Alternative to split rims on 1.5 ton trucks?

J

junkyard junky

Senior Member
My dad has 46 Ford 1.5 ton truck with the 5 lug split rims. I was wondering if there was any alternative to the split rim. Wondering if I could find a one piece wheel for the truck? Thanks!
 
I think you could find some 19.5s to bolt on. If you join FTE and go to the 47 and earlier guys, there is a member who knows everything about old truck wheels, and I mean everything. He would know.
 
The 20" wheels that are original to a 1946 era truck have two piece locking side rim wheels. The dominant style is called the Firestone RH, but there were various Goodyear rim designs that were more common to Dodge and IHC. All of these can be kept in service if undamaged. Beginning in 1948 Ford began fitting Firestone's "Advanced Design" wheels with outer rims called the RH-5°. These are the dangerous rims that are today called "widow makers". If your truck had wheels swapped at some time during its life and had the RH-5° fitted, they should be replaced. Otherwise, swapping on newer style tubeless 19.5" or 22.5" wheels are an optional alternative.

But there are trade offs. The most common tubeless wheel is the Budd #89340, 19.5" x 6", mentioned above. Still fairly common and found on both Ford and Dodge Class A motor homes of the 1970s and early 1980s. The trade off here is tire outside diameter. If you now have 7.50-20" tires they will be approximately 36" - 37" tall. An 8.25-20" will be 38" tall, and a 7.00-20" about 35" tall. The #89340 uses either a 225/70R19.5" tire at 32" diameter or the preferred 8R19.5" at 33.5-34" diameter. The shorter tires will materially reduce road speed.

The other tubeless alternative is the 22.5". There were several varieties made be Budd, Kelsey-Hayes, and Accuride in 5.25", 6.00", and 6.75" widths. The narrowest tire today is the 9R22.5" which is 38" tall, same as the 8.25-20". Finding an old original set of any 22.5" variety will be hard and expensive.

Factory brand new 19.5 x 6" and 22.5 x 6.75" wheels are being reproduced and imported. I'm told from Turkey. They look much different than old originals. Both can be seen online at the Wheels Now web site, and available from a variety of other companies. Stu
 
Thanks for the info everyone! I called Wheels now and they have the 19.5 for $200. 22.5 for $225 a wheel. I need to get the truck in running condition first.
 
junkyard junky said:
Thanks for the info everyone! I called Wheels now and they have the 19.5 for $200. 22.5 for $225 a wheel. I need to get the truck in running condition first.
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If they AREN'T the R5 widowmakers, they are just fine as they are, as long as they are in good condition. Most AG and truck tire shops still service multi piece wheels every day. As Stu says... The widowmakers are DANGEROUS! and I will add they need to be turned into backyard fire pits or bases for a pedestal grinder, welder or melted for scrap. Please remove the tire first.
 
I have a F600 with the widowmakers and I just finally decided to pull the axles and stick Ford 1 ton Dually axles under it and call it a day.

It takes #1500 or more to loosen the lugs on a 2 ton. I can't image what a service call on a flat tire on the freeway would cost! Not to mention the gear ratios are terrible for on the road driving.

I want to actually be able to practically use mine when I get it back on the road.
 
What truck are you having donate its front axle? Too modern a truck will have inboard steering geometry that will need to be engineered around. Budd nuts are torqued to 450 to 500 lb ft of dry torque, but decades of inertia and rust could impose near what you suggest. That road service truck, however, would have a 1" drive Chicago Pneumatic that would make short work of them. Stu
 
the last project i did needing this change was a 47 diamond T. i used a 450 ford rear, 10 bolt, 19.5, and a gm 3500hd front, 10 bolt, 19.5 wheel. that was in the 90's when that stuff was late model and expencive. now i would guess many of them are at the junk yards for a more reasonable price
 
picture of the front wheel.
 

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That’s a Firestone RH having the solid/continuous side ring. Can be tricky to work on if you’ve never done it, but safe to keep in service if undamaged.
 
Thats the same style 20 inch wheel I have on the 47 Ford truck chassis (that is now a bale wagon) I think I have replaced most of them myself over the years. Not that hard to work on.
I do have the "widow maker" wheels on the 49 Mercury one ton. 17 inch. They will need replacing one day but the biggest problem there is that the original hubcap/wheel covers likely won't fit a newer wheel. One option I actually did 50 years ago on the 39 sedan was get some junkyard wheels. Cut out the 16 inch wide five centres and trim then down just enough to weld inside a 15 inch rim. It worked well. Could maybe do the same thing on the 17 inch "widow maker" wheels.
 
ran my 41 1 1/2 ton truck with the period wheels and changed them out myself, taking them apart with the old tires was the hardest. great look for the truck
 

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The Military used the solid ring wheels and they have been no problem for me and fellow MV collectors. Newc
 
RalphG said:
Thats the same style 20 inch wheel I have on the 47 Ford truck chassis (that is now a bale wagon) I think I have replaced most of them myself over the years. Not that hard to work on.
I do have the "widow maker" wheels on the 49 Mercury one ton. 17 inch. They will need replacing one day but the biggest problem there is that the original hubcap/wheel covers likely won't fit a newer wheel. One option I actually did 50 years ago on the 39 sedan was get some junkyard wheels. Cut out the 16 inch wide five centres and trim then down just enough to weld inside a 15 inch rim. It worked well. Could maybe do the same thing on the 17 inch "widow maker" wheels.
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Remounting the 17” widow maker centers is becoming fairly common. Stockton Wheel has done it several times that I know of using new tubeless 17” x 7” outer rims. Somewhat wider than the stock 5.5” wide widow makers but with proper backspacing they look good.

The other options that allow you to keep using the hub caps are the 17.5” and 19.5” Budds that were optional on F-250s beginning in 1956 and available on through 1966. Also used by Dodge and Studebaker. They show up on eBay and CL pretty regularly.

The early ‘48 to ‘51 Lockheed 14” rear drums prevent use of more common 16” wheels. Stu
 
truckdog62563 said:
What truck are you having donate its front axle? Too modern a truck will have inboard steering geometry that will need to be engineered around. Budd nuts are torqued to 450 to 500 lb ft of dry torque, but decades of inertia and rust could impose near what you suggest. That road service truck, however, would have a 1" drive Chicago Pneumatic that would make short work of them. Stu
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A shock wrench or slapper as we used to refer them to them when I was a mechanic for a local dairy will solve any lug removal issues. I changed many a 20" bud wheel on 2 ton or larger refer trucks on the side of the freeway and there was never a lug nut I couldn't remove.
 

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51504bat said:
A shock wrench or slapper as we used to refer them to them when I was a mechanic for a local dairy will solve any lug removal issues. I changed many a 20" bud wheel on 2 ton or larger refer trucks on the side of the freeway and there was never a lug nut I couldn't remove.
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Now that is a very nice tool. I have cobbled up a bunch of stuff to R/R budd wheels with my impact wrench, but they are all rather ugly. Right now I have no budd wheel trucks in the fleet, so that saves me from hunting one down on ebay. I will add that I have changed at least 100 truck tires on multi piece wheels on the floor of my shop over the years. Some of most physically demanding work I have ever performed, but I also love the look of stock type tires and wheels and it was worth it.
 
I guess I should have worded it differently. I was talking about the inner/outer type lug nut assemblies on the bigger dual wheel trucks. That system must have a name. And I think I have 22 of the 17" wheels mounted with tires on running trucks, parts trucks and a trailer. So yes, I have a bunch of budd wheels!
 
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