steel wheels
Elder User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 520
Likes: 1
From: california
I've had to hunt those boneyards for quite a while to find 9.75 x 16.5 steel wheels. I've also called around tire and wheel shops. I found some at swap meets as well. I have a set that I'll need to check the backspacing on. I've only found two that have conventional lugs that the hub caps would fit over. The others need hub caps that actually "insert" into the lugs. Prices ranged fron $30 - $75 each. You can get new steel wheels with some design pattern for less, but I like the "stock" look to the wheels. If you absolutely can not find a set, someone like Pete Paulsen Wheels or Stockton Wheels can widen you stock steel wheels. It's not cheap.
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,430
Likes: 2
From: NH
I have a set of stock steel 16.5" rims (2 of them). How would I measure the back spacing and such? I got them with a 70ish parts truck. I beleve the lug pattern(8) will fit as it did not change for many years.
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 238
Likes: 0
From: Bridgeville,CA
You might find more than you think. I just changed out my half ton rear end for a 3/4 ton rear end and went to the 8 bolt rims. The yard said they did not have any 8 bolt rims and even called around to finbd me an after market shop with rims. When I went out to load up the 3/4 ton axel and the truck had a full set of 16.5" 8 bolt rims. When I went back and asked the counter guy about it he said that "since nobody wants 16.5 rims" they don't even list then in the computer but if I really want them he would sell them for $15 each. The lesson is that there may be a lot of these rims out there for cheap if you can get the yards to admit to having them.
Elder User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 520
Likes: 1
From: california
The 9.75 width seems to be a bit scarce in my parts. I can find 16.5's all day, but few are 9.75 wide. Just today, I found two 9.75 x 16.5 wheels with the lugs that a regular hub cap will fit on. I checked the backspace and they were 5 1/2". To check the backspace, flip the wheel over with the back side up. Get a straight edge of some sort and lay it across the top of the rim. Measure the distance from the back of the lug hole mounting surface to the straightedge. That will be the back space. You'll need to remember that the hub holes are smaller for the Bowties and will not fit on Fords or Mopars. Ford and Mopar have the bigger holes and will interchange and will even fit on the Bowties.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
These rims came on the camper special pick-ups. I put a set on all four corners of my 71 F250 4X4. If you are going to put these on the front of your 4x and you have the bigball frontend you will have to do a small amount of grinding. The inside of the rims hit the tie rod ends.
Also, in the future, tire manufacturs are going to decrease and eventually stop the production of 16.5 tires.
Also, in the future, tire manufacturs are going to decrease and eventually stop the production of 16.5 tires.
Posting Guru
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,622
Likes: 0
From: nevada
wobbly wheels
One thing I've noticed about steel wheels (new or used), its hard to find one thats true. I've bought 3 sets of chrome steel wheels over the yrs and was never really satisfied because most of them were never "true". A tire shop manager explained to me that manufacturers dont have to be as close on tolerances on steel wheels as they do on everything else. A few yrs ago a set of 10X15 Americans set me back about 4 bills, I would never buy steel again. But if you are deadset on the OEM look, have the tire installer spin the rim on a electronic tire balancer and see if it is worth mounting a tire on. Nothing worse than the "shakes and shimmys".
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Senior User
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
There are also shops that true rims. Spendy though. I think my neighbor paid $75 a rim. His were aluminum.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,658
Likes: 4
From: "Islander"
steel wheel, Fords "out of spec max"
Back in 81 my 69 Flareside was crashed while parked, needed two steel rims, one 6 3/4" and one 9 3/4" by 16.5". Thru the insurrance check i purchased two "new" rims from Ford, they both wobbled. Ford spec max is 3/32" radial and 3/16" lateral. I checked the rims in the dealer parking lot and showed them their crap, got my money back. After three hours in the truck wreckers, many rims later i located two rims that spun like a top. Within 1/32" or less. You can get good steel rims if you spend some PITA time and look. Carl
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