Wheels with riveted centers

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May 13, 2014 | 07:08 PM

Shadowrider123

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Fleet Mechanic

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Wheels with riveted centers

I have a pair of 15x6 Ford rims with riveted centers.

I don't know how old they are, but they are in good condition.

Are these rims safe to use?

I want to run a 235/75R15 on the front and the tire store doesn't think my 15x5.5 rim is wide enough. They recommend at least a 6in wide rim.

I want to keep my beauty rings and Fairlane hubcaps so I need an oem looking 6 inch wide rim.

May 13, 2014 | 09:51 PM

fivestarmmd

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Somewhere on inside flange itll have Firestone/kelsey Hayes stamped along with size and with along with date of mfg.

May 14, 2014 | 08:58 AM

truckdog62563

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From: Central Illinois

Your tire store is right. My period Tire and Rim Association manual shows a 235/75R15" tire is designed for a 6.5" wide rim. The narrowest approved is 6" and widest approved is 8.5".

There is nothing wrong with riveted rims as long as they are sound. One of my tire professional friends advocates against mounting radials on riveted rims, and I know the wheel manufactures had trouble with big truck riveted wheel failures back in the 60s/70s when radials were first introduced for big trucks. During the 1960s industry adopted welded centers perhaps because of this reason. You'll get a variety of opinion on whether radials are safe to use on car and light truck old riveted rims. I've not found a scientific study to show one way or the other. I know there's zillions of guys running radials on old rims without concerns. Stu

May 14, 2014 | 05:30 PM

Shadowrider123

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I have a set of oem steel rims off a 76 F150 that have 235/75R15s mounted on them.

Are these wheels the same 5.5in wide wheels my 66 F100 has or by 76 were they a 6in wide rim?

I have 6.5in wide Dodge rims on the rear with 235/75R15s, Im trying to get the same tire on the front on the narrowest rim I can.

May 14, 2014 | 06:16 PM

truckdog62563

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My catalogs show both 5.5" and 6.0" available on 1976 F-150s. There should be markings on the rims that will tell their width. Stu

May 14, 2014 | 06:50 PM

Shadowrider123

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Quote:

Originally Posted by truckdog62563

My catalogs show both 5.5" and 6.0" available on 1976 F-150s. There should be markings on the rims that will tell their width. Stu

Its never easy is it.

I can look on the rim for the width if I jack the truck up out of the mud and pull a wheel off of it.

May 14, 2014 | 07:31 PM

truckdog62563

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From: Central Illinois

Or make a cheap caliper out of scrap to either measure around the tire or through an air vent if there are some. Measuring outside of the lips means you'll need to subtract for rim lip thickness on each side. Stu