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It has been a while since my last post and just catching back up.

I am looking to purchase four snap ring wheels for my 40 Chevy 1 1/2 ton. The wheels I am looking to purchase are from a 53 Chevy 1 1/2 ton. The photo looks the same but I would prefer a second opinion from someone on Stovebolt that knows this much better than me. I also asked for a photo of the wheel from the front with the ring to ensure this is a sold ring and not a split ring.

My 40 wheels seem to have rivets and the 53 does not. I have read and understand the precautions needed on these wheels. Are the 53's considered widow makers? Thoughts, advice recommendations?

Thank you

Harmon

Looking to purchase from the 53 I was able to grab some new photos and have added. They do seem a bit different.
[img]http://www.atlantamafia.com/33614532_1704273716354292_648777560502566912_n.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.atlantamafia.com/36248051_1743932859055044_6583299263986401280_n.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.atlantamafia.com/36231248_1743931855721811_2569420754122702848_n.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.atlantamafia.com/36256833_1743930285721968_4702153680541974528_n.jpg[/img]

My wheels from the 40
[img]http://www.atlantamafia.com/MyWheels1.jpg[/img]
[img]http://www.atlantamafia.com/MyWheels2.jpg[/img]

The first four pictures are the " Bad one" . I would suggest to keep on looking.

You don't want the wheels pictured, they are the RH5 design.

Thank you for the replies. I will steer clear.

Harmon

Remember, modern(late '50's), 22.5 wheels with that bolt pattern were available with the advent of the first tubeless tires, though somewhat hard to find, don't pass them up if you find some. They were used frequently on farm trucks.

Ed

Thanks Ed!

I am good grabbing the ones if Have in the second photo. Those are hard to find. I will look for the 22.5 as well. Not much of anything left. I found those in Kansas. Fastenal provided a quote of $225 from Kansas to Georgia. Anyway, I will keep looking.

Harmon

The quick way to identify the RH5's is the 2" wide flat band where the wheel barrel meets the center, and the lack of a split on either bead ring. Those are the "widowmakers" that can fly apart during inflation it there's even a slight amount of wear/rust at the lip where the two wheel halves lock together.
Jerry

Thank you Jerry I appreciate yours and everyone's knowledge and guidance.

Harmon

Found and read the sticky. Widow makers does not sound like a good thing... Looks like my wheels ARE the bad ones. Below is pic of the rears, are the front usually the same? 10 lugs on the rears but 5 on the front.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/k3vfX6zZ8EcgZb819

When truck was new front and rear wheels were the same style, no telling what you have now without looking.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Va28yGDYcjidzvjS9 Pic of front wheel. The widow makers in the back have 10 lugs but the fronts have only five lugs but 10 holes. I'll crawl under and look for the telltale sign of the bad ones

Front is also an RH5, note the lack of a removable ring looking at outside of a front wheel.
Old 20” truck wheels and tires must have a multiple piece wheel, if the two pieces are not visible on a front wheel then it’s an RH5, split in the center.

My lucky day... Thanks for your help confirming bad news.

I have heard of a guy who takes humvee wheels and replaces the center bolt section to different patterns for the 4wheelin' world so folks can use surplus tires when we fool about in the mud. Too bad there is not something like this for another "safe" wheel but weld in the correct bolt pattern, saving the hub section of these wheels etc.

Looks like a salvage yard safari is needed. My brother bought a wheel for my rollback from a large truck salvage yard in Siler City, NC. I want to go there looking for some doors with roll up windows for the rollback anyway, maybe I'll get lucky and find some wheels for the project truck.

I’ve seen results of a wheel shop starting with a more common 6 lug Budd wheel in 22.5” and torching out just the flat portion with old bolt circle. Then weld in a new piece with 10 lug on 7.25”. The result is functional but the center is strange looking, large and flat relative to the now smaller bolt circle.

The original 20” wheel centers don’t lend them selves to fitting inside a modern 22.5” rim, they have the wrong offset and diameter, don’t quite fit.

Best option for “modern” wheels are difficult to find 22.5” wheels from a Chevy 1956-1959 1.5 ton. These wheels even with rusty rims the centers could be fit in new 6x22.5” rim blanks.

Pardon my ignorance but what about these bus wheels as an option. These do not appear to be multi piece wheels so I'm guessing for tubeless tires?. Not sure about the offsets and not "originals" but if original equipment can't be found then maybe at least my truck would be more than just yard art.


