The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop Need Some Inexpensive Wheels

Need some cheap wheels for my 3100 build. 5 lug front and back with front discs so I need something that's going to clear the calipers and won't stick out much. I don't know anything about wheels. What should I look for?

Want a classic look - going to powder coat them red and go with wide whites some day.

Wheel vintiques has the best selection of OEM style wheels your'e ever going to find. Just about any size and style you'll ever want. They can also powder coat them for you in a number of colors.

I found a good deal @ Early Wheel Company out of Moro Bay,Ca. A HotRod shop that makes custom wheels. No charge for reversed or special backspacing makes them the winner for my needs...YMMV

Cragar 69 delux wheels. Old school smooth look at a great price. The 15" come in all widths and backspacing and will clear your calipers. You will have to paint them red, though. I tried to powdercoat mine and it didn't work because of the two piece construction. You might have better luck.

5 lug jeep

Those are pretty much exactly what I am looking for.

They will be red, like the interior.

Dexstar wheels. Search for the on google. Made in USA, powder coated (on BOTH sides) and plenty of offet/backspacing. Mine were ~$50 each to the door.

I can't find any retailers for them or anyplace to buy online.

All those mentioned are good options. Mine are Wheel Vintiques. By the time I got the wheels made with custom offsets, powder coated a custom color, and got the original-style GMC hubcaps modified to fit they definitely weren't cheap, but they were what I wanted. I suggest not going for the most inexpensive, but go for what you want, because you'll probably be unhappy and end up buying what you want later anyways.

I went with Pro Comp Xtreme Rock Crawler Series 52 Summit sales them starting at $56 and going up from there.

Dexstar only has wheels in 5x4.5 pattern. No 5x4.75 or 5x5. If you want 6 or 8 lug, you're in luck.

I want the least expensive wheels that will fit.

You started by saying "classic look" and ended with "cheapest that will fit". Confusing to those people trying to recommend. The cheapest wheels have always been those white spoke jobs. Look on your local craigslist where you can go and try different wheels. You will never know if a wheel fits till you try it or measure the ID. They don't give the ID.

Your cheapest will most likely come from the local pick a part.

A few questions are in order to get you the best answer. In your first post, you mention that you have disk brakes in front, and have a 5 lug bolt pattern. A little more information is needed, such as what bolt pattern do you have? Si the disk brake setup a conversion on the stock axle, or did you use an aftermarket IFS? What rear differential did you use and what width is it? What size tires are you going to run, and are they going to be the same on both ends? All of this comes in to play with wheel fitment.

About 30 years ago the cheapest place to get stuff was a junk yard, salvage yard. Around here, what's left of them, charge to enter and their prices are way high. I guess many parts of the country they are still cheap, but not here. "Highway robbers". Craigslist is the place to get parts and sometimes ebay.(but shipping always kills you on ebay)

JrDamien,
It took me a long time to find rims for my truck. When the front and rear suspension was installed, I had to find some rims to get it around the shop. I could not afford what I wanted but needed something at the moment. Went to a pick and pull and got these uglies for 25 bucks. The rear rims did not fit because of the back spacing so I didn't install the rear caliper in order have the truck mobile. A couple of years later, the brake system was completed and I needed to get some rims and tires for the truck. I still could not get the ones I wanted (Wheel Vintique). I did come across some Chevelle rally wheels "15X"8 with hub caps/rings that fit the front and rear disk brakes for $250. I paid more for the tires then I did for the rims.
I am really happy with the tire/rim combo.

Do you know the back spacing you will need to clear your front brakes/wheel well?
Are you looking for new or used rims?
What size tire are you looking to put on the rims?

These are just a few questions to ask yourself if you have not already done so. Good luck, take your time because there are a lot to choose from.

Bread
.

The cheapest wheels with the most classic look.

Thanks Longbox. Always so much that goes into the seemingly simple.

Stock front axle with 5x4.75 lugs. I don't actually have a rear yet but am hunting for a 3.73.

Why are different sized tires run back to front on these?

Ever use GOOGLE? Simply type in dexstar wheels in the search and you will get all the results you need. Here's a link.

wheels

Good luck

The big rear tires and smaller front tires are based on look, and can help get a more "raked" stance to the truck. You can have the same sized tires front and rear if that's the look you prefer. That's up to you.

Have you ever used Google? You tell me what google link links to those rims for sale and I'll give you a mea culpa.

