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I know this topic has been chewed to death, but I'm looking at options for my '53 3/4 ton and was considering using 70's vintage 16 inch truck wheels, radial tires, and some basic babymoon hubcaps. I think these rims were 5 or 6 inches wide and should work (may need a wheel spacer on fronts). Anyhow, has anyone done this on a 3/4 ton??? Seems like a viable option and shouldn't be too expensive to do. Thoughts?????

What's the problem with your stock rims? Split rims?

I can't answer your specific question, but I'm restoring a 53 3/4 myself. I'm staying with the stock 15" wheels. On the other hand larger rear wheels will certainly give you somewhat better cruising speed. Radials are good, but could be put them on the stock wheels. Or, you might look at a stock 16" or 17" wheels with the moons and radials.

As you say, the why's and whynot's of this issue have been covered before . I hope you get a variety of comments on this topic. It's always interesting to hear how other folks tackle any given project on our 'bolts. If you do implement your vision, be sure to post some pics of the before and after somewhere on the 'web and give us the link. And if you do make the change, be sure to sell your old ones over in the Swap Meet, for folks like me that can always use some stock wheels.

My experience trying to change rims has been fruitless so far. I tried 16 1/2 by 7's to replace the original 17 by 5 split rims. No good, tierod interference. My shop manual says they also came with 16 inch rims, but I can't see houw they would fit. Many here have them, so they must. Does anyone know who put the tallest, skinniest one-piece 8-lug steel rims on as factory equipment? Here in Calgary, no one will touch my split rims, nor do they have 17 inch tubes available.

I'll be facing a similar problem with my 52 Chevy 1 ton. It originally had 18" three-piece wheels with duals in the back, in order to get up to the 8800 lb GVW. The tires are supposed to be 7.00 - 18, and I would like to get back to this configuration.

It turns the local Les Schwab store can get both tires and tubes of the right size, but I'm not having any luck finding a set of wheels (I'll need 7). As I start looking for parts, it seems that wheels and upper rear shock mounts will be the hardest to find.

J-boy, as 46-in-progres sez, why not the original rims? I run original rims with my Michelin LT 215 85r 16's, NO tubes. My '49 1/2 is my daily driver, several long distance trips of 1500 miles, five years and counting.

The expensive but elegant solution is as follows:

Get a set of 15" splitters, send them to Stockton Wheel and have the centers mounted in a more modern 16" rim, with the backset that you specify. Then use a set of truck type tires like the Yokohama 750x16 that have a skinny 5 1/2 " tread, or something close to that. This way you have a very original look, with modern one piece rims and the original hubcaps.

There is a '70s era Fjord rim that will apparently fit, and can be modified to run the original hubcaps. I think the tech tip can be found at www.oldchevytrucks.org .

I dont mean to hijack this post but Pat, you can get the wheels you need from Toms Truck Parts in Miami Okl. If your truck did'nt come with duals you will have to replace the front hubs as well. My 54 one ton doesnt have any shocks at all. Dont know if it is supposed to.

on both my 3/4 ton 49, and 3/4 ton 58 (gmc) i used 16 x 7 pacer wheels (chrome. .. pretty cheap $70.00 a piece). They work great. they are a little close on the stering linkage. . but they work.

Brian Kemp

(any questions e-mail me at [email protected])

Bullet,

Thanks for the tip. My truck originally came with rear shocks, but when the Canadian farmers who owned it put in a home-made dump, they removed the shocks, upper shock mounts and the Hydrovac brake booster.

According to the literature I can find, there are some kind of spacers that go on the front axels when you use dual-style wheels.

Pat, I could'nt find spacers but the different hubs were cheap and fit without any other modifications. Maybe we can get out of this post and discuss this some more. I really dont know how to do that. I am not computer literate so I need some one to lead me around.

I am running 16" wheels from an early 90's on the rear of my 52 3/4 ton. 7.50R16 mud & snow tires. Can't recall the setback on them, but I have about 1" clearance to the frame. I set up a jig to see what would be required to run these wheels on the front, and I needed 2" spacers, which can be done, but it takes a lot of machining to do properly. It would be cheaper to get the wheels rebuilt, I assume.

thanks everyone for such great info!!!! To those of you who asked about my 15 inch splits, the only reason I'm shying away from using these is for wheel diameter. My drivetrain is a NV4500 5 speed with .72 overdrive and a 4.56 rear. I'd like to get 30 inches of tire diameter. I'm looking for some 17 inch splits, so if anyone has some here in the northeast, let me know!!!!! After reading some of the posts, there may be some other ideas to consider. Thanks again!!!

You can buy adapters (spacers) here.
http://www.correctrack.com/

They are $300. a pair but they are a solid product. I have a set of 2" on the front of my 1 Ton along with 80s Chevy 8 lug rims. It would have been better with a 1" adapter which would give me about 1/2" clearance to the tie rod end.