Alcoa 22.5 x 9 Wheels For Sale - These Alcoa wheels were on coach buses. Wheels were on MCI D4000 D4500 102DL3 MCI Coach Bus Parts

Part Number : 893600
Part Number:893641
10 HOLE - Hub Pilot Mounted
Single Wheels : $75

Wrong bolt pattern, and very wide, not worth considering.

Harmon,

Keep in mind that in addition to different wheel manufacturer styles, there are many different widths of wheels as well. Your original wheels were rather narrow to accommodate the 7.00x20 or 7.50x20 tires. Obviously trucks that ran 8.25x20 or 9.00x20 tires will have wider wheels. With patience, the wheels you quest will be found.


Paul

Thanks guys, it will be some time before I will get this on the road so the search will go on.

There are 2-piece 20" lock ring wheels that were used in the early '50's on Chevrolet/GMC trucks that have the correct lug bolt pattern, but have the wrong wheel center hole size (4.75") and you need a 5.25" center hole. Those older style rims are still serviceable/legal and could be put on a lath and have the hole enlarged...just another option.

FYI, All 20" rims are 2-piece (or more) and are tube type...22.5" rims are ALL one piece tubeless.

Like Grigg said, start looking at 1956-59 1-1/2 ton farm trucks, they had the 22.5" tubeless rims you need with your bolt pattern and center hole.

Mike B

Looks like two different trucks now in this discussion, a 1940 and a 1960.

They each have 10 lug on 7.25" bolt circle.
The earlier truck has 4.75" (or smaller?) center bore.
The later has 5.25" center bore.
The change to larger center bore was about 1955-1956.

Later wheels work on earlier hubs with a bushing to take up the difference.
Earlier wheels could fit later trucks after boring out the center bore to suit, as Mike explained.

My intent is to keep this '60 truck as stock as practical. If it was good enough back then it's good enough for me now. I will try to find period-correct wheels if possible and go with the next closest option otherwise. The question is in this same year were there any other truck wheels available that were NOT widow makers?

The only non-stock option I have an idea for is maybe a davit style crane using the pto hydraulics to run a winch fed up through the center pipe for lifting. Truck has no bed now but will find a usable flat bed, I think wood decking is correct, or make a reasonable facsimile of one. This will be a working truck when complete, it's got to pull its own weight. Wheels are just another brick in the wall...

I'am currently going through a similar dilemma. I like the old school stock rims but don't like the tube type tyres and it's hard to find a set of rims in what I would call serviceable
Condition.
I figure there are a few different options.
There are a couple of companies around that make blank rim barrels. Get a rim made to whatever size you want and weld the stick centre into the new rim barrel.
A standard 8.25 x 22.5 domountable type rim has the correct id to accept the stock 20inch centre hub.
The biggest problem is tyre size, rolling diameter and width. it's pretty easy to get caught up putting cool looking wheels on but if they arnt the right diameter to suit your final drive ratios it's all pointless. To replace the 7.50x20 I need a 225/70/22.5 which don't exist..
The next hurdle is cost. Getting centres welded and balanced isn't a cheap exercise.
At this stage I have settled on some 7.5x22.5 alcoas that iam going to run 255/70/22.5 on with some custom made adaptors. The duallies are going to end up 100mm wider each side so not ideal for everyone but should work for me. I have a stock 5.43 final drive that will work well with most petrol motor applications at 100kmph.

I found a place to attempt removing my tires from the rims in Atlanta. The truck places won’t touch them. Of my four I may have two good ones. The other two I question on rust. I am running by the sandblasted/powder coater for an opinion. The guy at my tire store knows how to deal with them. If too rusty I may be throwing good money after bad.

I have searched the forums but have not found a company that makes replacements. Has anyone found anything? I would be fine with tubeless but want the same design. I will keep up my search. Anyone in GA, SC, AL or southeast with 39/40 originals I would be interested. Will jump back on the buy and sell

Harmon.

I am also in Ga. I have been reading a lot about these 10lug wheels. I am also in the search for replacement modern one piece welded wheels in a 10 lug 22.5 with an 8.75 circle 20 inch. These fit on my 1972 c60 and my new to me 1984 c60 dump. The 72 is just a cab and chassis. I have found that the wheels on my old 54 dump are the 10 lug 7.25 circle 20 inch rim. The 54 is a 3 piece rim but the 72 is the dreaded widow makers as well as one or 2 of the wheels on my 84 dump.

Harmon Hodge, Please feel free to contact me. As I am new to the forum it will not let me contact you until I have several postings.