Just spoke with Wheel Vintiques and they advised that they don't make 16 inch 8 lug "innie" wheels. I would like to keep my "innie" caps...has anyone found a good option to replace the 16 inch split rims with 16 inch 8 lug rims that take "innie' caps? I've read some of the posts regarding this topic from a few years back, but was hoping someone has found a good option since then.

Thanks in advance......Rob

 

There are three one piece wheel replacement options having the "innie" hub cap mounting. The most plentiful, and best for tire selection, is Ford 7RD 1015-B / K-H 31282 or 43552 that is a 16" x 6". It was used on F-2/250s from 1948 until 1969. These are getting hard to find, but are still more plentiful than the 17.5" x 5.25" tubeless Ford B8D 1015-A / Budd 70720 or 73240, or really rare 19.5" x 5.25" Ford B6D 1015-B / Budd #71410. Both sizes were optional on F-250s 1956 to 1966. Stu

 

Thanks, Stu! At least I now have somewhere to start. Pomona Swap Meet here I come......

 

An FYI, your two piece 16s were a heavier duty wheel than any of the one piece options. Yes, can be a p.i.t.a., but the truck's first owner wanted strong. Stu

 

Yep, this F250 spent most of its life up to this point on a farm up in Fontana, California. I like the original look of the split rims (and the durability), but I can't find a tire shop that wants to touch them.

 

Les Schwab won't do them? Stu

 

Every shop I've hit up here in Orange County has passed. Getting on the phone with Les Schwaub now.....

 

..or I'll get on the phone with 'em when they actually open their stores here in SoCal! The website has a couple of locations with addresses, but they are "Opening Soon". I'm not in a terrible hurry, so I can wait. Dummy me...I should have checked out places that do semis and such.

 

Oh yeah, Wally World and places like Discount Tire will chase you away. Find a real truck type shop. Even the OTR places along the interstate, or an agriculture type shop should have no issues. Stu

 

Widow makers are dangerous. Back in the early eighties I would repair tires on our trash trucks. All rear tires were split rims. Most of them had been re-capped a few times. I worked for a small trash company called Rodriguez Disposal in Lake Elsinore Ca. The owner, Jess was as cheap as they come.
I never had a cage I used I large tire hammer and two tire irons.
I'd bust the tire down a few feet from out shop which was a cement slab and an awning. Breaking them down was no big deal, it was airing them up that was dangerous. If that ring is not right, your wife or girlfriend would be getting a new lover, "Widow Maker"
Here's a video I found on breaking them down. Like I said, that's the easy part. Airing them without a cage is just suicidal. But I did it for three years with only one mishap.


The mishap I had was a ring did not want to come off. I beat that SOB I put heat to it I tried everything at my disposal (Pun intended) I finally resorted to air. Do not try this ever!!
Well I made a 10' long extension for the air nozzle attached it to the stem then slowly gave it air. Nothing!! Damn what now, more air, right?
After a few attempts with this I let all the air out again. I went over and started beating that ring with the hammer, flipped it over so the ring was facing up. I attached my extension and started giving it air, Nothing!! Damn, I'm no quitter so I gave it more air, I don't know how many PSI's it took to break that ring loose, but I never saw it come down. When it did let go I was under the deck hoping it would not find me.
I looked all over for that ring, I never found it. Got my *** chewed by Jess for "Ruining" one of his wheels.
I have never touched a split rim since and I won't. But.... I've done them. Big tires for older trash trucks. I'm still alive, I guess God has other plans for me.

 

Multi-part wheels can all be killers if not handled with respect. The wheels that came on a 1966 F-250 are not, however, what we today call "widow makers". That term is generally reserved for the 17" and bigger rims having the Firestone RH-5° type rim. The 1966 F-250s came with Budd #60880-1, 16" x 5.5", wheels having the Firestone RHP style outer rims. They have a solid/continuous ring that must be squeezed over the lip of the rim base. They were a very common style rim and used on light duty trucks for many decades. Stu

 

As usual, truckdog, sets the record straight. The 16" 2 piece wheels used on '61-'66 F 250's are NOT SPLIT RIMS WHEELS, they are LOCK RING WHEELS. They are NOT the same design. "SPLIT RIM" has become a generic term for any multipiece rim and that's not fair. The RH-5 style gave all multi-piece rims a bad rap. Lock ring wheels can be done at most all heavy duty truck tire dealers, don't waste your time taking them to car tire dealers. Yes, these wheels will cost more to deal with, labor, tubes, liners, but probably cheaper than finding a set of period 1 piece wheels and having them shipped.

 

Thanks again for all of the replies. Yep, Truckdog hit it right on the head. And thanks to gangstakr, I may now be addicted to Idaho Hillbilly Homestead videos!

 

They are a hoot!!

 

hey smitka66...did you find a solution for your problem? I have 2 of those 16 inch 8 hole innie rims , these are solid one piece steel rims, not split or locking rims. If you go to my profile, there are pics of the rims and the extremely rare "innie" type 4 style hubcap. They caused a lot of discussion a few years ago on this site as these hubcaps are regarded as only being available in an outie configuration. The one I have proved that theory wrong.