My F6 widowmaker wheel replacement experience
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 149
Likes: 1
From: Bedford, MA
Wheels
Thanks, Stu. All good advice. I have a mixed set of non-widowmakers on it now which the farmer installed at some time in the past. Big wide tires that are out of scale. I would like to get something more like the originals if possible.
Marmon-Herrington Man
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,984
Likes: 444
From: Central Illinois
To me these are your options to keep the truck looking original. First is the stock F-2 16" rim (please excuse the leaf in the pic). It will require that you swap rear ends. Second is a 17.5" tubeless that was an optional wheel on '56 F-250s. Note that it even has the hub cap nubs on the inside of the center like the stock 16" has. Find a set of these and they'll solve all your problems. Third is a wheel you'll never come across, but I include it because I've got it. It's the only other straight 17" wheel I've ever come across that's a non-widow maker. This is a three piece design called a Firestone "AR" mount. It was sourced on '50s era Chevies, but it will fit a Ford too. The hub cap clips on this won't let you mount your stock hub cap. Hope this gives you some ideas. Stu
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 149
Likes: 1
From: Bedford, MA
Wheels for my F3
Thank you for the photos, Stu. Interesting...I have one of those 56 F250 wheels on the truck, but the other three are different. The farmer must have scoured a junkyard for whatever fits.
CarlH
1997 F150
1949 F3
CarlH
1997 F150
1949 F3
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 149
Likes: 1
From: Bedford, MA
Wheels for my F3
I am out of town on a business trip now, but I will take a look when I get home. Would I find numbers stamped on the wheel somewhere? I didn't see any sign of numbers, but the wheel looks like the one in your photo of the '56 F250 wheel. There is only one of these "original appearing" wheels on the truck. The other rear is a chrome, hot rod appearing wheel with a LT235/85R16 tire. The front wheels are white steel spoked wheels with enormous tires...31X10.5/OR15 LT. A strange brew, indeed.
Marmon-Herrington Man
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,984
Likes: 444
From: Central Illinois
Oh, no sense looking for numbers on the odd three. There should be a number, though, on the one stock looking one if it's like the above 17.5. The number will be stamped probably on the back/concave side opposite the valve stem. Stu
Marmon-Herrington Man
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,984
Likes: 444
From: Central Illinois
Yes, they should fit and work very well. Probably the Winnebago has a Dodge chassis, but maybe could be a Ford too. Dodge and Ford of that era used 19.5" x 6" wheels having Budd #89340. You'll find that number on the back/concave side stamped along the edge of the drop center. IIRC, #72070 was an earlier number for the same wheel. If you find different numbers, come back and I'll look them up for you. The bolt pattern is the same 5 lug x 8" circle as your F-500. We've had several members find and use these wheels successfully on there trucks. Here's a picture of one mine that is NOS, i.e. has never been mounted. Stu
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Hotshot
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 16,867
Likes: 3,100
From: SE Wisc. (the Rust Belt)
Sounds like a good deal.
The hardest part of buying the whole RV is getting rid of the rest of the RV. Most junk yards don't really want them because they're mostly plastic and wood.
The hardest part of buying the whole RV is getting rid of the rest of the RV. Most junk yards don't really want them because they're mostly plastic and wood.
New User
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
I proudly am the new owner of a 1949 Mercury, canadian truck, M155, 3TON dually, 2speed rear end, the first thing i heard was 'it has widowmakers' and i almost didn't buy it, but for 850.00 it's mine, i can't find any Mercury emblems,hood, front grill/parts for it, so it mite be looking like a Ford, but i'm kewl with that, this is the one place that answered all my tire questions in one visit, about rims and tires, i would be interested in the chrome R/V rim covers tho, just to dress it up.
Marmon-Herrington Man
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,984
Likes: 444
From: Central Illinois
Welcome to the group. I'm glad you saved it because wheels are no reason to let it go to the crusher. Especially since alternatives exist. And that's one heck of a rare truck. It'd be a shame to not keep it as a Merc. Stu