I got this rim and tire when I got the truck. It was on the rear of the truck and I think it would look great on the rear if I had two of them. The problem is no one knows what it came off of. I have taken it to 7 tire companies, and two farm dealers and no one has seen one before. It has the Ford bolt pattern. I wire wheeled it to see if I could find a number and there are none. If I can figure out what it came off of I think I can find another one somewhere. Any help would be appreciated.

 

You're gonna need to get that dead tire off of it, then give me a width measurement, and hopefully find your numbers under there so I can look them up for you. For now I can tell you it's a Kelsey-Hayes wheel, 1966 or earlier since it has the internal hub cap nubs, and most likely sometime after 1960 because the center is welded as opposed to riveted. Unfortunately Kelsey-Hayes didn't stamp their numbers into the metal like Budd, Motor Wheel Corporation, or Firestone/Accuride did. Instead they put a paper or sticky tape tag inside along the inner rim base. If the tag is still there it will have the K-H number as well as a National Wheel and Rim Association "X" cross reference number. Since it has a 9.50 wide radial mounted I'm gonna guess the rim is 5.5" or wider. Most of the K-H wheels used by Ford on half tons during that era look to have been 5.5" wide. I've got some number possibilities, but won't post anything now because it would just be speculation. Below is, however, a picture of one of the tags to show you what to look for and a chart showing how each wheel company did their numbers. Stu

 

Thanks Stu. I have the tire removed today or tomorrow.

 

Just to save a trip to town I have cut old tires off with a sawzall after I used a wood splitter to break the bead. But, you really have to hang onto that saw!

 

You gotta remember a 'trip to town' isn't a really big deal for everybody like it is for us. And a chainsaw will do the job in half the time . I'll race ya

 

For $ 8.00 Walmart will take the tire off and save me the trip to the landfill to pay them $2.00 to take the tire. So the short of it is for $ 6.00 bucks I'll let them do it and its on my way home from work. Hopefully I'll have some numbers tonight.

Scott

 

I got the tire removed. Walmart did it for free and took the tire at no charge. The tire guy must be a fan of old trucks. The number in the tire reads EWC Firestone USA 7-73 15X8 JJ. Now for the big question.....Where can I find one?

 

This is when one reference becomes in conflict with another. Why that wheel is a July 1973 product with internal hub cap nubs is a puzzle. Maybe Bill can shed some light on this. Anyway. it is a Kelsey-Hayes wheel. The JJ is the location and design of the drop center. No idea what EWC stands for.

There are two wheels meeting the description. One is K-H #89433, also found under National Wheel and Rim Association (NWRA) cross reference number X45198. It is listed as optional on F-100s from '57 to '79, F-150s '80 to '85, Broncos '66 to '84, and Econolines '73 to '82. The second wheel is K-H #103599, also found under NWRA #X45256. Used on F-150s '85 to '87 per one catalog or '90 per another. No matter probably, with those numbers being as recent as they are I'd suspect a parts locating program at one of the bigger yards should turn some up for you. Or at least it gives you a target donor population to go after on yard tours. Good luck with it. Stu

 

i by no means would want to question any of Stu's knowledge, but that center looks to be shade tree welded into the hoop. maybe thats the way they all looked but is it welded front and back? did they weld production wheels on both sides? just throwing it out there. maybe thats why the numbers and nubs dont jive.

 

Could be, and would explain the nubs. Mark and I have been fooled before by a homemade wheel. Even if it is, the wheels cited would have the same base specs. Stu

 

i still havent found a good use for that 15in budd wheel with the 5x8 bolt pattern. maybe a air hose hanger? base of a flagpole maybe?

 

Perfect use would be a hose hanger for that new compressor. Funny how that thing went from being a great find to being a p.o.s. Finding a dozen of the correct wheels, though, sealed it's fate. Stu

 

OP is going to have a difficult time finding a like wheel...because Ford never offered a chrome wheel for anything. Chrome wheels sold by speed shops, autoparts stores.

Ford applications are dubious: None of these numbers appear in the 1964/72, 1973/79 or 1980/89 truck parts catalog's Manufacturer ID number to Ford part number charts.

5 lug 5.50" bolt circle 15" 'innie' wheels were not available after 1966 for E/F100's and Bronco's.

The only optional (painted) wheel offered for 1965/79 F100's, 1966/79 Bronco's, 1975/79 F150's was a 16" 'outie' wheel.

And, there is no such thing as a 15" x 8" painted 'innie' or 'outie' 15" wheel. People unaware that Ford measures wheels across the inside flanges, not across from the outer lips.

1987: First year that Ford offered a 15" x 6" painted steel wheel for E/F150's and Bronco's.

 

Not always sure I know how to interpret what you say, Bill. Whether the original poster's wheel is a factory job or home job I can't say, but have absolute confidence that similar size and width wheels were offered as optional equipment. None of the vehicle manufacturers (since the earliest days) produced their own wheels, but had them sourced from the major wheel manufacturers. Stu

 

I went back to look at this again and found this picture of the X-45256 (K-H #103599). This is in the Nov. '89 K-H catalog and lists it for '85 to '90 half tons and '75 to '90 full sized Broncos. Couldn't find a picture of the X-45198 (K-H#89943) which was at that time listed as being obsolete.

Clearly this isn't the wheel pictured by the original poster because this has the outside hub cap nubs, but the basic size and rim JJ profile are the same for purposes of finding wheels that are a close match. Stu