The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Rim Size

I have a 48 Chevy with aftermarket rimes and tires. I would like to replace them with original rims and tires. I understand that the original size rims are 16"x6". I was given 3 rims which I thought were originals, but they measure 17.5" in diameter and 5" wide. Am I doing something wrong? Or might these have come from another kind of vehicle.

hi George, and welcome to the right page!! those 17.5's could be correct for the years if ya got a 3/4T - I think width would be 5.5 for the AD years but maybe even 6 - there was also a 19.5" back then for the heavier duty trucks, and the bigger sizes were available as options

16" could be correct too, especially for a 1/2T, tho others here might know better what was the "standard equipment" for your year

Bill

George - if you are measureing the outer diameter of the rim - it could very well be a 16" rim. A few months ago someone offered me a bunch of "16" rims - they had measured with a tape measurer.

They were about 16-1/4 inches in diameter - but they were really 15" rims as the tire diameter is measured at the bead - not at the outer diameter of the rim. Those 17 inch rims you have might just be 16x5's

Stock "tires" for a 1950 3100 are 6.00x16 or 6.70x15 or 6.50x16 - not sure what the rim specs are - not in my book. :confused:

I have had some 17.5 6-lug wheels on a 52 GMC 1/2-ton short-bed truck. The wheels were 5 or 6 inches wide and had the clips for the stock Chevy hubcaps for the 1/2-ton.

speaking of rim sizes. i just got 2 rims 6 lug that are 16" at the bead and 4 1/2" wide at the bead. bought em on e-bay. looking at the 6 lugs thought they had to be for a truck. 4 1/2 " is pretty narrow and i don't know if this is the wheel or not for the truck.also getting tall large diameter tires might be a problem too.

can any one comment on this?

thomasj1 -

What exact truck do you have?? (1/2 ton, 3/4 ton, etc .....year, etc.)

I just found two wheels in an old barn that my parents just bought that may be those exact sizes also....I was wondering what they might fit as well. I'll measure them tomorrow to check exact size.

Bernard,
I have a 49 1/2 ton.