub
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05-25-2022, 08:42 PM
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#18
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Junior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: VEGAS 24.1
State: New York
Posts: 23
THOR #24657
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19.5
I also sold the factory tires and wheels for 1800 dollars. Price out a factory wheel 450 plus from ford. Aftermarket wheels bolt on but hit the calipers, so factory wheels are worth some money.
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05-25-2022, 08:49 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2018 24.1 AXISSIXxSIX
State: Arizona
Posts: 6,887
THOR #13932
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To use the aftermarket wheel:
My aftermarket wheel is mounted on the rear outside where it fits without interference.
I marked the wheel with tulip paint in big letters:
OUTSIDE REAR ONLY
The factory wheel it replaced is now my spare and will mount anywhere since it's the factory wheel.
This was an idea from a forum member. I'd like to think I'd have thought of it sooner or later.
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05-26-2022, 03:41 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: THOR Chateua 35SF
State: Florida
Posts: 5,850
THOR #11130
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Also, take into consideration the revolutions per mile of the new tires. Taller tires will change (lower) your RPM at a given speed and could possible cause more downshifting on longer inclines. If you drive on pretty level grounds...not much affect...in the mountains...big affect.
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Now an SOB
Traded Thor for Melbourne Prestige 24NP
2018 THOR Chateau 35SF
Two Labs, Bugsie & Blondie
Blondie passed in 2020 at 5 to Leukemia
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