Here’s a 51 with 19.5s, wearing 225/70s I think, from Google Images. I’ll keep looking for a truck wearing 22.5s. If nothing is found they would look just about like your 20s with 8.25-20s. Stu

 

Sorry for my lack of knowledge… but what is the size of the wheels on the truck? I’m not anywhere close to the truck

 

If your truck is an F-5 it will have 20” wheels. Tire options were likely 7.50-20” at 37” diameter, or 8.25-20” at 38+” diameter.

The 22.5” wheel is the direct replacement for the 20”. The 22.5” rims were made in 3 widths - 5.25”, 6.00”, and 6.75”. The 6.75” is seldom found. Most I know of are the 5.25”. The 9R22.5” tire is technically too wide for the 5.25” rim but many guy run them no problem. I swapped notes with my buddy Mark this morning and he told me he doesn’t have 6 to sell. So. My other buddy in MT, also named Mark, does have six if you want to contact him. Shipping MT to TX would add expense.

The 19.5” wheels were made in two widths, 5.25” and 6.00”. Both are spec’d for either the 8R19.5” at 34” or 225/70R19.5” at 32”. Stu

 

A stock F5 will have 20" bias ply tires. Various factors would lead to these being be 7.00-20, 7.50-20, and sometimes 8.25-20 tire sizes. This chart shows the equivalent sizes to the first tubeless generation:



You will find that the smaller sizes don't modernize very well, thus pushing you towards the 9R-22.5 size (which is fine - I have them on my F5 and look no different than the 8.25-20s I have on my F6 which is expected as they are "the same size")

Then there is the rim size that must be appropriate for the tire. Generally for our trucks this is the 22.5x6.75 size which isn't the easiest 22.5 size to find. Some get away with smaller, but check with the tire manufacturer specs on if a 22.5-6.00 is acceptable.

And for more information, here are some speed calculations as well as tire diameter size comparisons:


Edit: Looks like Stu and I were typing at the same time!

 

You guys rock. Thanks. If you were close to Austin I’d buy you a beer!. Appreciate your knowledge asnd years of experience fellas.

 

I like this old pic from around the time the tubeless rims were made available. Stu

 

Were these the tires that were supposed to be aired-up inside the pipe cage? A young man I knew in the early 1970's didn't bother with the cage, and the rim took his head off, just above the eye brows.

 

These true Widowmaker rims are not only dangers during service, but also just being as many failures also happened outside of servicing. Simply using a cage during servicing does not make these true RH-5° rims safe to use.

A cage should be used for any truck wheel during service, regardless of type.

 

I think OSHA wants a cage for anything these days. It's not impossible for a tubeless to let go--just not very common and it's usually not the wheel failing. The widowmaker sends a sizeable chunk of metal out if it lets go. A locking ring would also create a lasting impression if it popped off.

A local in our small town suffered four fractures from a widowmaker--two on each leg.

 

Are you saying that you want the "widow maker" rims? Exacrtly which wheels are you looking for? I am currently rebuilding a 1949 Ford F2 Pickup ('light' 3/4 tone), and I may buy new wheels. I am not sure what variation of split rims that I have, but I strongly believe that these were OEM wheels. I will decide for sure whether or not I will be replacing them by end of January. I live about three hours north of Austin.

 

I am trying to get rid of my set of a “widow makers”. The truck I just picked up has them on it.

 

Mercy - your truck is different than Bigstar’s. Yours deserves its own thread. An F-2 has one piece wheels, so don’t try to swap them for something different unless they aren’t the originals. Stu

 

I do have a set of 6 22 5s if you are interested.

 

widow makers are safer when deflated as they cant go boom if they have no outward pressure from air in the tube.
chances are your tires are flat from sitting anyways so get in a safe position and remove the valve cores from all the tires, facing away for obvious reasons.
the tires when flat look aired up as bias ply tires hold thier own weight from the thick sidewall.

This is what i do for an example (I am a trained professional idiot so dont try this at home.), I have driven my truck many times with no air in my widowmakers.
I dont suggest you do this for saftey reasons, but for moving around your yard these rims are safe if they dont have air in them.
if you dont feel safe doing that then dont do it, but the reason i am saying this is so you can start working on your truck now as getting a set of new wheels and tires takes quite a while.

So you can work on your truck while finding a set of new wheels is what i meant.

 

Wonder if anyone has just welded the 2 piece widowmakers together ( after locked in correct position) Metal must be clean of course. Then use liners and tubes on them. Tires would just have to be installed on a typical tire mounting machine. Is this far fetched? Was this ever an approved repair?