The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Will this wheel work for replacement of rh5 widow maker?

As you may have seen another post about identifying a rh5 widow maker wheels on a all original 1958 Vicking 60 grain truck I purchases, I found these wheels at a industeial wheel supplier in Tx. Will these work for my Biking project? I am not carrying heavy loads keeping it a flat bed. Parades and some lumber runs what size tire would y'all suggest on this that would fill up wheel well without rubbing spring. Are the original wheels hub or stud centered? Specs on wheels I found are as follows ..
Wheel Size: 19.5" x 6.00"
Offset: 5.00"
Center Bore: 6.5"
Bolt Circle: 8.75"
Bolt Holes: 6
Hand Holes: 2
Max Load: 3640 lbs.
Color: Grey

You want to find 6-lug 22.5" wheels...they were used on school buses up into the 70's. They are not that hard to find.

Mike B

Hy txpete, the original wheel would have been stud piloted. In 1956 Chevrolet converted their entire line to tubeless wheels and tires as standard equipment including the entire truck line. The standard wheel for your size of truck would have been a 22.5" they were available in several widths depending on the tire size. 19.5" wheels I think would look small on your truck, but that is just my opinion. Your truck could have come from the factory with 9 X 22.5 or 10 X 22.5. depending on how it was equipped and what the GVW was. Most truck buyers did not trust tubeless wheels and tires and opted for the extra expense of tube type wheels and tires, hope that helps.

Thanks for the info. That's what I had read as well while researching the. Problem. Do y,or know of any sources for 1970s bus wheels? Does the bore of axle matter if the wheel is lug centered type?

Hy txpete, the bore of the wheel doesn't matter on a stud piloted wheel as long as it is big enough to go over the axle. Look around at the truck wreckers in your area, or call them, some have a search service available, hope that helps.

I believe some of the mid 70's Ford trucks have the same pattern. (F600 does)

Lots and lots of trucks of most all makes used 6 lug Budd wheels at some point on some model or another.
When searching for Budd wheels in a junk yard look at every truck.

My son used 6 lug military wheels on his 71 C50 flatbed. I think they were standard on some of the 2 1/2 ton troop carriers and dumps.

They are a modern locking ring type wheel and there are plenty of them out there,and they are reasonable. Most of them are 8 or 10 inch x 20 inch wheels. They work fine on the rears, but they are a little too wide for the fronts.

Jim

Lucky Lucky Lucky. I scored 6 one piece six bolt 22.5 x7 rims of parted out fedex van type truck! Cost 100.00 apiece but nice enough not to need sandblasting, though I may rattle can paint them. If you know anyone needs to replace widow maker 20" 8.5 six lugs, the guy I found in Houston may be able to get more. Contact me for his info. Now to find some good used rubber looking for 255 r 70 22.5 tires.

Happy happy I found six slightly used great tread 235 80 R 22.5 7 yr old manufacture date tires for 60.00 apiece. Whew glad to have them on truck and have widow makers deflated and taken off for distraction by a tire shop whose owner is a friend of mine and understood need to distroy. Now on to the reverse brake bleeding so it will stooooopppppp!

SWEET!! Glad you found replacements!

Thanks Mike. Any chance you know where I can find an original working hood latch for
The 58. . All 58-59 Chevy trucks though Spartans used same latch. Not many bone yards or parts collectors around where I live. Got the old Viking running. Just some plugged fuel lines. Cleaned then primed carb and vroom. Started for 5- six times over as many days. Got the new wheels and tires put on today. The old widow makers to the scrap yard for melt down. Ready to move it intO my barn and start working on her ... then today for some reason lost the spark. No fire at the spark plugs. Dang I never even touched the ignition system and iT fired up and ran. Set one day and now fire less. Ugg back to traci g down what the prob is. I'm new to this mechanic ing. Thank gawd for u tube and foremost zlike this. ,,,,,!