The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Tons 'o Fun Wheels/Tires options?

I've got the stock 8-bolt rims on the 1948 dually. Half the tires should have been retired in the 70s. The other half seem OK but I don't think it would hurt to replace them. They are all rock hard.

Not finding much in the way of used bias ply 700x18s. Coker wants north of $200/each for them. My buddy at the auto garage said I'd be better off just ditching the rims/tires that I have and finding something more modern that would fit. I'm sure a modern 8-bolt setup would work in the front, but what have people done about the back? Just looking for options/ideas so I can start watching craigslist for a bargain.

Or -- could I mount radials on these rims w/ tubes? Anyone know the size conversion?

Anyone think these wheels might clear?

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/dak/ptd/3207147931.html

No, those wheels will not clear. In a modern type wheel, your best bet is to look into 19.5s. They will clear the rear drums.
To my knowlege, there are no modern equivalent 18" tube type radials that will work with the original wheels.

I haven't been able to find any used 19.5s. I assume I'm looking for semi wheels? I'll make some calls/visits to some junkyards and see what I can dig up. Thanks for the help!

No, 19.5 eight lug wheels came on many GM step vans; P-30 chassis. You'll also find 10 lug 19.5's and 8 lug 16" wheels on step vans, so look carefully before you buy just any old step van wheels.

Keep an eye out for single 19.5" 8 lug wheels, also found on step vans and I'm always looking for some.

Some info here
http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/wheels/

Grigg

Thanks! Read that article and it was helpful. Striking out finding any 19.5s at the junkyard (found some 10bolt ones) but I'll keep looking. Something tells me that I'm going to end up biting the bullet and just replacing the really bad tires with STA Transports @ $200/each. Not coming up with many other options outside of swapping out the rear axle....

Swapping to a newer 14 bolt GM rear isn't a bad idea at all. Gives you faster gears, easy to get brake parts, and can run common 16" wheels and tires.

Grigg

I'm warming up to the idea. Is it pretty much a direct bolt on? What years/trucks should I be looking for?

You'll need to move the spring perches out some on the axle tubes.
Look for one from a cab and chassis, like a service body, bread truck, or RV, they are usually narrower than the dual wheel version found under pickup trucks.

Just take your tape measure and see what you find and if it'll work.
Some info can be found here, although in that thread it is my intention to use a cab and chassis axle as a single wheel axle there's still plenty of info and measurements to help with using one with dual wheels as they came.
https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=752538&page=1

Grigg

Grigg (or anyone else) -- Any reason I couldn't just put some wider singles on the back instead of running duallys? The duallys right now are 18x5 -- Wouldn't I be OK running some 9 or 10" wide rims with some negative offset?

If you run singles on a dual wheel rear axle they should be centered with nearly no offset in order to load the wheel bearings as designed.

Might look odd or weird with wide singles on the back of an old work truck, and then you have different wheels front and rear.

It's up to you what you want to do and how you'll be using the truck, what makes sense with your needs in mind?
I personally would run 8R19.5 tires on appropriate dual wheel rims with either axle. Or swap to a 14 bolt and could run 16" if you choose. Advantages to a 14 bolt rear are gear ratios, brake parts, and wheel options. If you stick with the original axle you're stuck with some pretty low gear options, finding harder and harder to get brake parts and the stock 18" wheels/tires or find 19.5 wheels.

48bomb- If you do the 14 bolt swap, don't fret if you can't find a dually rearend. The oem hubs off of your Eaton rearend will fit a SRW 14 bolt. It'll give you a 65" WMS instead of 63", but still doable. You will have to ge creative with your drum brakes though. It's a good thing that GM makes a 7.8, 6.3, 5.1, and 4.5" thick drum. Some of the narrower drums may not work with dually rims though.

Pirate 4x4 has a ton of info here about 14 bolts- http://www.pirate4x4.com/tech/billavista/14b_bible/index.html

Still sort of trying to figure out what direction to go in. I've found some 16.5" rims that I think would work (will they clear the brakes?) and Some 22.5" rims that I think I'll need to measure to see if they are too tall.

Anyone have any thoughts on either of these?

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ank/pts/3229203758.html
http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/wsh/pts/3228345433.html

The seller of the 22.5" rims claims they are 8-bolt but I'm waiting for photos to confirm. This seems like it would be an odd size.

If they're 8 lug I bet they're a really big version and not 8 on 6.5
Here's 22.5 8 lug....
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2651385060080251109PshzjK

Grigg

Grigg -- I suspect the same thing. The seller is going to measure but he doesn't seem very competent about these things.

What do you think about those 16.5s?

I don't care for 16.5 wheels/tires. Not as common as they once were, better off with 16" or 19.5".

Grigg

Once you start looking for 16.5" tires, you'll wish you went to 16"

Too true, when I was looking to replace my tires, my tire guy told me there was a 2 month wait due to stocking issues. They just don't make 16.5 truck tires in great amounts anymore.

These are 4.5 hours from you. 800 bucks though

http://appleton.craigslist.org/pts/3219579173.html

6 19.5 rims with 8R19.5 tires

Really? I see used 16.5 tires on craigslist every day..... http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/ram/pts/3224513357.html

Seems like I see more of these than the 19.5" tires.

So here are my options (outside of a new rear end.)

16" (Won't clear brakes.)
16.5" (Hard to find tires.)
19.5" (Hard to find rims.)
22.5" (Hard to find in 8 bolt pattern.)

Gotta be a cheaper/easier way to do this!

i did see something the other day that might be a viable option. Now, this just going off an eyeball measurement, and I only got a good look at these wheels one time as the truck was only on site for one day, but it does look like the wheels for an '07-'10 GM dual wheel truck might just be big enough to clear. They're 17", and the bolt pattern is the same as the older 8 lug trucks. They looked to have plenty of clearance inside.
Another option might be to look for new take offs from the '11 and newer GM trucks, which are using a 20" wheel factory to clear the 14" disk brakes on them. I have seen a few of those with steel wheels that are similar in style to the original dal wheels.

That's good info! I also noticed this on a much newer Dodge dually yesterday..... it for sure had 17" wheels! All hope is not lost!

Just watch out for the bolt pattern on the newer wheels, I know ford went metric on the Superduty, I thought other companies did too. Maybe I'm wrong.

GM is still 8x6.5, as are Dodge trucks at least to '08. Also, Ford E 250/350 vans are still 8x6.5, only the F 250/350 went to the odd metric bolt pattern.

Well, I pulled one of my Ford 16" wheels off and stuck it on the back. Cleared the brakes! These wheels have a very low offset and actually don't look too narrow. I can't see why it wouldn't work.

Really makes me think that 16" wheels would work!