The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts YIKES... My rims are too rusted!

I got a call from Les Schwab. My rims are shot. I have read over the tech tips on Big Bolt rims, but not really clear on my options. I would like some more feed back if you guys don't mind re-hashing this. I am feeling a bit frustrated, because I need to move my truck to build my shop.
Anyhow, my truck is a 1948 two ton and had 8.25 X 20 tires on it. If I go modern, according to my interpratation of the tech tips, I go with 9R X 22.5 tubeless. I am at work so I can't measure my wheels, but according to the article it should have a 4.75 center hole, 10 bolt pattern on a 7.25" bolt circle. What I am not sure is, how hard it is to find the rims. Is it difficult? Any help or suggestions would be greatly apprecitate. The Les Schwab dealer is working on it too. One more question, what are the actual rim dimensions?

The 22.5" rims with 10 lugs on 7.25" bolt circle (like your old wheels) will have 5.25" center hole (larger than your original wheels).
Bushings can be made to solve the center hole problem.

Finding the wheels is the larger problem. I would not say they are rare, but they certainly are uncommon and take a fair amount of looking to scrounge up..

Your cheapest and fastest option is probably to find more original wheels that are not rusted. However from looking at other threads folks are having a hard time with that too, I'd suggest looking in the mid west for less rust.

Grigg

I keep reading the tech for the wheels, and I fail to see why a later wheel with the larger center hole cannot be used on an early truck without the bushing. The later wheels are designed to be stud-piloted correct? That means the lugnuts hold it centered due to the way the wheel holes and lugnuts are manufactured. So what is the problem using these wheels with the correct nuts? Must be something I'm missing as I know Grigg has really researched this topic.

The problem is not with the newer wheels with the larger opening, it's the larger wheels having to be adapted for use with the 4.75 opening that are hub aligned. It appears nobody makes new rims for the 4.75.

OK, I understand that the older wheels are hub aligned. But the later wheels are stud piloted so do not require a close tight fit on the hub. The wheel studs and lugnuts take the load and maintain the alignment. So why not just use the later wheels and lugnuts?

Both new, old, and all wheels with 10 lugs on 7.25" bolt circle are hub piloted.

Don't be confused by the nuts that appear to be the stud piloted type, because they only fit he clamp plate they have nothing to do with centering the wheels. The wheels are not chamfered to be stud piloted, and I don't think you'd want to.

To answer an earlier question about the bushings needed to use late wheels on early hubs;
Yes they could be welded into the rim and bored out again, but that is a fair amount more work than necessary. A simple bushing retained by the old clamp plate is simple and reliable.
Swapping to later axles with the larger hubs is another option.

Grigg

Back in the 60's when the 5.25 wheels were plentiful and the 4.75 wheels were getting scarce, 1/4" adapter rings were routinely used. They were tack welded to the rear hub and the clamp held the front ones in place. I would be hesitant to try to weld the adapters to the wheels. There is a lot more room for wiggle, you risk warping the wheel and you can get by with one thicker adapter on the drive axle.

Besides the issue with bolting up the wheels and piloting them on the hub aren't the 22.5 tires a lot taller than the original 20". I know any taller on my 46 COE they would rub on the front.

Here is a response from Wheels Now:

1] the only off the shelf wheel is a Accuride 19.5 x 6.00 with that 10 hole,7.25 bolt cicle,5.25 bore. (We already knew this.)
2]we could build a 22.5 x 6.75 to fit the 9R22.5 tire, matching the bolt circle 10 hole, 7.25 bolt circle, 5.25 bore with only 2 hand holes.
Cost would be {for a set of 6} $350.00 each. For quantities less than 6 $377.30 each.
For restorer this may not be an issue, but regular replacement the wheels and tires are more than truck is worth,
3]to build a 12.25 wheel same spec’s removing duals to fit a 385/65R22.5 tire cost would be $395.00 each using a flat disc.

So that's what they will do for them. Expensive in my mind, especially since I have a set already on the bus and I like the 5 hand holes. I would be tempted on the 12.25" wide wheel for the back to give the bus a prostreet look. But at a later date I think. Other priorities first to get it running.

Chris, the overall height for the 9R22.5 is 38.1". I don't recall what the tire height is for the 7.50x20" bias.

Super,

If you ever make it down towards the Seattle area, I have at least 13 wheels that I know of w/10 lug, 4.75" centers. Keep it in mind if you cant find replacements.

Were all your wheels bad, or just some?

Jeff

All my wheels are toast. Do your wheels have tires on them? If they do they may be just as bad as mine. Mine looked fine until you try to take them apart. Then you find out they are rusted solid and break apart when you try to take the tires off. I have a lead for some in Kennewick WA, but they have tires on them too. I also have a couple of junk yards I am waiting to hear from. If yours have the tires off and are in good shape I'll drive down to buy them from you ASAP.

They all have tires on them. I also couldnt tell you where they spent their life, so who knows if theyre rusted inside or not. Other wheels I have were removed from a'41 and were fine when I broke them down. I know that truck spent over the last 20 years in Port Orchard, but I dont know what climate these others came from.

Good luck!