The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Rim choices for 1946 6 lug - what years to look for??

We have a 1946 Chevy 1/2 ton everything is pretty much original. I need to get new 6 lug rims. What years do I need to look for? I still want to use the center caps on the rims if that helps any. It was an old farm truck so is it 15 or 16's for the rim size. Thanks for any and all help. Hank

I think you'll be better off buying modern rims that mimic the appearance of the original wheels. Finding a decent set of 80 year old wheels will not be easy and you'll have to pay a decent bit of money to have them restored, straightened, etc. 16" is most likely the factory size. That is what my '50 came with and I think 15" looks too small under the fat fenders.

I purchased a set from Wheelsmith, which custom builds the wheels to order. Mine are 16x6 with 6 lugs and 3.5" backspace. If I were doing it again, I'd order 16"x5" to more closely resemble the original 16"x3.5" rims the truck came with. They'll build the smoothies to the same specs as your originals.

Wheelsmith will supply reproduction hubcaps or will install the clips required to use your original caps.

Here are some photos of mine.

225/85- R16 is the closest modern radial size to the original bias ply tires.

http://thewheelsmith.net/wheel-catalog/smoothie-wheels

Otto thanks I didn't know about this route. I will try it and give them a call Monday. Thanks for the info. I will probably do the 16x5. It had 15's on it when we bought it. Thanks again Hank

I was in your situation a couple years ago, Hog. Someone on this forum recommended this solution and company to me. I am extremely happy with the results.

Hog Wild,

The resource document at the GM Heritage Center for your 1946 1/2 Ton lists the available 3100 (1/2 Ton)wheel options, dimensions, and original tire sizes that would have been available for your truck.

I attached a screenshot below extracted for easier viewing.

Here is a resource page from the 1929-54 Chevy Master Parts Catalog showing wheel dimension choices and original part numbers. Another screen shot below is added with the 2 standard wheel size options underlined.

Based on the parts book info, 15x5.5 or 16x4.5 standard 6 lug wheel for 1/2 Ton trucks from '38-54 will fit your '46 (all the same part numbers), depending on which of those sizes you choose. There are still 16x4.0 wheels around out there, but Chevy evidently did away with listing those in the catalogs as the 16x4.5 width wheels became the standard for later years.

The 16" wheel and the tire mentioned by Otto above does fill the wheel well opening nicely and the radials are a distinct upgrade to bias ply tires of old.

Hope this is helpful!

Dan

Thanks Dan for all the great options. I will have to do some looking.

Original wheels are out there. I had a mix of 4", 4.5" and 5" 16 inch wheels on my truck when I bought it. Tracked down enough for a full set of 4.5" wide wheels.

I am in the same situation looking at rims, bought some Diamondback Auburn tires 650-16, found 2 of my rims are best not reused.
Am looking at US Wheel in addition to WheelWorks, neither makes the smoothie with vents like 1946 originals in 16” size with 6 lug, the do make them smoothie with vents in 15”, is that the deuce? Again 6 lug issue. There is also a 4.5” wide smoothie rim available at $20. extra per. Both companies rims won’t use our stock hubcaps but offer a 41-46 cap that looks correct but mounts to nubs not clips, they rum $104. Ea (ouch!)

Our old rims are not “tubeless ready” and as I am going down the “rim needs replacement” path that matters…a lot. Many of us (including me) are/were successfully running tubeless tires without tubes on our non tubeless rims, or running tubes in tubeless tires, but I want to be as compliant with standards as I can if the option is there as each situ has its potential drawbacks safety wise. (This is where we some will jump in with what they have been doing successfully for years, but I’m not buying into that logic if I can possibly avoid it, which I can).

I am also looking into the possibility of using old centers in new ‘ hoops’ but don’t know if there is still a shop around for that option… that has its own potential issues as well.
I am interested in any other options available too.

Chuck

I’ll have 2 or 3 orig rims available when I’m done…..and 4 perfect hubcaps

Hog On your wheel search ,will PM you.

I'm also going hanks route of OE centers in later rims to 6",I'm running 225x75x16's on NOS wheels on front, but want alittle bit more for rear, so building new wheels, luckily I've several wheels so experimentation won't be an issue

What do you mean by "building new wheels"?

Are you having wheels made by a wheel maker?

No I'm making my own using good usable centers and installing into later rims. Not for everyone as machine lathes are needed to set run out ect. and check runout while welding together. Like old days making reversed wheels, except now days I look at at least 20-25 wheels before I find good enough centers to start with. Otto if you are thinking that route if you are not experienced enough to do this then have a professional machinist perform this for you or try Stockton wheel in california or in your area as not a good idea of back yard tape measure opperation, too risky from a safety stand point and no I do not make wheels for other people as liability issues abound

60-something years ago, we were making bunches of extra-wide wheels for dirt track race cars using a cutting torch, an angle grinder, and a stick welder. Cut the "narrow" section off two Buick or Cadillac rims, torch the center out of one of them, and tack weld the two "wide" sides together. Then mount the wheel on a front spindle, and check for runout with a carpenter's square standing upright on a level floor. Do a little finish welding and slag grinding, and "off to the races!"
Jerry

Don't worry 9%Grade, I bought wheels from Wheelsmith. I would have no interest in making my own rims.

Stockton Wheel closed a few years back so unfortunately no longer in business.

No, it is fortunate that Stockton wheel closed…. The place went to hell before it closed and many were left disappointed…

It looks like Stockton Wheel may have returned to business??? There website has a current 2024 copyright, plus Facebook and other media sites, but there are no current posts, comments or reviews later than 01/08/2024 when someone posted they drove by the place and saw it was boarded up.

Anyhow, back to the discussion about the topic at hand. The OP Hog Wild hasn't been back since June 2023 and late comer Karl 9% grade hasn't come back to post again either. Perhaps its time to lock this thread down? A new discussion can be started by anyone having an interest in the topic.