Hi, I have a '51 4400 Loadmaster. Just getting started with restoring this great old 137" fairly rust free body truck. My first priority are the tires/wheels. Contrary to the body and frame, my wheels seem fairly rusty and the process of talking to few specialized truck/tractor tire shops about the split rims and getting lectured about them has already worn me about 48 hours in (when I'm really read into the history/issues/videos combined with local stories I have heard). So I'm on the hunt for wheels. What are everyone's thoughts on the following plan: HUB PILOTED 22.5X8.25 10X285.75 BOLT PATTERN STEEL TRUCK TRAILER TANDEM DUAL STEEL WHEEL (these are on ebay sold by ebay seller Wheels Express Inc.). They are not the right bolt pattern. Another ebay seller Tire Shop Suppliers sells several different adaptors for bolt patterns and offers a 10 Lug | 10x7.25 to 10x285 | 22.5/24.5 Semi Wheel Adapters 1" Thick (For Front) which also take the wheel to a 5.25" center bore. Now I have a '51 so I know from the chart in the wheel center (thank you for pulling that together!) that my center on the '51 is 4.75. I imagine I'd have to then source/have spacers made to take the center to a 4.75" center and then repeat all of this for the rear dually wheels/tires. Overall, this seems like it will be a fairly substantial investment but the wheels themselves are affordable. I'm no expert on all of this but after reading and sourcing (and sourcing) this is the best I could come up with short of trying to restore the old wheels via blasting and painting or powder coating them presuming the rings etc are in good shape with nice clean edges (have no idea what they are like on the inside until they are eventually (and safely) removed. 22.5 wheels albeit from a '56 to '59 1 1/2 ton seem to be recommended I know so this tries to get there as I can't find any of those. Any help is appreciated. This wheel/tire situation to me seems like the biggest hurdle to owning and restoring these old trucks. Every recently restore one I have seen for sale like the one on Hemmings/flat bed seems to have restored original wheels. I do have a truck tire service coming over to look at them tomorrow to explore that option as well. If I can't figure these wheels/tires out I'll let you all know when the truck goes up on ebay! It's really too bad someone just doesn't have modern version of the originals produced via some sort of "group order" like a lot of clubs do with rare part needs. I bet a ton of big bolt owners would be interested in authentic looking but modern rims to fit these trucks and fill a niche.
