Are there any sources for used 19.5 steel wheels for single rear wheel 8 on 6.5" applications? Ive got a pair of F250 Highboys, and id like the option to run 33" or larger tires in a skinny size, and with a super durable tread and sidewall design. 245/70 or 265/70/19.5's are available reasonably priced as retreads. Ive heard great mileage figures from 19.5 tires in light duty applications. one of my highboys has 255/85/16's on it, and i like the tall skinny tire, but this size has few makers, and prices are rather high!

 

I don't drop by this forum often, but glad I did. You have two ways to switch to 19.5" SRWs on your high boys. One is to find a set of the Budd #71410 19.5" x 5.25" singles that were optional on F-250s from 1956 to 1966 (iirc). These are really rare and sought after, and won't be cheap if found. A friend sold a set recently for $200 each, and I've declined to sell my set several times. They are best fitted with 8R19.5" tires that will measure 33.5" - 34" tall.

Your second option is custom wheels from a source like Rickson. They would also get you a wider rim that would accept the 245 or 265 metric profiles that you mentioned. Here's the link to Rickson. Stu

Rickson Wheel Manufacturing

 

Thank you Stu! I was aware of the Rickson wheels, i thought about them for my DD Dodge, they are pricey! A Set would probably cost me as much as my Highboys cost me when id bought them......Id never heard of those specific Budd wheels, but it sounds like they are equally pricey......A week ago, i happened to find a decent used set of 255/85/r16 Remington Mud Brutes, cheap and i bought those. Luckily, here in Oregon plenty of folks still like the tall skinny tires, they seem to work well in this climate........

 

Glad you got it sorted out. Those Budd 71410s are the wheels pictured on the early '59/'60 Ford F-250 4x4 promotional pictures. Guys with the old 4x4s look for them, as do the guys with early F-3s having the widow maker 17s. Here's the '59/'60 pics. Stu

 

Somewhere ive got the book, or ONE of the books that has those pictures, cause ive seen both those photos before! I recently saw a 1960( i believe) F250 4x4 for sale in Santa Rosa, ca at a used car sales lot, pale yellow, had 7.50-16 tires, was pretty nice.......And i just saw the other day at the local Home Depot here in Grants Pass, a 62 or 63 F250 4x4( Not for sale) so i see them once in a while around......So far ive owned 4 Highboys from 69-77, still havent owned any of the earlier F series 4bys.....

 

That yellow one, '59 pretty sure, was on CL for several months. I'd love to have it, but have too many '50/'51/'52s already waiting to be put back in service. CL ad has now been pulled. Stu