The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 6.00x16 rims on a 52 GMC 3/4 ton

I'm going to be fixing up a '52 GMC 3/4 ton truck my dad is giving me. It has been sitting for 10+ years and the tires were old when it was parked so know I'm going to need to get new tires.

I looked at the wheels, and they appear to be conventional one piece rims. The tires are marked 6.00x16. My dad thinks it uses tubes in the tires, but isn't positive about that. I've found plenty about split rims on the big bolts, but not a lot of info on the 3/4 tons.

Would these trucks have used tube tires and if so, do I need new rims to run tubeless? Are tube tires anywhere near the trouble to get worked on as split rims are?


The oldest vehicle I have experience with is 1969 and it is not much different than a modern car when it comes to belts, filters, tires etc so this is a whole new experience for me. All I know about inner tubes is from bicycles and floating down rivers.

Nothing wrong with tubes in the tires. Just a touch harder to install the tubes for the tire guy. Split rims were bad because they would sometimes get installed wrong and fly apart when filled with air, injuring or killing someone.And it Depends on what you are going to use the truck for. If you foresee yourself going to the local classic car get together at the drive in restaurant, Thats one of the first things they look for. Original tires and wheels. But new radial tubeless tires/rims will ride and handle much better. Most of the older rims have rivets holding them together with an interference fit and were not always air tight, everyone used tubes to keep the air from leaking. And the are meant for narrower bias ply tires that are harder to get..

Can you post a picture of the wheel?

Originally they were multi piece wheels and used tubes.
Might now have more modern one piece wheels which could be used without tubes.

I’ve had older riveted wheels powder coated and run modern radial tires without tubes, without issue. Generally the rivets do seal.

Are you sure it is a 3/4 ton. GMC made a long box 1/2 ton. The original wheels on a 3/4 ton would have been 15" 2 piece wheels with 17" 2 piece wheels as an option. 6.00x16 tube type would have been standard on 1/2 ton. Are they 6 hole or 8 hole?

The truck is still at my dads house so a couple hours away, and I didn't get a photo of the wheel.

I'm pretty sure they are the original wheels, if not original they are still quite old. The truck has been in the family since the 80s and my dad hasn't changed the wheels. I've read quite a lot about split rims, but no hands on experience.

I'll have to take a better look the next time I go down to see him. I'm in the planning stage at this point. The truck needs some engine work and new tires before I can even think about getting it up here.

The plan is to restore it close to original, but I will be considering possibly upgrading where it isn't obvious but will make day to day life with it a little easier.
It will be a working truck not a show truck. I plan to use it for general truck stuff, runs to the dump, hauling building supplies for work on the house etc. We do have some antique car events locally and we thought it it would be fun to participate with those as well, so the thought was to get a tire that looks fairly original.

Other than the initial 100 mile run up to my house which will involve freeway driving, it will mostly be used for short trips around town, maybe into the local mountains for a bit of exploring the back roads.

How many lug nuts? 6 or 8?

I can't say what's on your truck, but GM did use multi piece rims of different varieties. My 54 had removable outer ring rims. Basically, after the tire was deflated, a flat bar would be use to pry the ring off. Anyhow, I had offers to buy them, I even thought about giving them away. MY OPINION is that multi-piece rims are unsafe regardless of the style. That's why they ultimately went to the scrap chipper.

Some folks will claim they are perfectly safe as long as you, "do this, or do that." It's true that agriculture equipment and even some commercial trucks still use multi piece rims. For myself, my wife, or my kids safety, you won't catch me driving on them. One piece rims have more than proven their worth over the last 100 years or so.

So anyway, I'm done with my rant. If your rims are 6 lug, there are quite a few options. GM is still using 6 lug rims on trucks. So, you should be able to find something. 8 lugs rims are a different story. Ford van E250/E350 seem to fit very well on these trucks. Some older GM and Dodge may fit also. Wheel Vintiques has started offering 6 and 8 lug steel wheels.

As far as tires go. Bias ply tires look cool on old trucks, but for ride and handling, a modern radial is more the way to go.

If it's a 3600 most likely has split rims which are ok but today most tire shops don't like them and will overcharge you for dealing with them. I went with 16" Ford Econoline rims and radials which are fairly easy to find and not to pricey. Best of luck

I will have to check on a few things, the truck is currently 2 hours away.

Not sure if 6 or 8 lug. With the way it is parked I was unable to see the badge with the 3xxx identification which would help narrow down true 3/4 ton or heavy 1/2 ton. It is a long bed and has enough room between the cab and fender for a side mounted spare without the need for a notch in the fender. White painted grill, not chrome. Don't know if either of those help with identification.


I have no interest in dealing with split rims, there is no need to convince me of the benefits of replacing them. I'm pretty sure they are one piece though, the split rims I have seen have a pretty distinctive rim and these don't have that. Also the tires have gone flat, and there is no indication of the rims being loose, which I would expect to see if split rim.


Thanks for the link to the manuals, as you mentioned info on the GMC trucks is far less available than the Chevys. Luckily there is a large degree of overlap.


I know of Coker tire are there others vendors I should be looking at for tires.

Check these tire companys out, they all sell oddball size tires...Universal Tire, Nebraska Tire, Chicago Tire, Miller Tire, Simply Tire etc.

Mike B

Since it is a GMC it won't have a model number 3100, 3600, 3800, etc. like a Chevy has. A 1/2-ton GMC of that era will be a 100, 3/4-ton 150, 1-ton 250, etc. The long bed will measure approx. 7'-3" and the short bed 6'-6". The number of wheel studs is the best indicator that's easy to see. Good luck.

I talked to my dad, and he confirmed 6 lug one piece wheels.

He has always called it a 3/4 ton but said it could be a heavy 1/2 ton. He really just knows it isn't a regular short bed 1/2 ton.