Here is another post about the five hole rims for the F-4s to F-6s. I was surfing around looking for "Dodge M400 wheels", which fit the F-4s to F-6s, and came upon a Travco RV site. There was post and a link to Rickson Truck Wheels site.

www.ricksontruck.com

The post said that they were going to make a 19.5 rim for the M-400 chassis. I went to the site, got their phone number and talked to Dan over there.

Dan was a very nice guy and we talked for about five minutes. At the beginning of our conversation I asked if they were going to make the five hole rims for the M-400, he said yes, a small run, maybe fifty. He asked what kind of RV I had and I told him I didn't have a RV but a Bonus Built truck that the rims fit. He didn't know this so I told him he could find a fairly decent market from the Bonus Built guys and told him he should visit both the FTE and the BB site. He told me the price would be about $250-275 each, which is a little too rich for my pocket. Stockton gets $125 for refurbished ones, if they have them. I told him if he contacted the Ford guys he might be able to double his run and if he did, I asked if he would be able to lower his price. He said if enough of the Ford guys got together and order a block of wheels he would consider making special pricing. He also mentioned they're going to make aluminum rims too.

I am posting this to see if there would be any interest in getting together and ordering a block of rims. This could turn into something interesting.

 

Bob,

This sounds like a great idea to bring costs down. $250 each is a bit steep for my pockets, too! Someone should measure up their wheels (hub diameter, offset, etc.) and send them to Rickson to make sure they truely match up. Many years ago, I suggested the M-400 Dodge as an alternative to our wheels, but never have actually heard of anyone trying them out. The 19.5 inch M-400 wheels will fit over our drum brakes and will take a wide range of tire: widths, diameters, load range and tread patterns. My F-4 still has on the stock 18" wheels, so the offsets may be different than the 20" wheels of the F-5 & 6.

Fran

 

My '51 F-4 has the 22.5 tubeless with 8" tires. I can't find 8" tires, 9" are easier to find but with the 22.5 rims the 8" tires come close to rubbing the fenders, I am assuming the if I tried to squeeze the newer 9" on my narrow rims it will only make them higher and would surely rub. I also don't like the looks of the 22.5 rims, they may look OK on F-5s and 6s but they sit a little higher than the F-4s. I think the 22.5 rims look like wagon wheels on the F-4.

There is a '50 F-5 in the classifieds on this site that has new tubeless rims. I asked the seller what rims he had on it and where he got them from. He to me he had 19.5 rims that he bought from Stockton Wheels. I talked to the guys at Stockton Wheel and they told me the rims were refurbished rims they get off of M-400 and M-500 Dodge motorhome chassises. They don't always have them and when they do they get $125 each plus shipping, quite a bit lower than what they told me at Rickson but as they told me at Stockton, they don't always have them and they are getting harder to find. Hopefully, if there is enough interest, prices can be reduced substantially.

Fran, you said you have the stock 18" on your F-4, I didn't know they came with 18" wheels. Are they the "Widow Maker" type rims too? All of the F-4s that I remember seeing had the 20" rims.

 

Howdy,

I would have gladly paid that much for "new" manufacture tubeless wheels!

I paid $199+$22.50(powdercoating) from Les Schwab Tires for "rebuilt" 5 lug BUD wheels. They're the 3 peice type lock ring wheels. I had "Widow Makers" and they would not even touch them!!

I have 9.00-20 tube type tires on my 55 F-600.



Regards,

Rick

 

Bob,

According to the Shop Manual & Operators Manual, the F-4 came in single rear wheels (SRW) with 7x20 tires and 7,500 Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW). The Dual RW (DRW) F-4 came with 7x18 tires and 10,000 GVW, which I have. All F-5 and F-6 came in DRW with various width 20" tires, depending on GVW (10,000 - 14,500 for F-5 and 14,000 - 16,000 for F-6 trucks). Your F-4 did not originally come with the 22.5 rims. If you have 10,000 GVW (look in glove box) it came with the 18" wheels. 18" tires are very hard to come by (Coker, etc) and only come in one tread pattern.

All "large" trucks from this era use the "Widow Maker" type rims, including the F-4.

Hope this helps (confuses???).

Fran

 

Thanks Fran, I knew my F-4 didn't come with the 22 1/2" wheels, I was told they were probably from a '56 or newer truck. I just didn't know they had their own size wheels. I just assumed they came with 20" wheels. These trucks are so old and have usually gone through so many different hands that nothing on them is usually what it was like when they were new.

 

MyNC F-4 has the heavy duty 9x20 wheels.
My Wi F-4 has the standard 7.50x18 in. wheels. these are hard to get. As someone said before "Coker tire" Has the exact Firestone transporter tires that are on my truck. For $127. plus tube and flaper.

 

I haven't check the price for 19.5 tires yet, but I wonder if the lower cost for the 19.5 would somewhat offset the cost of the new tubeless rims. I am assuming the 19.5 tires would be cheaper because they are more common that the ones that normally come on these trucks. If the price for the new rims could be reduced by having a large quantity of rims made at once, I think this could be an economic way to go. I'm not dripping with money but I would hate to have a truck that I can't safely run on the road.

 

Bob,

My guess is 19.5 tires will be at least $200 each. Just think how much a 235-16 Load range E tire would cost. The 19.5" would be more. You could possibly get retread 19.5 for a lot less though.

Fran

 

bobj49f2, I am an over the road truck driver. I drive about 4000 miles a week .If you thing commercial grade tires will be cheeper because they make them by the millions your wrong .Tire will run you between $200 and $300 apeice.
They will last now. If you balance them and down't abuse them when you drive. I get 230,000 miles on a set. If your going to do a lot of driving then they might be worth it . my .02 cents worth.

48 Ford F-4

 

Just picked up my six, 5-bolt solid rims (put on 9R-22.5's).
Got the rims from Chucks Trucks!
with powercoating they were under 200 each !!
Frame off resto on a 48' F-5 Dump

Reamer

 

I'm in ....

 

My f6 has 8.25 X 20 inch rims. I would be interested if the price goes a little lower.

 

my self included. I have the same wheels as Rick, which are safe but mine are stamped with a statement that reads no tires larger than 8.25, rick does yours say that? The major advantage to the 19.5 is tire selection, they will be radials so they will last longer, and just about any tire shop will handle 'em. I found a motor home localy in someones yard that had the 19.5's on it but the guy wanted like 5,000 for this piece of crap motor home and then ended up giving it to some guy in exchange for hauling off some trees that had been sitting since hurrican rita.

 

I got 6 Dodge wheels and tires. 9.00X20 5 hole split rim if any one is interested. Steer tires look new.