The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Tons 'o Fun 17.5 Rims

Is there a replacement rim that would allow a little more affordable tire for a 1 ton pickup? Right now it has 17.5 tires.

17.5" would be tubeless and if you have them already is a great rim. Tires are not cheap no matter which way you go about it.

Hi Bart,

My dad's 51 Chevy 1 Ton Suburban had 17.5 split rims with the rig. I always thought of them being heavy duty. I remember having to bang them apart by hand. No tire mounting machine necessary. I think the UPS trucks used to use that tire size too.

Jed

The "XX.5" rims will all be for tubeless tires, and will be 1-piece construction. For instance, a 16.5" rim will have the same profile height as a 15" tube type rim, the 17.5 will interchange height-wise with a 16" tube tire, etc. Trying to use a 17.5 tire on a 17" split rim is deadly dangerous- - - -the bead shape is different and the tire will blow off the rim, even if a tube is used to trap the air. One of my friends nearly lost a hand when he tried to install a 15" truck tire and tube on a 14.5" mobile home rim. The bead wires of the tire broke on the tapered rim seating area as the pressure came up, and the tire blew off the rim.
Jerry

I've read afew threads on here that using 17" radials on the 17.5" 3 piece split rim but with using a 16" tube so there are no folds in the tube it will stretch to fill the tire. Several have commented this will work and is how it was done back when the bias tires were getting hard to get and radials were all the rage.
With 4 new bias tires costing as much as a weeks wage this seems to be a cheaper and alternative way to go.
I have tried 16" rims off a 92 Dodge ram 2500 and have about 3/4" clearance to the tie rod ends and also no issues fitting over the brake drums but would prefer to have the taller 17" tires for looks and no further loss of speed.
My neighbor has 2 late 80's 3/4 ton Econoline Ford vans that we have also been told will also work. I just have to wait until he goes on holidays and "borrow the spares".

I missed those threads, or I have forgotten.
Best I can tell mismatching tire sizes to rim size is asking for serious trouble.

Also, I'm not aware of any 17.5" three piece rims. 17.5" as already pointed out will be single piece rims. Do you have any pictures or info if there is such a thing?

Grigg

Sorry my mistake 17" 3 piece wheels.

Most GM 3/4 and 1 ton dual wheel chassis come with 17" tires. They fit the old 3 piece wheels and they can be bought for practically nothing because there is no market for them. I just traded my 2012 2500HD for a 2015 3500HD chassis with dual wheels. Both have 17" tires. I recommend 16" radial tubes to keep them from folding. My fleet ran tube required tires until about the mid 70's. We always put 9.00 tubes in 10.00 tires to keep tubes from folding. Back in the days when we still fixed flats at our gas stations, probably half the flats were caused by a folded tube.

Thanks I'll be looking for 16" tubes and new flaps. I have 1/2 dozen slightly used 235/85R17 tires laying around. Summer grip for the front and even mud/snow for the rear.

Check that 16" wheels fit over the brakes, many will but perhaps not every wheel you may find.
If a dual wheel truck 16" wheels very likely will not fit on the rear.

I've uploaded a few pictures and 2 videos showing clearance difference from 16" off 92 Dodge Ram 2500 and 17" wheels.
The 16" rims clear the brake drum but a little to close to the tie rod without a spacer.

http://s1281.photobucket.com/user/d...Chevrolet%201%20Ton/Tires%20and%20wheels

The one-ton my friend was selling me turned out to be 3600. The rims were 17" and not 17 1/2". Its a beautiful pickup either way. I put 16" rims on so I could get it home.

I am new to all of this, and just bought my 3800 1 ton. It has 4 x 7.00 - 17 in tires on it. I hat spending the money that coker is asking. Are you saying I can use radials on the 3 split rims? Also, every mechanic I speak with is telling that the 3 split rings is extremely dangerous. Is there a perfect replacement rim recommendation you'd have?

Thanks

It must be young mechanics you are speaking to that are too dumb to know how to change tube required tires. There is nothing dangerous about 3 piece wheels if they are still in good shape.

http://www.accuridecorp.com/files/2012/10/Accuride-Wheels-Product-Catalog-Summer-2011.pdf

If you look at page 22 of the Accuride catalog, they still build a 3 piece wheel. If they were as dangerous as the fools you are talking to are telling you, Accuride wouldn't build them any more.

The real problem you're going to run into is finding tube type radials to run on them. Those will be abut as expensive as the bias tires from Coker, maybe even more.

I use Carlisle 7.50R16 tubes with the TR440 stem in 17" tires off of late model GM 3/4 and 1 ton trucks.

17.5 is indeed a totally different animal. I just ordered a gooseneck with 17.5 singles to replace 16" duals. We are real pleased since we changed our fleet to 445x50R22.5 singles. So I decided to try singles on a gooseneck.

I have some 17.5 wheels and tires, 8 on 6.5" bolt pattern, off a motor home, 16" wheels will not fit these brake drums.

There are a few different 16 inch rims that will fit over the brake drums on these 1 tons although you may need spacers to clear the tie rod.
Late 80's ford econoline van, (92 dodge 2500 for sure see my earlier post), as well as many GM products, take a tape measure with you to the junk yard and measure them.

I just had a great conversation with a tire shop in Innisfail, if your 3 piece rims are in great shape to use 16 inch tube and flap into a 235/85R17 radial It will give you close to the same height of tire and added benefit of driving comfort. All 5 of my 3 piece rims have been inspected with snap rings in great shape they are heading to the sandblaster then paint shop. Original rims modern radials perfect combination.

When mounting tube type tires, get a can of talcum powder to use to put some in the tire and all over the tube, deflate the tube after the first inflation to allow the tube to squirm(technical term) around to fit the tire and rim better.