The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Hub swap

I was at a swap meet and a older gentleman told me that I could replace my six bolt hub on the front of my 1939 Chevy JC 1/2 ton with a five stud hub from a Chevy car. He did not know what year of car would work. Is this true? If so what hub will work? I am replacing the rear end with a 51 Chevy car to get better highway gears and it has a five bolt pattern, I would like the bolt patterns to match.

I don't recall the exact years. Chevy cars were six lug for a long time. The five-lug hubs from when they switched, up through the '54 hubs should be the right ones.

Grab the front hubs off the '51 along with all the brake hardware including the backing plates.

On a '39 you'll probalby have to made some spacers to mount the backing plate in the right place.

I did this on a '41 1/2-ton about 35 years ago. You'd think I'd remember all the details... I remember something about using inner bearings from the truck and outer from the car, or maybe the other way around.

I'm sure someone else will jump in soon with more recent experience and better details.

Cars were 6 lug to '48, 5 lug started in '49 with the body change. Up to '54 sould be the same.

When did cars switch to Bendix brakes? That would be the other issue if it was after 1948.

1951.

I had a truck front axle here that had the 5 lug car setup fitted. I was told that it was from a 54 car, and that to fit the car hubs to the truck axle, you needed to use the car brake backplates and spacers as well as the car hubs and drums.

Stuart.

Whether or not you need the car backing plates and related parts depends on the year of the truck axle if I remember right. Some years you don't.

With something this old (1939) I'm sure you would need to swap them. When I did this with my '41 1/2-ton in the early 70's I did have to swap the backing plates and related parts.

I'd look for a '51 to '54 to get the Bendix brakes out of this swap too (thanks Bill).