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

I have a '39 3/4 ton pickup with the original wheels. It will take a lot of work to make the old wheels clean and useable. Does anyone know from what newer trucks I can get wheels that will fit? How late the '39 bolt pattern was used? Maybe where I can get cheap wheels??

Thanks,

Gary

One way to use the original is to have them powder coated. That works great.

Are you talking about single piece wheels or multi piece? If they are multi piece and they are badly rusted, they should be junked.

So What is the bolt pattern? By newer do you mean modern or just newer stock type.

To all,

The originals are single piece artillery type. I think they are salvageable, but I want to install a set of later model OE steel wheels so as to make the finished chassis a roller. I need to move it in the shop. The originals will take some time and work for which I am not yet equipped. I have one that is a plain steel rim of recent build (perhaps from the 80s), but I do not know from what vehicle it came.

The current original wheels are 15" with six lugs, and whatever the standard spread would be for a '39.

I think one of the more recent Toyota rims will fit, but I do not know which. I also suspect that Chev used the same bolt pattern into more modern times, but I don't know on which trucks.

I have tried to find swap charts, but to no avail. I will check with the local tire place later in the week, but had hoped to have enough ammo to scronge the junk yard first.

Thanks.

Gary

You are correct. Toyota and Chevy wheels into the late 1980's are the same six lug pattern. To avoid steering problems, get the narrowest wheel you can find and/or make sure the offset doesn't put the tire into anything. I'm guessing you will be looking in salvage yards as a source.

Summit Racing has a great selection of after market wheels.I would look there first.

Yes, either salvage yards, or tire shop take-offs. Cheap is the word of the day...or life time. I need to stick closely to the originals, as I intend to re-mount the tires onto them when I have them blasted and painted, and whatever else has to be done to them.

I will check for late model chev and toyo.

Thanks,

Gary

I will poke around town on Friday, and see what surfaces. Les Schwab may have some reasonable take-offs, and we have a couple of salvage yards.

Thanks,
Gary

1987 is about as new as you can go on Chevrolet wheels, the later trucks use a much deeper backspace and will rub. Toyota/Nissan/Isuzu and some Mitsubishi trucks from the late '70s-late '80s also have the correct belt pattern, and did use narrower wheels, but they used a slightly deeper backspace. Thsi may cause issues with rubbing on left hand turns.

Mine were salvageable with mild sand blasting followed by powder coat. Take a peek into the picture book below. They aren't perfect but pretty good

Bill,

I'll take one of the originals with me when looking about the yards. That should make it easier. I think I will also do a template, and a backspace guage of wood; something I can carry around the lot.

Brian,

That's a nice old truck. The wheels are the same as mine. Eventually, I will sandblast and then paint with urethane, but I need something in the mean time.