The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 17 " split rim swap

what size rim can I go down to without a rear end swap on my 51 chevy 3/4 ton ?
How about the front size and still steer ? It is time to go for radial tires, rides like a dump truck!
thanks for any help :confused: Bill

I had a truck with 17" split rims. They were 8 bolt. I went to 16 inch rims with 235-85 series radial tires. They were not quite as tall but as close as I could find. Steering and handling improved immensely and I did not feel any difference in highway speeds.

There is a website (but I can't remember the name) that has a tire height comparison calculator. Try 'digging' for it.

Hope that helps.

Royzell

Hi again.

I was scanning some other topics (in engine and driveline)and came across a posting on October 5th by Woogeroo, Speedometer and Odometer Math. In one of the replies there is a reference to a tire size calculator on the Westcoast site.

Royzell

There are a few handy calculators on the Randy\'s Ring & Pinion Page .

You can go to a 15" or 16", if you can find them. The problem is the setback, the distance from the back edge of the rim to the flange. I'm thinking the minimum is 3-3/4" so the tire will clear the tie rod ends on the front. If you don't care about the hubcaps, there are some Dodge rims that will work. GM went to a deeper backset, and I haven't been able to find anything close enough to work on the front without big spacers. On my rears I have rims off a 93 with 7.50R16s, there is about an inch between the tire and the frame. Still running 15" lock rings on the front, I might end up machining a 2" spacer for them. If you stick with a GM rim, you can transfer your hubcap clips and run your stock hubcaps.

This problem has been talked about before. It is worse on the 1 Ton than the 3/4 Ton. One solution is to use an 80s chev rim with an adapter such as the ones made by Correctrack.

I mentioned a problem on this site recently, I'm having with new radials on my 37 Chev pickup. I've recently began running Tru-Spoke wheels with 215R75 x 15 Coker's and the steering has really become more difficult to turn, especially to the right. My steering box is just fine, just checked it. The offset of the rims could be the problem on mine. Be careful on yours.

I understand that they are making 17" radials now. Anyone know about these?

This is from a previous post of mine. Click on my home page logo to see the height of the 3/4T '48.

Here's what's stamped on the back of my 16 inch 8-bolt, gray, after market rims which I've been using on my '48 3/4T with 235-85-R16 Michelin highway treads for 6 years with no problems.

16x6K
CAP 3045 LBS, 80 PSI, DOT T
5 12 21
Rockwell Fumagalli, Made in Brazil

They are 6" wide. A tire man in town says the K has to do the the gauge of metal used. Some heavier rims have "KK" stamped on them according to him.

The set-back of the mounting surface to a straight edge spanning the furthest inside edge of the rim is 4 inches.

The tie-rod end on the driver's side sits about 1/8" from the rim edge. The tie-rod end is about 3/16" from the rim edge on the passenger's side. The steering arm is about 1/8" from the tire. This is a little close. But I've never had a problem whatsoever like I did with a 17x750 tire on a one-piece rim that was on the truck when I got it.

I've got the same type of clearance problem on my 57 3/4 ton. I have almost no clearance at all, and what I do have is from the wheels making their own by rubbing on the tierod ends. PO put these wheels on. I have read in past posts about using spacers to eliminate this on non-original wheels. What type of spacers are used? Just washers or something else? Thanks for any advice.

I think they use plates drilled with the right hole pattern and not just washers. If I'm wrong, someone chime in!

The best style is a machined plate with drilled holes a center hole that fits over the hub, and a flange on the outside that allows the load to go from the wheel through the flange and into the brake drum.

The adapters that I was talking about have their own set of studs and come in a variety of widths.

KOOK,
the radials are listed on Coker's site and they are $358.00 each! Nice tires but there has got to be a limit on what one will pay.