Wheel bolt circles

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Aug 18, 2006 | 10:56 AM

Shadow05

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Wheel bolt circles

I am looking for suggestions/info here. I have a 1983 F100 Flareside. The build date is around July of 83'. From what I see, Ford must have made several changes during the year. I have factory manuals that don't show what I see. I know the history of the truck and the only modification to it was replacement of the 302-2V with a 1985 351W 4V HO motor.

The wheels are 5 on 5.5" circle and it is 2WD. My 1982 F100 had 5 on 4.5" wheels (also 2WD). I am assuming Ford went to one bolt circle in 1983 (I know 4x4s were the 5.5' circle) for manufacturing economy.

I would like to use American TorqueThrust Classics but they only come in 4.5"
for my application.

The big question: Has anyone redrilled hub/rotors and axles or swapped earlier rotors/hubs and axles? The truck has an 8.8" axle.

Any insight will be most welcome.

Aug 18, 2006 | 12:21 PM

L-Ray

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F-100 Rims

I once had a 1980 F-100, front pattern for that year only was F-150 size. I really got screwed when I bought an expensive set of rims, had tires mounted on them and found out they wouldn't fit!

Aug 18, 2006 | 01:49 PM

82F100SWB

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From: Dryden, ON, Canada

The F100's came with 5x4.5 if you got power brakes 80-83... You also got smaller rotors, calipers and drums... Manual brake trucks got regular F150 brakes. To go to factory 5x4.5 components on the front, you will have to change the spindles.
You best bet would probably be adaptors, I don't think re-drilling the rotors would be the geratest thing to do.

Aug 18, 2006 | 03:42 PM

Shadow05

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Wheel bolt circles

I appreciate the input.

I did run across this on my 82' LWB. The first set of rotors I got were slightly larger diameter. I didn't check the bolt pattern. I took them back and got the correct ones.

Finding good spindles at the recycler is a crapshoot. Usually the inner bearing face of the spindle is trashed (been there too).

To compound the situation, the 83' has forged I-beams (with ball-joints; not kingpins) with the larger tapered studs on the lower joint (I got caught by this on the 82' when I needed another set of pressed I-beams).

I don't like wheel adapters because they mess up offset but you are right, that me be my only way out.

I still have to address the rear axle.

Last edited by Shadow05; Aug 18, 2006 at 03:44 PM.

Aug 18, 2006 | 05:48 PM

82F100SWB

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From: Dryden, ON, Canada

For the rear, re-drilling the drums would be no big deal, then either re-drill the axle flanges, or get a new set of axles. The only reason I'd be leary of re-drilling the front is the hub and rotor are one piece. If they were 2 seperate pieces like a 4x4, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

Aug 18, 2006 | 07:44 PM

Boss50

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From: Coleman, Wisconsin

My '81 F100 came with 5x5.5 cirlces, but it was special ordered from the factory with heavier GVW brakes.

Aug 18, 2006 | 09:06 PM

Shadow05

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Wheel bolt circles

Again, thanks for the feedback.

82F100SWB, you mentioned a difference between power and non-power brakes. Do you know which bolt pattern the manual brakes used? I guess you see where I'm going with this?

I have even toyed with the idea of rear discs and a 9" w/ traction-lock (or equivalent). I know the 8.8' is strong (assuming it's 31-spline) but I am more familiar with th 9".

There is a high probaility that the motor will be stroked to a 393 (Scat crank, 351 rods, 302 pistons, .030 over).

Suggestions, anyone.