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1964 F500 5 lug wheel replacements? Or learn to deal with the widowmaker?
Seems I have widowmakers and I'd like to get new tires installed. Mine are cracked all over and seem they'll be a problem at some point. So, I have two options. Do I learn to replace my own tires on a RH5 wheel? I saw there's an "informational" post about this somewhere but it didn't seem too clear to me. Is there a good way to learn how to deal with these wheels? I haven't checked with anyone local but based off of what I hear, nobody is going to touch these professionally.
My second option: find new wheels. Yes, 70's Dodge campers and maybe some Chevrolet camper wheels work from what I understand. I am a complete noob when it comes to wheels/tires/offset etc, what exactly do I need to look out for in a search for wheels? Would I be better off taking a wheel off and just finding truck wreckers to try and compare wheels? Are there any other wheels off anything else that should work?
Interested in this as well I have an f699 with 6 lug split rims. Going to 10 lug makes wheels and tires much easier. I’d love an f450-550-650 swap. If we stay with drums in the rear do we need to upgrade master cylinders etc? I was hoping as bolt on as possible. What axles do you have? I have Rockwell axles which are square tubes so no perches etc.
the good part is most big trucks had 34” frame rails. So perches “should be” in the right spots for any with 34” frame rails. What was odd to me is I don’t see anything other than leaf springs on my rear while the 450-550 axles Ives seen from similar years have shocks. I was just looking up where and why you would have those.
Interested in this as well I have an f699 with 6 lug split rims. Going to 10 lug makes wheels and tires much easier. I’d love an f450-550-650 swap. If we stay with drums in the rear do we need to upgrade master cylinders etc? I was hoping as bolt on as possible. What axles do you have? I have Rockwell axles which are square tubes so no perches etc.
the good part is most big trucks had 34” frame rails. So perches “should be” in the right spots for any with 34” frame rails. What was odd to me is I don’t see anything other than leaf springs on my rear while the 450-550 axles Ives seen from similar years have shocks. I was just looking up where and why you would have those.
I "think" you can use the military spec wheels like you'd find on an M35a2 on your 6 lug hubs. It has a lock ring but is servicable by about any truck tire shop. No idea on axle swap but also interested. If I fall in love with this truck I'd like to toss some sort of newer axle setup underneath it so I can continue having brake component support.
I believe I may have the Rockwell C100 axles since it's also square.
The best fix for your widow makers is a set of 22.5s. Normally very hard things to find, but just today one of my texting buddies found a set that we are trying to identify by their part numbers. Neither of us has found the Budd reference for them. So the only thing for certain is that they have the 5 x 8” pattern and were originally on an IHC. They will for certain fit your truck. My buddy’s name is Mark and I can have him drop by to comment if you’d be interested in them. Stu
The best fix for your widow makers is a set of 22.5s. Normally very hard things to find, but just today one of my texting buddies found a set that we are trying to identify by their part numbers. Neither of us has found the Budd reference for them. So the only thing for certain is that they have the 5 x 8” pattern and were originally on an IHC. They will for certain fit your truck. My buddy’s name is Mark and I can have him drop by to comment if you’d be interested in them. Stu
I would definitely be interested in that, I'm in Indiana so anything relatiely close would be easy for me to get!
I texted Mark, so he’ll be by. He’s in MT so shipping will be part of the experience. Stu
Ahh, well I guess I have heard good things about Fastenal shipping in the past. I wonder if they still offer that service and how much it is or if there's a new name in the game for that sort of freight shipping.
Do I learn to replace my own tires on a RH5 wheel? I saw there's an "informational" post about this somewhere but it didn't seem too clear to me. Is there a good way to learn how to deal with these wheels? I haven't checked with anyone local but based off of what I hear, nobody is going to touch these professionally.
I've never been in your position but the LAST thing I'd try is a DIY tire change on these wheels. There's a reason the pros won't touch them. I consider myself mechanically proficient but wouldn’t even consider messing with one of these past cutting the valve stem to deflate one. From what I've read on the subject there is no way of knowing the wheel segments are properly engaged other than it not blowing up when inflated and even that doesn't guarantee it won’t come apart catastrophically when you're rolling it to the truck or jostling it into position.
I've never been in your position but the LAST thing I'd try is a DIY tire change on these wheels. There's a reason the pros won't touch them. I consider myself mechanically proficient but wouldn’t even consider messing with one of these past cutting the valve stem to deflate one. From what I've read on the subject there is no way of knowing the wheel segments are properly engaged other than it not blowing up when inflated and even that doesn't guarantee it won’t come apart catastrophically when you're rolling it to the truck or jostling it into position.
I hear the stories, but I find it hard to believe they’re as inherently dangerous as described by many. If they’re damaged, rusted, or plain handled incorrectly anything could happen. But properly maintained and used I don’t believe they would have produced them for nearly 25-30 years if they were so dangerous.
I hear the stories, but I find it hard to believe they’re as inherently dangerous as described by many. If they’re damaged, rusted, or plain handled incorrectly anything could happen. But properly maintained and used I don’t believe they would have produced them for nearly 25-30 years if they were so dangerous.
You’d have been a good lobbyist for the wheel manufacturers back in the 1970s. You’d have convinced OSHA that “all ya gotta do is” post some charts in the shops and require more training. Recall effort killed, problem solved. Right? Wrong.
The problem wasn’t solved. It just shifted from the public as a whole to those of us in the old truck hobby. Lawyers and juries, and the insurance industry, have solved the problem since then by making these rims a pariah. These RH-5° rims still come apart driving down the road. Or, as a guy told me about his new F-4 purchase, one came apart while winching the truck onto his trailer. There are very solid reasons why no reputable shop will touch them today. Stu
I hear the stories, but I find it hard to believe they’re as inherently dangerous as described by many. If they’re damaged, rusted, or plain handled incorrectly anything could happen. But properly maintained and used I don’t believe they would have produced them for nearly 25-30 years if they were so dangerous.
I am old enough to remember when widow makers were still being used/serviced. I personally know two guys that were injured by them coming apart. If you talk to any mechanic working in shops up until the mid 80's, I bet you won't find any that weren't in a shop when one came apart.
Not all failures were catastrophic, many times they separate when begining inflation, so small bang instead of big bang. But failures were not uncommon.
If you insist on going down the diy path, please do 2 things; 1.) google "survival bias". 2.) .....and this one is essential, invest in a tire cage. It will lesson your odds of injury, but won't eliminate them.
03-04-2023, 05:33 PM
1964 F500 5 lug wheel replacements? Or learn to deal with the widowmaker?
