Need help finding wheels for a 1955 F600

W

wobbles85

New member
Hello,

My dad is restoring a 1955 Ford F600 and the truck is almost completely done except the tires can't be balanced because of the age. I believe they are widowmakers and can't be worked on due to insurance reasons?

A little internet research has shown others have had the same problem. I'm 29 and I know very little about vehicles, much less classic ones, but I was hoping some of you might have useful info. He would like dually wheels. He mentioned needing 20" by 8" five lug wheels. Does anyone know if those are available or the best way to replace the old wheels?

Thank you kindly for the time.
 
You've got a common problem. The widow maker Firestone RH-5° outer rims aren't generally worked on anymore by reputable shops. Replacement 20" side ring/locking ring 20s can still be found in remote yards that haven't been cleaned out, but it's not as easy as it used to be. I don't know of an available set.

Tubeless 22.5" or 19.5" wheels are also options. I don't know of any available used 22.5s, but companies like American Wheel Specialist of Pasco, WA, can either make you custom 22.5s using your WM centers, or sell you factory new 22.5s. The new ones will look different than your stock wheels because they have a wider and flatter face. American Wheel Specialist is a wholesale provider of wheels to Les Schwab and Commercial Tire.

The 19.5s are more commonly available used. I have a set available. They wil look similar to your stock wheels. They will use 8R19.5" tires that will be about 3" shorter in diameter than 7.50 x 20s, more if you have 8.25" x 20s. American Wheel Specialist can also sell you factory new 19.5s that look similar to the new 22.5s, or they can make you a custom set of 19.5s. Finding good used ones, though, are less costly. That's it in a nutshell. Ask questions if you need to. Stu
 
Stu,

Thank you very much for the info. I was informed he bought some new 22" wheels from a company in California although he didn't say which one. It was a little pricey but necessary to complete the restoration. Thank you very much for your information. It was a frustrating day yesterday trying to fix the problem, but so far I think we're on the way.

Thanks again,

Baker
 
The old truck tires can be fun. Since most have heavy side walls, it takes some doing to get them to seat against the beads. I've had 15" and 16" ones on my old trucks, but for safety and peace of mind, I went to 17.5" tubeless on my last Chevy C30.
 
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