Split rims

[moisheh]

Many of the vintage units built on Dodge chassis have split rims. Usually 17.5. What do most owners do about tires? Although radials are available I have been told they should not be installed on those rims. I just started doing the research but it appears that there are no substitute rims that will fit over the calipers on a Dodge. 19.5 rims will fit ( if you can find them in 5 lug) Moisheh

[moisheh]

I do appreciate the responses but this problem is almost unsolvable. There are wheels with the correct bolt pattern but they will not fit over the front calipers When we were drag racing a popular rear end was from a milk truck. It had 5.38 gears and was a full floater. But the wheels were 16 inch. We took some 15's of the correct width along with the originals to a wheel shop . They cut the centers out and welded them to the 15 inch wheels. But that was a long time ago. I doubt a wheel shop would do that today for fear of litigation. But that is an option. I know some owners run radials with radial tubes on the split rims and are happy. But I don't know if that is an accepted practice. Something to do with the width of the tire bead and the pressure applied. Others simply use bias ply!

Moisheh

[JimM68]

Is it an option to change to 6 or 8 lug hubs?
Or have your existing ones redrilled to give you more wheel choices?

[moisheh]

Thx for all the replies.

Moisheh

[FunTwoDrv]

Oops, sorry about that... I thought I was linking to this site!
They don't show the 5 lug however, perhaps they can give you a lead on what your options are.

Gary

[guardrail53]

FunTwoDrv wrote:
This site may have the solution for you...

Good luck,
Gary

Those are simulators, not wheels, Gary,
I would think you could get 19.5 wheels, and buy low pro tires, and keep your gearing pretty close! And if it does change it, it will be for the good, as you will cruse at lower rpm's! JMHO! Rail!:C

[WILDEBILL308]

moisheh wrote:
Funtwodrive You posted a link to W HEEL SIMULATORS. I want wheels. Wildebill: That is a nice site. Unfortunately they do not have anything in a 5 hole that would work. Thanks

I would send an email or call. The rims you are looking for are not a high volume item and may not be on the website
Bill

[moisheh]

Funtwodrive You posted a link to W HEEL SIMULATORS. I want wheels. Wildebill: That is a nice site. Unfortunately they do not have anything in a 5 hole that would work. Thanks

[P_Kennedy]

Unfortunately that site is the wheel simulators aka wheel covers not the rims. I had a 1 ton Power Wagon many moons ago that we had wheels made from the existing hub centers and tubeless rims welded to them. Those hubs are oddball and not many around in certain areas to get the centers.

[FunTwoDrv]

This site may have the solution for you...

Good luck,
Gary

[WILDEBILL308]

moisheh wrote:
Thx for the replies. Hikerdogs: The Chev wheels do not fit Dodges. Totally different. I think IHC and Dodge use the same wheels. A 16 inch won't fit over the caliper. Even the 19.5 have to be 5 lug and they are way too tall. Will change the gear ratio way too much.

Moisheh

Well the only thing left to do is sell your coach and by a new one with good tiers.
Find out what rim you have now what the style is and hole pattern diameter offset and look hear.
http://www.wheelsnowinc.com/
Bill

[Passin_Thru]

Some truck dealers in the NE will still change Splits but they are dangerous. Almost got killed by one blowing off once. Go with Budds.
Rims for spoke wheels are generally referred to as "Daytons" since Dayton was a big manufacturer of spoke wheel/demountable rim systems. Stud-piloted disc wheels are commonly referred to as "Budds" since The Budd Corp. was the first to come out with these wheels. You hear hub-piloted disc wheels called "Unimounts" which is what Motor Wheel called their wheel when they first introduced hub-piloted wheels in the early 1980s.

[moisheh]

Thx for the replies. Hikerdogs: The Chev wheels do not fit Dodges. Totally different. I think IHC and Dodge use the same wheels. A 16 inch won't fit over the caliper. Even the 19.5 have to be 5 lug and they are way too tall. Will change the gear ratio way too much.

Moisheh

[mowermech]

I had a dodge truck over 20 years ago that had split ring wheels. When I went to get new tires, I could not find a dealer that would put tires on those rims. I had to go to a salvage yard to get a set of used one piece wheels, then they would sell tires to me.
I haven't had split rims since then.
IMO, you need to get new wheels!

[P_Kennedy]

If the "new" 17" standard rim will not fit over the caliper then you are stuck with 19.5 rims which are plentiful for 4500-5500 Ram & Ford trucks. Tires are a little more expensive but the load rating is a lot higher. It also depends if they are 8 bolt or the more common 6 bolt on those chassis.