This is a Firestone RH-5°. The lock ring styles are not as dangerous. They still must be handled with care, but they aren't the problem. Matter of fact, lock ring wheels are still sold new for demountable Dayton style wheels. I'm not sure what you're asking on the tire question. Stu

 

Awesome Stu, thanks for this picture, it explains alot.
Do these rims come on a 53-6 F350?

 

Hi Stu. Great pic. Is that a "genuine widowmaker"?

What I meant about tires: Its a tough eqaution for me. Safety,looks, usability, price.
Looks are pretty low on my list, Safety way up there. Price really determines when it will ever be on the road again. If the tubeless tires are much more expensive, than reconditioning and installing new tube types, I would have a tougher time with it. I could probably find the money sometime to justify the wheels, but are the appropriate tires twice as much money? I have 7.50x20 steering tires, and 8.25 x 20 rears.

Would like a mild traction type tire on the rears, so I can cruise around a bit, and haul an occasional load without worrying about getting stuck. Those 7.50s are pretty hard to come by, they are in a "nostalgia" line at my tire place. The 8.25's are available in a very aggressive tire.

I used to have some info on a cross bar type tire, but haven't seen that lately, except in the Chinese version, which I will pass on.
Jamie

 

Morris - I'll say probably so. The books show all '53-'56 model "Y" trucks used wheels from group #1007 which is for multi-part wheels. The only DRW style pictured is a Firestone RH-5°. If your truck has its original equipment dually style wheels they are probably Firestone RH-5°s. They were supplied in both a 16" and 17" sizes with a 6 lug x 7.25" bolt circle x 5 9/16" center bore.

If you have a single rear wheel truck, though, you might have lock ring wheels. The picture in the book for the Parcel Delivery (Model J) is of a standard looking SRW drop center lock ring wheel. So, SRW Model "Y" F-350s might have been equipped the same way.

There were other lock ring styles made, though, during that era that your truck might have been switched to over the years. Budd listed 13 different Goodyear lock ring rims in different sizes and widths, but only 5 Firestones. Budd also showed three tubeless 17.5" and two tubeless 19.5" wheels in this bolt pattern. This would include both SRW and DRW applications. If I remember right, we had a thread a while back on this and a fellow had a 56 with 17.5" tubeless rims on it. So, they may have been supplied that way.

Since wheels with your bolt pattern are no longer being made either, maybe we should be talking to Rickson and Motorsport-Tech about yours too. I just looked at the Accuride on-line catalog and it shows tubeless stud piloted 6 lug x 8 3/4 bolt circle x 6.5" center bore still being produced in 17.5", 19.5", and 22.5" sizes. That sounds like something that an adapter might be workable on. I'll bring it up in my next round of emails with the guy from Motorsport-Tech. Stu

 

Jamie - I'm dumb on tires, except I guess like everybody I check the on-line catalogs for sizing and prices. To my gut 20" tube type won't be a lot different cost than tubeless 19.5" or 22.5". Guys that use their trucks a lot prefer the tubeless rims because they can switch to radials. If you lurk around a little at the Travco motor home sites, these folks put real miles on their old motor homes and like the radials. I'd suggest comparing prices at Universal Tire (www.universaltire.com), M.E. Miller Tire (www.millertire.com), Coker (www.cokertire.com) or others to see how they compare. If you want USA made, I know that Universal sells tires made by Specialty Tire of America (www.stausaonline.com).

"Widow maker" is a general term. Another used is "Man Killer". I think these terms are too often wrongly applied to all styles of multi-part rims. Like I said above, "Lock Ring" style wheels are still safe if handled right/not damaged/not heavily rusted. And are still being sold new for some applications. Firestone RH-5°s should be hauled to the junk boat and melted down into KIAs.

 

Stu, I must take exception with the above statement. Save the Widow Makers, for a while at least, they do have some value. If a person can find a vehicle with a good set of wheels you can us the WMs to swap onto the donor vehicle, then the whole works can be taken to the scrap yard to be melted down into KIAs.

Both sets of 19.5"s I found were on delapitated RVs that were headed for the scrap yard. If I didn't had the two sets of WMs to bolt onto the RVs the owners would not have allowed me to take their wheels because they still had to have wheels on them so they could tow them.

 

Point well taken. I acquiesce to your position, sir.

BTW, I wonder how many KIAs they can get out of one Firestone RH-5°?<O</O

 

My guess, 1 1/2, if the RH-5° is not badly rusted

 

I just got an email back from Motorsport-Tech on the question of wheel adapters. First the good news. They can make them, no question about it. Bad news. $1600 a set. Then you'd have to find the wheels to work with the adapters. He said it would take a full day of shop time to produce one set. The nice aspect here is that they would be done on a special order basis for you without need for batch production like we'd have with Rickson Wheel. Maybe it would be worth it to guys that have F-6s or even F-7s/8s that use them commercially. Adapters would give you a way to mount modern wheels, some of which are rated at up to 9000 lbs each. Guys with F7s/8s with the old 8 lug Budds are faced with the same Firestone RH-5° issues as the rest of us. So, I'll step aside. If anybody wants to contact Motorsport-Tech directly they are at www.motorsport-tech.com. If anybody wants help figuring out what modern wheels might work, I'll help if I can. I'd also suggest looking at the Accuride on-line catalog (www.accuridewheel.com). Stu

 

I think you meant to say accuridewheels.com .

 

Ya know, sometimes the brain turns off too soon. Thanks. Stu

 

Over on the <47 page there is a thread going entitled 42 SnoGo Restoration. On that thread member Petey Shoes gives another source for wheel adapters that will adapt our 5 lug hubs to 10 lug wheels. Cost approx $200 each. I'd suggest looking at that thread to get the contact information. I've also suggested that he post his information here. Stu

 

WHEEL ADAPTERS ---contact steve feinberg,570-760-3067----e-mail address,sfeinberg@mcCarthy.com any lug pattern to any lug pattern billet aluminum steve has pictures and info needed. cost 200. per wheel for ten lug pattern. please inform me about service received. remember that bigger tires will affect braking on some trucks.

 

Folks,

for those that want radials on their (good NON-WM) 20" wheels, I bought 2 TOYO 9.00-20" tube type radials from Les Schwab Tire for my 20" lock ring wheels on the front and 4 recapped radials for the back. They also got the (rebuilt) wheels for me since the only thing they would do with my "Widow Makers" is condemn them and scrap them! (which by the way I absolutely agree with!!) (I did keep 4 though!)


I wish I hadn't bought them!!! Because now I'd be in the group buy for 19.5/22.5 tubeless wheels and tires......... But there is nothing wrong with the wheels and tires I have now!!


Cheers,


Rick

 

details,i need details! whats the deal on 19.5 wheels? do you have a manufacturer in mind? what lug pattern? steel or aluminum? what rim width? I have 20" lock rings on my 42 with 7.50-20 goodyears. aggresive lug. they served me well, but after 18 years are dryrotted. am considering adapters and bigger wheels, but??? I see some of you are in to 60,S fairlanes, anyone got a 65 sport coupe, code 65b for sale? looking for very solid body, no bondo queen.