wheels

M

mickeyc

Junior Member
Hello Guys, Mick here from Louisiana.
I want to install a set of 40 Ford 16 inch stock type wheels on
my original Model A coupe. It now has 19 inch wires and is totally
original. I understand this requires a spacer or shim to make the wheel seat
correctly? I do not know how to proceed in this application. Any direction
would be much appreciated. Thanks.
 
I think you can see that nobody knows how to proceed. I've had that same question and have not yet found such a spacer. There are other issues that also come into play like the length of the wheel studs themselves. Best I can offer is to convert to a later model hub and drum configuration ---- it quickly gets awfully expensive.

There is another wheel that fits the original Model A drum without any modification. Supposedly the Geo Tracker wheel fits the Model A drum. I say "supposedly" only because I haven't done that myself. Search around and you'll find examples of this wheel on a Model A.
 
Thank you Bruce. I thought I had offended the purists or something.
I just wanted to use the wheels occasionally to change to look of the A.
Its not imperative I have a nice set with new bias ply Firestones and thought
it would be fun to run them. I did consider the wheel stud issue. I have never posted a question here or on the Hamb site that did not result in a plethora of information.
I was surprised. I will just probably let the idea go. I dont need another complicated
issue at the moment,
 
Not sure if the ring from Boling Brothers would help.They have a conversion kit for hydraulic brakes and that has a adapter ring to use the original wire wheels.
 
Give it a try and you will quickly see what you need. The Model A wheels press against the brake drums and the hubs and are located by the studs. So if the 16 inch wheels do not press against the same places as the 19 inch wheels then you will have to get some sort of adapter (support ring). If they fit, they fit. In 1960 I bought a coupe that had 16 inch wheels and there were no extra parts. I switched back to the 19 inch wheels. Make sure the studs are long enough and that the nuts do not bottom out before fastening tight to the wheels.
 
The following post describes the problem of using the wire wheels with the later hydraulic brake drums: https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1286293&posted=1#post1286293

You are going to have to read between the lines but in summary the later rims will appear to fit but will not be properly supported. I was once riding in a Model A when a rim came off and passed us. Fortunately it didn't do any damage. I think this problem was the reason behind the failure. The adapters to use Model A wire wheels on later hydraulic drums are available as this is a common scenario. Running the later wheels on the original Model A brake drums is not very common and I don't think the spacer rings are available from the vendors, some people make their own.

You might consider bent spoke Kelseys if you want a change.

Charlie Stephens
 
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i had a model A used for bush work. i used some newer 15" steel rims off of a ford pickup. tires with chains on. but to do it i had to hog out the center hole of the rim to fir over the locating ring on the stock model a hub.

something you don't want to do for hyway use.
 
old ugly said:
are these for model A wheels on newer drums or newer wheels on model A drums.
it appears to me they are to put the model A wheels on the newer drum.

i think the OP is looking to put newer wheels on his original hubs.
Click to expand...
I was replying to a different post.
 
old ugly said:
i had a model A used for bush work. i used some newer 15" steel rims off of a ford pickup. tires with chains on. but to do it i had to hog out the center hole of the rim to fir over the locating ring on the stock model a hub..
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, I have 4 or 5 15" rims from a Ford 1/2 ton that I was thinkin' of trying to see if they would fit on a model A. I knew that they had the same bolt pattern.
 
katy said:
Thanks for the info, I have 4 or 5 15" rims from a Ford 1/2 ton that I was thinkin' of trying to see if they would fit on a model A. I knew that they had the same bolt pattern.
Click to expand...

you could use them if you had about a 3/16- 1/4" spacer so the rims don't contact the stock model A locating ring. but. then the studs may not be long enough.
on the wheels i did, they were an old set i had and not for on hyway use so i just enlarged the centres.
now to take this a bit further. i believe some farm implements use the same bolt pattern wheels and some of those have a bigger centre hole. (i know that wasnt the question, im just blurting sturr out.)
 
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