i am building a 1951 f-100 i have a set of draglite weld rims off my chevy and my friend had a set of spacers to make the ford to chevy pattern

I was wonderiung how effective they were and if they even work efficently just wanted to see if anyone else has used them

 

HI Rhino,

I have a similar set-up. But on mine, since I have a newer (9 3/8 Ford) rear end, it dropped my bolt pattern down to 5x5.

So in order to bring the front stock pattern down to 5x5, I used the adaptors. fMine are from "Lug Nut King" out here in Ca. A good product.

I have found they work really well. BUT, you have to really really tighten them on. You have to put them on tight, then drive a few (5) miles then bring them back to retoque them. I even used locktite on the lugs. Use the largest lug nuts you can find. (some go in with a 11/16 socket and some with a 3/4 - I think...get the big ones. If you can't find them go to web search "The Lug Nut King" he has them).

Mine are aluminum. And I found there were little ridges on my drums around the lug holes that would dig into the aluminim. Once the ridges had dug into the adaptor a little it the adaptor would loosen. Then the bolts back off while you are driving - particularly on the drivers side. I actually lost a wheel once - but luckily I was only going about 20. Adaptor was still bolted to the wheel.

Tight tight tight!!!!!!!! (about 100-120 ft/lbs) Retighten retighten retighten!!!!!!

Have fun,

Julie

 

alrite has anyone tried to switch wheel hubs or anything else to change lug patternes i just dont want to risk loosing a front tire driving im using a chevy rearend so the rear isnt a big deal

im just wondering if there any other kits out to solve that

 

I have a 9” ford rear on my ’56 and use 1” billet aluminum adapters to match the Mustang II front bolt pattern. You can get thicker than 1” but due to the backspacing on my Cragar Tru-Spoke wheels and the narrowing of the fender toward the rear, the P275/60 tires stick out of the fender well a little.
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I have had no problems with the adapters but carry no/little weight in the truck. I occasionally check the torque to ensure they are tight.
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This was the cheapest solution. I know they sell axles with different bolt patterns for my Jeep; it depends on the axle’s popularity and use.

 

Honestly, I've not had any problems with mine since. Mine are on the front which gets quite a bit more abuse between turning and braking. I'd feel completely putting them on the back of your truck.

J!

 

Here's a couple of other options that may work;

1) Take you hubs to a machine shop and have them drilled for the wheel lug pattern you want

2) if the new wheels you have are set up so they are self centering on the hub (the hub makes full contact and centers the wheel instead of the lug nuts centering the wheel) then you could mark and drill the hub yourself

Personally I don't like wheel adapters. Like Jules mentioned, they can be ok but you have to pay attention to them all the time.

Bobby

 

I agree with Bobbytnm

A little machine work is better than a lot of adapter.

The cost of having the hubs machined to fit the rims you want to use is going to be far cheaper than having the wheel go left on the freeway when you are going right.

True you may only destroy the brakes, backing plate and spindle, but there is the possibility you may destroy another family when that loose wheel goes over the line and into oncoming traffic.

I live in an area where people use trucks as "Trucks" not pretty lil keepsakes and I have never seen a set of "wheel bolt pattern" adapters that worked as good as an axle or hub with stud holes drilled for the same pattern as the wheels mounted on them.

Cyrus
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My Grandpa told me once that you have to learn by the mistakes of others because you will NOT live long enough to make them all yourself.

 

[quote=Cyruscosmo;6831253]I agree with Bobbytnm
...

True you may only destroy the brakes, backing plate and spindle, but there is the possibility you may destroy another family when that loose wheel goes over the line and into oncoming traffic.
...

Cyrus
quote]

yep, my daughter was hit by a wayward time/rim combo on I10 outside of houston one night. never did find where it came from.

got the headlight assembly, hood, windshield. Good thing it was bouncing UP at the time..

She saw it about 50 ft before she hit it.

Sam

 

[quote=sdetweil;6831598]This is all true - a rogue wheel is a killer - period.

But were the ones you sited due to wheel adaptors? Probably more likely a spare that rolled off the back of someones truck - it's a little hard to drive away on three wheels.

I would venture to say that if installed and used correctly - and I concede that's a big "IF" - they are safe to use.

WRT my particular case, I was at fault not the adaptor. After running the truck with the adaptors on for over 1000 miles, I removed the front drivers side wheel to take pictures of the brake for a member here who was having a problem getting theirs back together. I simply didn't tighten it back on enough. And that can happen with any wheel - adaptor or not. Since redoing it and doing it right, I've had no problems. I'd prefer another solution, but I see none in the front without changing out the front end. And that would require major modification to my new engine, headers, and motor mounts. Or installing disc brakes and installing a new brake system. I really don't think, having had the experience with the adaptors, that they are unsafe, or marginal enough to warrent that type of modification. Like I said, you can under tighten a regular set up just as easily there.

Plus, I'm a little curious about finding brake drums that will fit this new bolt pattern and still fit over those original brakes. If you guys have info on that swap - especially on the front of a 51 F1 -I'd be interested in getting the data.

J!

 

I say go for #1 above. We took my son's Iroc's in to a "wheel" shop and had them filled a redrilled. It was no problem and not too expensive. I can't remember exactly how much.

 

Jules,

No need to replace your brake drums. Have them drilled out to match the new pattern at the same time you have the hub drilled.

I agree with your statement about "installed and used correctly" however, 99% of people won't do that. Technically you are supposed to torque the lug nuts each time you install them, if you have aluminum wheels you are supposed to follow a retorquing sequence after a few miles and then at certain intervals thereafter.........uh, yea

I can't speak for others here but I'm a forgetful, and lazy procrastinator that blows off/forgets/etc those little details.......lol.......for me its worth redrilling the hubs or axles flanges or finding wheels that fit.

Isn't it amazing how a wheel can go about ten times faster than the truck it came flying off of? (yes, I've lost a few over the years)

Bobby

 

Hey Bobby, I like this idea!

I have to admit, now I recheck those lugs everytime I change the oil - not a budge, there's still a little pucker factor involved after the wheel loss.....And trust me, you'll only "forget" once. Sam was right, someone could be killed.

OK so on the front hubs of a 51 F1 do I have room to pull all those in? I would think so. But I have one more little caution. Are you guys really confident that drilling five more holes in the brake drum won't weaken it?

I've got those stupid unique 1/2 inch offset drums on front that only fit 51s and 52s. So I'm kinda stuck with them - even at $100 ea.

Julie

 

Julie, on My son's Iroc's they plugged the old holes and then redrilled.

 

Funny thing is, my new drum on the drivers side (that I replaced the damaged on from the wheel loss episode) only has five holes in it now. The "original" one on the other side has ten already...all at the same diameter. So I may have to spring for a new drum!

I wonder if they will do it here in California. Did he have that done here Wayne? The laws are pretty pissy about modifying brake parts, and everyone here has liability obscession!

I'll have to check it out.

J!

 

Wow I was planning on getting some adapters for my truck and was going to ask about them; I guess all I had to do was wait for an inevitable thread.

I'm going to throw some onto my truck simply because I don't want to go to the dark side and start mixing and matching parts on a completely stock and original truck. I'm just tired of hitting sand with the 5" wide wheels it has and spinning or bouncing because of the washboard.

I think, gotta measure tomorrow, that the original lugs are 5.5" and the newer Ford SUV's are 4.5". I have a set of wheels and tires I bought off my friend's 2006 Escape that I think will look pretty good.