Widow-makers
Marmon-Herrington Man
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,986
Likes: 446
From: Central Illinois
I think you're wrong. But if you've found a one piece 17" wheel from that era you will have found something I've spent a lot of hours unsuccessfully scrubbing through the books looking for. We'll need pictures. Stu
Marmon-Herrington Man
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,986
Likes: 446
From: Central Illinois
Hub cap clips are another GM feature. You'll want to scrape along the front rim lips to see if there really are the small lock rings in there. A cup of coffee, or cold adult beverage, says that's what you'll find. But I'd love to proven wrong. Stu
Marmon-Herrington Man
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,986
Likes: 446
From: Central Illinois
Are you sure that what you have are 17" and not really the 17.5s? That could explain it. Stu
New User
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
F3 WM options
I was wrong they are 17 1/2" rims that are 6.5 wide, but anyway there are rims out there that will work on the F3 of about the same time period without going into custom made rims or changing the back axle.
I'll have the Roast Duck
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 9,622
Likes: 110
From: Northshore, MN
Next question is, do the 17.5's fit over the early '48/49 drum?
Or is it the 16.5, I can't remember.
Marmon-Herrington Man
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,986
Likes: 446
From: Central Illinois
Scott - the 17.5s work, but this is the first example we've heard of Chevy style being used. The 17.5" tires are approximately the same size as the 7.50 x 16s that came on F-2s. The 16.5s, if some are found that clear the drums, will have a real short tire profile that makes them look odd. Stu
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Brett Foote
New User
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
WM alternative
The 17.5" rims need the bore about 1/16" bigger to clear the center hub and I'm planning to use a 8 stud x 6.5" x 1 1/2" thick wheel spacer behind them so the drum clearance on the back isn't a problem.
Rosco
Rosco
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 16,888
Likes: 3,132
From: SE Wisc. (the Rust Belt)
I'm jumping in here a little late but my dad had, I think, Chevy or GMC wheels on the back of my F-2. He torched out the hole to make them fit. I don't remember if he altered the lug holes. They were the first thing to go when I started tearing my truck apart 30+ years ago.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 3,952
Likes: 117
From: Upper Left Coast
Just curious, once the WM are removed, what is the disposal procedure? I'm thinking that they can still "blow up" at any time, especially during handling, correct?
To those that had WM and were successful in removing them, what did you do with them afterwards? How/where did you dispose of them?
To those that had WM and were successful in removing them, what did you do with them afterwards? How/where did you dispose of them?
The wheels were so rusty, I couldn't break the bead once the air was out and the rings were pried away from the wheel.
So I used a cut-off grinder to cut the rims away from the tires, and a plasma cutter to cut up the wheels. After that they were just scrap steel.
I couldn't find anyone to take the tires before I destroyed them so I cut them up into pieces small enough to fit in the garbage and let the garbage guy take them away piece by piece!
A sawzall will go right through those tires "lickety-split"!
Marmon-Herrington Man
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,986
Likes: 446
From: Central Illinois
Yeah, a sawzall works great on old tube types. Guess I'm lucky the shop I use to recycle doesn't care whether my old tires are all in one piece. But mostly I'm lazy because about all that I get rid of anymore are dead 19.5s that I have them pull. Easier that way. Stu
Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 16,888
Likes: 3,132
From: SE Wisc. (the Rust Belt)
There was a discussion on the HAMB a while back about disposing of used tires. In most places it's illegal to dispose of tires in the in the trash but a few posters said if you cut them into pieces they are no longer considered tires and can thrown into the trash. I don't know if this is true in every municipality or even true at all. Just thought I'd post it for discussion.