trying to find rims for a 51 ford f2 , original axles , original drum brakes, everything is original but i want to know what is the bolt pattern , recommended offsets/ sizes. anything. i want to know everything to know about rims for these. if anyone has any good links or good buys def. post them im up for anything at the moment.

51 ford f2 all original

 

The factory wheels used on F-2 models during the Bonus Built years and beyond were made by Kelsey Hayes. The K-H part number for them was 31282, the Ford part number was 7RD-1015B. They are 16" x 6", have 8 lug holes on a 6.5" bolt circle, have .560" of positive offset, have a 4.78" center hole, and have bolt holes that measure 21/32" to accept the truck's 9/16" studs. They will differ from more modern wheels of the same size because their hub cap mounting nubs are on the inner face of the the wheel's center while later wheels have the nubs on the outer face of the center. Finding them shouldn't be too difficult. Finding them close to where you live should be your goal to save on shipping costs. Stu

 

thank you so much! much need information!

 

Here's the spec sheets if you are interested:

 

I think I might have some extras, I cannot remember if they are 16 or 17s. I will have to look.

 

If they are 17s, send them to the recycler. Stu

 

Why should I do that?

 

Because they're widowmakers. Unless for some reason you've got Chevy 17" three piece "AR" design wheels. But that's not likely.

 

They are 17s but I think ill keep them, they make super bird feeder bases.

 

7RD1015B (31282) was replaced by B9TZ1015A (31031) 16" x 6" / Fits: 1948/52 F2 / 1953/66 F250.

 

Bill- Any idea when the K-H #31031 change was made? Like you've said about Ford, K-H also changed numbers like the direction of the wind. I don't find the #31031 in my K-H listings, but do cross refer your B9TZ-1015A to K-H #43552 (NWRA #X45046, and X40099 using the NWRA's earlier coding system). My info shows it sourced to Ford during the period 1957 to 1966. That being the case, would that wheel not be the variety having the external hub cap nubs? Do your sources show the #31031 having internal or external nubs? Stu

 

According to my O-S-I (Obsolete-Supercede-Interchange) catalog, B9TZ1015A replaced 7RD1015B in 1959.

According to the wheel ID chart in the 1957/63 & 1964/72 Ford truck parts catalogs, B9TZ1007A = 30131 / 43552 is not listed.

Whatever hubcaps (innies/outies) were used with 7RD's were used with B9TZ's. Parts catalog doesn't say one way or another if the wheels have external or internal tabs.

The B9TZ wheel is not a split rim, was used with tube or tubeless tires.

Ford changed wheel part numbers more often then women changed their minds, but I'm not aware of Ford making ppl buy different hubcaps just because the part number changed.

 

I'll admit that, until just now going back through my various editions of the Chassis Manual, I've considered the 1007 section as exclusively multi-part and the 1015 section as exclusively one piece wheels. I now see that some multi-parts were originally included in 1015. Why they would do that is a puzzle. So did they all get converted from 1015 to 1007, or only some? From my wheel catalogs I suspect that you and other parts counter persons had to make mental adjustments because I'm seeing the 1015 well after your 1959 date. In fact, in my K-H listings, as late as April 1976 they were still showing the B9TZ-1015A and cross referencing it to their #43552 and NWRA #X45046. Seems odd that the supplier's record would differ from Ford's to that extent and for that length of time. It's a puzzle. Stu

 

Wheels are listed under 1007 even if they are 1015.

1957/72: One had to look up wheels by sizes, ID numbers, tire sizes as there were no application charts.

This is how the 1964/72 catalog reads, for example. 64/66: 16 x 6 / D.C. / 8 / 6.50 / K / B9TZ1015A

1966 is the last year this wheel is listed because in 1967, the size increased to 16.5 x 6.

 

Hmmm. Interesting that they'd be listed that way.

As for my listings, I know that these were only listed by K-H as replacement parts at that late date since, as you say, the tubeless 16.5s had taken over by then. Somewhat disrelated, but of interest, K-H was still listing widowmaker side rings as new replacement parts as late as 1977 much to the dismay of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. They'd agreed to stop selling them in 1973. Stu