My 48 F1 will be getting a new steering wheel ... eventually .... just need to find a good deal on one. I do plan on using manual steering, so don't really want to go to small diameter wheels. The 18" stock size is fine with me ... and there are semi truck 18" after market wheels made that look great. My concern is what adapter can be used since I'll likely be hunting for something at swap meets or used. If the splines for my F1 are the same as what Ford used years later in their cars and trucks .... say up into the 70's and 80's .... then that would open up lots of possibilities. I know that lots of GM stuff is essentially the same diameter but with different splines, and won't work. What else does?? Thanks in advance.

RG in Spokane

 

This is a tough one. You'll have to count the splines as I forget how many there are on the 48-52 trucks but along with the splines is a tapered portion just below the splines that is also part of the wheel. Ford used the same spline/taper on the fifties cars and I think is same for all the fifties. The problem is the wheels became dished on the trucks in 56 I believe and the spacing from the back of the wheel to the column probably won't match up.
I put a 40 ford repro wheel on my 52 f1 which is 16 or 17 inch but had to make my own adapter since the 40 uses a keyway and taper instead of splines.
My truck came with a 51 ford car wheel when I got it which fits the shaft fine but the column was modified in order to allow for the larger hub which contained the turn signal switch.

 

Thanks .... I knew somebody would have at least a bit of knowledge about this issue. This gets me closer for sure. I may indeed end up making up an adapter from an old wheel to fit a newer one on. Just take some lathe and mill time, and that should do it.

Thanks again Gearhead

 

Your welcome. I took an old f1 wheel and used the center and cut it down then inserted it into an enlarged hole in the 40 wheel.