The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Driveline Tire dilema for my 1950 3600

This has been a real go-around for me. I wanted to use my original split rims but folks here suggested I get some F250 Ford rims with some 225 or 235 tires on them. I managed to find some Ford rims that were advertised as having 235 tires on them but when I got them home, I looked closer (should have done that before i loaded them in my truck) and found that they were 255's. They don't look right and I am afraid they will rub somewhere. I bought some 6.50x16 tires from Miller Tire and took the split rims to the shop and they just called to tell me the rims are no good and that the split rim is stuck to the main rim and he will destroy them if he takes them apart. Personally I think he could do it but doesn't want to mess with a job that is more difficult than what he likes to do. He is the only guy I have found in the area who will even mess with split rims in any case. So back to the Ford rims it seems. I put them on the front and found that the inside wheel weights do rub on the tie rod end. That can fixed with stick-on weights but now I am a bit apprehensive about the rims rubbing. I do not want to buy new tires only to find that the Ford rims have fit a problem. If they do still rub, can this be fixed with spacers between the drum and wheel?

This topic has been raised many times, I myself have lived through the experience. I am amazed the tire/wheel combination fits with only that much interference. Do a search here and you will find many possible solutions including spacers.

I think you'd want a narrower tread tire, makes for easier parking and slow speed turning...
Might take the original rims to a big truck repair garage, they fool with split rims all the time.

John

Thanks for all the comments. I did take the wheels and new tires to the only place that I have found that will do split rims. It is a retail tire operation with several stores in the area and they do have a commercial area with two large bays for big trucks. The kid who was going to do the job was bragging to me about how long he has been doing this kind of thing (8 years) and had kind of a chip on his shoulder the whole time. I asked why it cost $25 per wheel to balance them and he said because they are "truck balanced". WTF is that?
I did not get a warm fuzzy feeling from the place in any case.
I do not want to use the 255s as they do not look right to begin with so I will be looking for something like a 225.

'Truck balanced' is similar to 'interim surcharge' on a phone bill. It means that they want more of your money, and can't come up with any other clever way to extract it.

Most tire shops do charge different rates for LT rated/Floatation tires, as well as different rates for larger diameter wheel tires (18"+) as they can be more difficult to balance. $25 a wheel is a little steep for a 16" LT tire, though. Around $15 is more in line with industry standards.

If they true them at the same time it's a decent price.

A 235/85 R 16 would be about the same as the old 7.50 x 16

John

I used Ford E-250 8 bolt rims on my 53 GMC build and installed 235x16s. On the front I had to use 1 inch wheel spacers 8 bolt to 8 bolt to clear the tie rods.

Pete

I have 4 rims I took off of my 48 3600 you can have. I am in mass.

Thanks for that offer Sparky! PM sent.