You have a Chevy car pattern. A truck is 6 on 5.5. So find a 1950 chevy car wheel if you want classic and see if it fits the calipers. You said you wanted Cragar 69 series, Summit has those in every backspace for about $58. Don't know why you would put on a car pattern with a stock axle.
On a another post you bled coffeeman for info of all kinds, then you ended up with 5 lug and never said what parts you got, how much and what all you did? You asked everybody for parts lists and prices and you give none? Are you getting all the info from everybody else then writing a "tip"?

DMG50 was trying to help, you didn't say what bolt circle until the 4th day of your post and he posted right after that. He probably didn't see it. When he suggested google for Dexstar he figured you didn't check because you didn't say what pattern so he thought stock pattern.

You mean use 5 x 4.75 with the stock axle? Not sure what you mean by that last sentence.


I apologize for having "bled" anyone of anything. I assume if someone considers either my questions or answering them burdensome they'd just ignore my questions, not feel slighted by my curiosity.

I am definitely getting as much info from everyone as possible to decide what to buy and the most inexpensive way to go about rebuilding the truck. Once the buying and the building begins I am going to document it well and I don't want to do this at someone else's expense but certainly for other people's benefit.

As I've mentioned I have NEVER done anything like this and know that any wrong turn could cost enough money to derail this build for years. I have until April to get it done. As ever, please be patient with me. I am starting from total ignorance and going from there.

The point is you are asking what wheel will fit. If someone did the same thing you did, they will tell you what wheel they used, if you care to tell us what you used for front brakes. What kit/what parts? That would be a fast way to get your answer. I also asked why you chose to do 5 x 4.75 lug. The only kit you could get? you think there are more wheels? Most do that when installing a Camaro clip or other. But I know you said stock axle. Don't understand "when the buying begins"? Do you have a disc front now or not?
I read your other post waiting to see what you did. Noticed in there you are not really starting from total ignorance with talking about Camaro parts at a salvage yard, prices of kits, $100 brackets and machining a bracket from a pattern. Your hobby is trucks in your profile?
Not necessary to keep quoting everybody, we know what was said and whom you are speaking to.

Hey, lets try to keep it light in here guys.. Were all friends...

I love to help, but it shouldn't take 3 pages to get basic info from someone you are trying to dig up an answer for. New people need to know to give make, model, year and specific components for specific answers. I call that friendly advice. If moderators would tell newbies right away in a post to give info, it would be helpful. Moderators are the ones that should "train" them at the beginning instead of this guessing game. Moderators jump in after I get frustrated and I look like the villain....and when I see the original newbee poster BS or dis a fellow poster trying to help, I call it like I see's it......friendly like.

I didn't call you out specifically I was actually talking to a few different people on this thread. I'm not mad at you or anybody else we're all friends, I'm just saying let's keep it light and friendly the stovebolt is a community where we all teach each other. none of us are master communicators nor are we master mechanics otherwise we wouldn't be here. Tone and inflection on written communication sometimes is impossible to gauge. Therefore a post may sound harsher than its meant to be. I always try to smile when I type. sometimes people/newbies that haven't been on message boards for years have trouble forming their requests and explaining what they really have going. and sometimes like in life it takes a little bit of fishing around to figure out really what you really need to know to ask your question. I have no doubts you all want to help the fella out, and its getting there.
Keep on Truckin guys..

Well said. Peace.

Poster may want to look at a recent "driveline" post on front disc by bztguy. See wayne67vert.

Hey Bartamos, did you know you can edit any of your posts? This saves you from having to write another one and allows you to correct spelling errors. Just click the "edit" button on the bottom right of your original post, make any changes and re-submit.

Have a great day!

Mike B

Hi Mike, I see that for some reason I posted twice. If that is what you meant, I have deleted it. Thanks. Yes I know about edit and such. If there was another meaning let me know.

I saw it. Speedway conversion kit is already here.

"Garage" sale $80 + $8 ship. Not bad but no bearing adaptors.

Never saw that. Got the whole kit. Price for rotors and calipers were on part with flaps prices and junk yard prices, too.

That $80 was just for the bracket and HW. Sounds like you are ready for some fun.

Yeah I've been really eager to start putting it all back together.

You may want to consider this. If the hardware came with nylon locking nuts, use regular nuts and snug them down, not torqued, until you are sure it's all correct and you won't be taking apart. Then, one at a time, replace with the locking nuts. Those nuts lose some of their locking ability after just one cycle. I would do that with anything other than lock washers, including if they are deformed thread lock nuts.

Good advice. I'll do that for sure.

If you're interested, here's the frame:

Before
After

Nice