The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Wheel idea??

I have 49 4400. 10 lug wheels, but seem to be smaller pattern than the late model HD one-tons like I used on my 54 2-ton. I'm still going to investigate P-chassis Delivery Van wheels in 19.5.
BUT, was wondering if any one thought about turning the rim on a big lathe, to cut the flat bolt circle part out of the orig wheels, then doing same on later model one-peice rims, then welding in the old piece to the new rim??? Course then there may be a saftey issue on welded rims?? Orig rims are welded, so why not modified?? Racers of stock cars I've seen cut narrow wheels down middle and put in wider rim parts for racing tires. That guy used a torch on a solid base, turned the wheel right on front hub of race car, went slow, got it straight all around that way. It that works going 100 mph or more, why not just the center of ours to go 55?
Other idea is to use pattern from old to drill new holes in newer wheel, hoping they are all between other holes or such.
Think I'm gonna have to find someone with a big lathe, and curiosity to try one. Probly have to find a donor new wheel first though.

Light Bulb!!! Why not cut out the old wheel, and place that whole piece over outside of new wheel, drill holes to line up with old, tack weld the old part on, don't remove part from new wheel?? Hmmmmm!

I've put a Chevy 10 bolt wheel center into a Ford outer rim to get the wider wheels to accomodate the 8.25 tires before. Not too hard, but if you were to do several, I would think you would want to make a jig first,
Scott

gary call indiana wheel and rim in indy. they do just what you are talking about. go from 9:00x20 to 22.5 and they balance the wheels out for you. you can buy the spacers there to go to wider dual wheels too if you want.

lemme know if i can help out.

I talked to a local welder about taking the centers out of my wheels and putting them insde some dayton 20" I found. He didn't think it would be too hard tack in the centers and take them to tire shop and make sure they were true before final welding didn't have any price estimates though.

Koolkar,
Do you have the number or a web page for "Indiana wheel and rim"?
Perhaps they can help me out with a set of 22.5" wheels for my truck.
Grigg

Maybe we can get a group purchase on some wheels to make it worth a smith's time. Or maybe we can have some made in China or Taiwan to spec. The tires many of us use are 20 inchers from China, there must be some 20 inch wheels without a split rim. Or maybe accuride can make us some 10 lug small hubcentric to big 10 lug adapters so we can run 22.5x6 wheels.

4.3in83toy,
My thoughts on your ideas are as follows:

I am all for getting a group discount in whatever we decide.

I believe there are some 20" ones that are not split, or they could be made with our bolt pattern. But everyone is moving to the half size tires, so I would like to stay modern and use 22.5" wheels. 9R22.5 is a direct replacement / upgrade from an 8.25X20, same outside diameter.

I have briefly considered making my own adapters from ten bolts on 7.25" to the big truck 11.25". I think it can be done, currently no one offers them. Personally I want to stay with the small 7.25" circle and 22.5" wheels that would look more correct for the truck.

You will have a very hard time finding 22.5X6" rims, they were supposedly made, but the smallest available size is 22.5X6.75", and even then they are about twice the price of the more common 22.5X8.25" ones used by most semi trucks.

Personally I have just about decided to get some Accuride part number 28157 wheels that are 22.5X6.75 with 6 on 8.75" pattern and cut out just the old bolt pattern and weld in a disc with my 10 on 7.25" pattern. I will call around and see if anyone will do it for me at a reasonable rate first, and if not then I will do it myself.

i live outside of indy, so i don't have their phonebook. indiana wheel and rim is in indianapolis.

I have done some more research on changing wheels.

Yes there are adapters made to convert small 10 lug to large semi size 10 lugs. They are about $800 for a set of 4.

If you do buy the adaptors the narrowest wheel you can easily get that fits is a 22.5 X 7.5".
I have not measured to see how some 10R22.5" tires will fit, probably almost to big to fit in the front. May fit fine in the back?
9R22.5 tires should fit no problem although I would perfer to run them on narrow rims, but they can be run on the 7.5" rims if you want.

It may be possible to have some 22.5 X 6.75" wheels made with the large 10 lug to use with the adapters.
Although if I am going to make or have wheels made I think I will try for some small 10 lug pattern 22.5 X 6.75" wheels.

Have to agree with you there! I would not want to spend $800 for adapters and then custom make wheels to fit.

Watching this discussion I'm starting to settle on another approach. Perhaps I'll convert the one I actually want to drive to 8-lug hubs and treat it like a 1-ton.

Are the Task-force trucks the same "small" 10 bolt pattern? I was thinking of going with 22.5 polished alcoas on my 56 4400, but after reading this...I dont know.

Or how about the 19.5 10 lugs off say, a late model GM motorhome chassis...Will those fit a 1956 4400?

The small 10 bolt I refer to is what others call the late model motorhome wheels. They have 10 lugs on a 7.25" diameter bolt circle with a 5.25" diameter center hole.

This bolt patern is only available in 19.5" and some smaller sizes, nothing bigger.

Here is the link for the Accuride catalog, lots of good stuff in here. Pretty much if it is a steel wheel on a truck they make it, and if they don't make what you want you can't get it.
http://www.accuridewheels.com/completeversion.pdf

Then there is Alcoa they make nice alluminum wheels in many of the more "popular" sizes. I don't think they have any sizes not offered by Accuride. I have not found a good catalog for them on the net.