The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Another wheel question

I've found a set, of 9-22.5 (tubeless) tires on 6"rims at the salvage yard. They were on an early 60s ford medium duty. but they won't bolt up to my Truck.. the new wheels and my truck, (62 c60) have a 6.25"hub diameter, (both hub piloted) , and an 8.75" bolt pattern. Problem being, my truck is the 5&10 bolt pattern, the new wheels are 6 lug... I'm thinking, I can have 4 bolt holes filled, & drill 8 more in their place. (short version) What say yall ? Strength and longevity concerns..? Thanks to all whom have input.

By the time you get it done right, the welding amd machining cost will be more than just buying the right wheels in the first place. Also, there's no way to know if that much modification will weaken the wheels enough to make them dangerous. You're not just risking your own life- - - -what about all the traffic around you when one of those wheels disentigrates?
Jerry

Also, DO NOT WELD THE RIM WITH THE TIRE MOUNTED IT WILL EXPLODE...

Check out this safety video



Be safe...

Mike B

Thank you hotrod gabster.... I guess I should've specified, I was looking for helpful feedback, rather than self contradictory, non educated condemnation..(starts out with, "by the time you get it done right" and goes on to say "there's no way to know if that much modification....." And then says stuff like "you're not just ri sking your life...and traffic around you" (hello !! I'm just doing research...? And asking for helpful input...) I don't plan to do a hack job myself. I'm going to enlist the help of a professional machinist. I'll just go strait to him for useful information. As for the comment about the exploding tires, thank you. I am aware of it, but it is worth another mention in a topic like this.

I feel Hotrod Lincoln's reply is right on, I was actually going to quote it and say something like "here's your answer".
Surprised to read a couple post later that you think he's being hard on you and non helpful. Please try reading it again.

True that the correct wheels for the application will be simpler, safer, easier, and cheaper.
I've also been called a "Professional Machinist" and the job you describe of welding and re-drilling lug bolt holes in a rim is not one I'd take on. To much risk and to much work for what you get when it's done, buy the right wheel to start with.

Accuride did/does make the very wheels you need and I'm absolutely sure you can find some with a little searching.
One place to try among all the local junkyards is http://www.wheelsnowinc.com/

Grigg

I guess I did over react. Sorry. (he burst my bubble) I will take everyone's input into consideration. Thanks to all

As far as I know automotive rims are just mild steel. So long as they are welded up properly I do not see why you would have an issue. If the price is right I would go for it.

If you were going from 10lug to 6lug I would see more of a potential issue.

Welding rims is done all the time. Here is one article:
http://www.fordmuscle.com/archives/2006/02/Steelies/

Tad

Welding rims to centers while important is less critical than filling bolt holes and the chance of cracks in that highly stressed area.

I had a long, vitriolic post written, and then deleted it. I think the message in Matthew 7:6 applies here.
Jerry

Large truck steel wheels are heat treated and annealed for stress relief.

many years ago I worked for Norris Industries they manufactured light truck and heavy duty truck steel wheels.

Truck wheels go through a different process than auto wheels and pressed steel wheels.

this is because of the load stress not only just driving down the road, but sideways stress when going around curves in the highways.

When you weld a steel truck wheel there is distortion in the molecular structure of the steel. You would have to have the wheels heat treated then annealed.

I had a 6.50x20 steel wheel on my 3 ton GMC that had been welded. I now use it for a vise anchor stand.

I am sorry if this info offends you, but sometimes the truth hurts.

There are some ideas that seem great a first, but then reality sets in.

Not to be unkind but,

"Stupid is as stupid does, my momma used to say"---Forrest Gump

It is said that the difference between ignorance and stupidity is: Ignorance is curable.

While we're quoting things ctrworker has an applicable one himself
"everybody is ignorant @ something.the more we work together, the less ignorance there is floating around"

Hotrod Lincoln. Apology sent. (pm)

Thanks, and I accept!
Jerry

No offence here. If the wheels are heat treated then one would still be able to weld them.... BUT... the process would be much more complicated and expensive. Not that it couldn't be done, but too expensive to pay for it done and most likely beyond the means of anyone to do it themselves.

Have truck wheels always been heat treated? i.e. 40's they weren't heat treated but from the 50's on they were...or have they always been. I believe that on our older trucks the frames are not heat treated, but on modern trucks they are. Just wondering if wheels are the same.

Tad

The use of high-strength steel alloys got very popular with manufacturers in the late 1950's and early 60's when the trend to unitized-body cars came along. I grew up in the early 1950's around a shop where we did frame straightening, and it was not uncommon to see our frame alignment man heat up frame rails cherry-red with two big acetyline torches while making a pull with a couple of 20-ton jacks and huge chains. Doing that on one of today's cars or trucks would permanently alter the metallurgy and possibly cause suspension parts to break off somewhere down the road, even if the geometry of the frame was correct. There are very specific procedures for welding high-strength steel which absolutely must be followed to make a safe repair on anything manufactured since the late 1980's or newer. The older stuff is much more forgiving.

In my gunsmithing business, I get pretty deeply involved in heat treating metal, even bought a ceramic kiln recently to have a controlled-atmosphere heat source for annealing, hardening, and tempering metal. One particular alloy I work with requires parts to be heat-soaked for several hours at 1300 degrees F., water-quenched, then tempered at 700 degrees for a couple of hours and air-cooled. To prevent oxidation scale during the process, I must wrap the parts in stainless steel foil, or provide an inert-gas atmosphere such as Argon during the heating process. Doing something like that to a truck wheel might be possible, but it would certainly be expensive! Welding can create stresses due to localized heating that can be relieved by heating a part until it's cherry-red all over and slowly air-cooling, a process called annealing, then the part is heated, quenched, and tempered to the desired hardness after the annealing process is done. With the proper alloy, that's how springs are made.
Jerry

The discussions on this site never cease to amaze me. The sharing of knowledge and information expands my mind and the resolution of differences of opinions and misunderstandings expands my heart.

Thanks to you all,
Victor