Widow Maker No More
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 103
Likes: 1
From: SoCal - LA Area
Widow Maker No More
I got my widow maker wheels back last week and figured I need to post the info for those in similar situations looking to keep the original centers. I really need to start a build thread; just need to find the time
So I started with the stock 17 1950 F3 Firestone RH5's on the truck. Got them dismounted, and had the centers media blasted to make sure they were all worth saving.
I thought long and hard about Stockton Wheel... read a lot of the reviews/experiences, and I PM'd back and forth with SammyWayne23, as he has his F3 wheel's there now... I'm sure he'll add his comments to this regarding Stockton. I wasn't getting a great feeling so I kept looking around for a place.
Asking around, I found a somewhat-local shop that was told could do it. So I loaded the wheels up and drove down. The place is called
Custom & Commercial Wheel Company Inc
17866 Valley Boulevard
Bloomington, Ca 92316
909.357.3505
Owner's name is Ray; real nice older guy. This place is a mom and pop, there were no computers in the office, they have no website; Ray looked everything up by catalogue and phone; invoicing was all on paper. Looked like they mainly do commercial wheels for big trucks, etc.
Ray knew exactly what I was talking about, and said he's done it many times before, good sign!!
Ray said 17x7 was the smallest available (originals are 17x5.5), and come in either small ID or large ID (inner dia). I told him about the 14 in drums and he advised the large ID would clear. He called his supplier while I was there to ensure availability.
I went with 4.25 in backspacing, this seemed to be about the original (bookonly lists offset from center) and worked out very good, should have no clearance issues.
Five days later they were done! Here's the finished product
Front Drum clearance:
Rear Drum clearance:
So I started with the stock 17 1950 F3 Firestone RH5's on the truck. Got them dismounted, and had the centers media blasted to make sure they were all worth saving.
I thought long and hard about Stockton Wheel... read a lot of the reviews/experiences, and I PM'd back and forth with SammyWayne23, as he has his F3 wheel's there now... I'm sure he'll add his comments to this regarding Stockton. I wasn't getting a great feeling so I kept looking around for a place.
Asking around, I found a somewhat-local shop that was told could do it. So I loaded the wheels up and drove down. The place is called
Custom & Commercial Wheel Company Inc
17866 Valley Boulevard
Bloomington, Ca 92316
909.357.3505
Owner's name is Ray; real nice older guy. This place is a mom and pop, there were no computers in the office, they have no website; Ray looked everything up by catalogue and phone; invoicing was all on paper. Looked like they mainly do commercial wheels for big trucks, etc.
Ray knew exactly what I was talking about, and said he's done it many times before, good sign!!
Ray said 17x7 was the smallest available (originals are 17x5.5), and come in either small ID or large ID (inner dia). I told him about the 14 in drums and he advised the large ID would clear. He called his supplier while I was there to ensure availability.
I went with 4.25 in backspacing, this seemed to be about the original (bookonly lists offset from center) and worked out very good, should have no clearance issues.
Five days later they were done! Here's the finished product
Front Drum clearance:
Rear Drum clearance:
Marmon-Herrington Man
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,984
Likes: 444
From: Central Illinois
Looks great! What tires are you looking to use, the stock 7.50 x 17" or a wider metric size in view of having the wider rim? Here's a pic of another member's Stockton custom using the original WM centers with 7.50 x 17s. Stu
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 103
Likes: 1
From: SoCal - LA Area
ALBUQ F-1; Ha... economical... Is anything on these trucks!? Labor of love for sure... and mama doesn't know shhhhhh
Stu; I was hoping the 750-17 would look ok on the wider rim, from the pic (thanks for that) it looks good so I hope to stick with that since I'm running stock steering/suspension.
bobbytnm; it wasn't cheap... I don't want to post a number here as these threads last forever and I don't feel its fair to the shop; send me a PM if you want. I will say that after powder coating (getting done now), and with tire dismount, blasting, etc, I'll be at four figures on these WITHOUT tires!
Stu; I was hoping the 750-17 would look ok on the wider rim, from the pic (thanks for that) it looks good so I hope to stick with that since I'm running stock steering/suspension.
bobbytnm; it wasn't cheap... I don't want to post a number here as these threads last forever and I don't feel its fair to the shop; send me a PM if you want. I will say that after powder coating (getting done now), and with tire dismount, blasting, etc, I'll be at four figures on these WITHOUT tires!
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 6,104
Likes: 138
From: Orcas Island Wa.
Dirt cheap compared to the damage caused by flying wheel halves propelled by a 'rapid loss of air'. I am finally at the zero widowmaker mark, and glad of it.
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Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 16,160
Likes: 4,764
From: Burbank, WA
If you think about what some guys pay for custom aluminum wheels, those can easily exceed 3-400 per wheel. Eliminating the widowmaker element is not a bad investment, and they look just as good, in their own way, or better than some of the wild stuff people will run.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 1,350
Likes: 24
From: Maryland
Yes two of my trucks still have the WM and I made arrangements for buying a set to replace them on the running trucks but what scares me is every new parts truck you have to trailer always has flat tires or rusted WM on them. I have my sons always working around them. How could we every forgive ourselves hurting our loved ones?
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 1,350
Likes: 24
From: Maryland
You have to inflate them not knowing the condition or how long they been flat. What condition they are in at the bead from rusting.
Marmon-Herrington Man
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,984
Likes: 444
From: Central Illinois
It's not, nothing dangerous about a flat tire. But airing one up to load a truck on a trailer or to keep in service is real dangerous. The widow maker rim (Firestone RH-5°) joins its halves at the center line of the rim. Prone to rust, metal fatigue, and torquing out of alignment which creates an explosion risk. Stu