Griff in Fairbanks
AK
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RvFNG76 wrote:Oky dokey time to mull things i know this has been covered before but switching to 16" rims from our 16.5" what all do i need to know. Also would like a good idea on tire size as well. I do already know they are coined just trying to figure out what i can do.
Check junkyards. Ford dual wheel rims from the same era will fit. 8x6.5 bolt pattern. (I'm fairly sure Dodge and Ford rims were made on the same manufacturing line, with only difference being the oval or pentastar stamped inside.)
LT235/85R16 is what I'm planning on. (That size has the greatest diameter, giving a wee bit of extra clearance.) Other sizes will fit as well, talk to your tire dealer.
1970 Explorer Class A on a 1969 Dodge M300 chassis with 318 cu. in. (split year)
1972 Executive Class A on a Dodge M375 chassis with 413 cu. in.
1973 Explorer Class A on a Dodge RM350 (R4) chassis with 318 engine & tranny from 1970 Explorer Class A
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StingrayL82
Nampa, Idaho
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RvFNG76 wrote:Oky dokey time to mull things i know this has been covered before but switching to 16" rims from our 16.5" what all do i need to know. Also would like a good idea on tire size as well. I do already know they are coined just trying to figure out what i can do.
I did this. I went to the tire shop down the road and got Dodge and (unknowingly) Ford wheels...if you get Ford wheels, you’ll have to take a cutoff wheel to the rear drum tabs that situate the wheels, because the Ford holes are in a different location, enough to make you say a few choice words. I had them powdercoated in Classic off-white and mounted 225/75-16’s, because that was the closest size to the original 8.00-16.5’s.
Fred
Retired Army Guy
2005 Monaco LaPalma 37PST
Workhorse W24 chassis
8.1L Vortec
Allison 2100 MH
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Griff in Fairbanks
AK
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StingrayL82 wrote:RvFNG76 wrote:Oky dokey time to mull things i know this has been covered before but switching to 16" rims from our 16.5" what all do i need to know. Also would like a good idea on tire size as well. I do already know they are coined just trying to figure out what i can do.
I did this. I went to the tire shop down the road and got Dodge and (unknowingly) Ford wheels...if you get Ford wheels, you’ll have to take a cutoff wheel to the rear drum tabs that situate the wheels, because the Ford holes are in a different location, enough to make you say a few choice words. I had them powdercoated in Classic off-white and mounted 225/75-16’s, because that was the closest size to the original 8.00-16.5’s.
Older Ford dual rims were/are the same as Dodge dual rims. Newer Ford rims use a different metric bolt pattern ... close but different.
Interestingly, Chevrolet has gone to the 8x6.5 bolt pattern/circle. Unfortunately, Chevy dual rims are hub-centric rather than lug-centric. So, the lug holes aren't coined and tend to be oversize for use on an older Dodge.
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StingrayL82
Nampa, Idaho
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Griff in Fairbanks wrote:StingrayL82 wrote:RvFNG76 wrote:Oky dokey time to mull things i know this has been covered before but switching to 16" rims from our 16.5" what all do i need to know. Also would like a good idea on tire size as well. I do already know they are coined just trying to figure out what i can do.
I did this. I went to the tire shop down the road and got Dodge and (unknowingly) Ford wheels...if you get Ford wheels, you’ll have to take a cutoff wheel to the rear drum tabs that situate the wheels, because the Ford holes are in a different location, enough to make you say a few choice words. I had them powdercoated in Classic off-white and mounted 225/75-16’s, because that was the closest size to the original 8.00-16.5’s.
Older Ford dual rims were/are the same as Dodge dual rims. Newer Ford rims use a different metric bolt pattern ... close but different.
Interestingly, Chevrolet has gone to the 8x6.5 bolt pattern/circle. Unfortunately, Chevy dual rims are hub-centric rather than lug-centric. So, the lug holes aren't coined and tend to be oversize for use on an older Dodge.
I can guarantee you Griff that the Ford wheel bolt pattern is the same, but the locating tab holes aren’t. I just did this a couple months ago. The Ford wheels are stamped 1989.
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Griff in Fairbanks
AK
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StingrayL82 wrote:I can guarantee you Griff that the Ford wheel bolt pattern is the same, but the locating tab holes aren’t. I just did this a couple months ago. The Ford wheels are stamped 1989.
Are you talking the locator/alignment pin hole?
Old Ford and Dodge truck rims, prior to some point in the late 80's or early 90's were both 8x6.5 ... that's eight bolt holes on a 6.5 inch diameter circle. Newer Ford rims are 8x170 ... that's eight bolt holes on a 170 millimeter diameter circle. (170mm equals a little more than 6.69" ... that's a little over 3/16" larger diameter circle.)
With the difference in bolt pattern, it's no wonder you ran into problems trying to use new version Ford rims on an older Dodge. I've run into similar problems trying to use a set of 17" Silverado rims on an '73 Dodge RM350 chassis.
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StingrayL82
Nampa, Idaho
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Griff in Fairbanks wrote:StingrayL82 wrote:I can guarantee you Griff that the Ford wheel bolt pattern is the same, but the locating tab holes aren’t. I just did this a couple months ago. The Ford wheels are stamped 1989.
Are you talking the locator/alignment pin hole?
Old Ford and Dodge truck rims, prior to some point in the late 80's or early 90's were both 8x6.5 ... that's eight bolt holes on a 6.5 inch diameter circle. Newer Ford rims are 8x170 ... that's eight bolt holes on a 170 millimeter diameter circle. (170mm equals a little more than 6.69" ... that's a little over 3/16" larger diameter circle.)
With the difference in bolt pattern, it's no wonder you ran into problems trying to use new version Ford rims on an older Dodge. I've run into similar problems trying to use a set of 17" Silverado rims on an '73 Dodge RM350 chassis.
Yes, the locating pin hole that ensures the dually wheels are lined up properly, not the bolt holes. The locating pin hole on the Ford wheel sits closer to the hub hole than the Dodge wheel. The simple fix is to cut the locating pin. Replacement drums don’t even have the pin anymore.
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Griff in Fairbanks
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StingrayL82 wrote:Yes, the locating pin hole that ensures the dually wheels are lined up properly, not the bolt holes. The locating pin hole on the Ford wheel sits closer to the hub hole than the Dodge wheel. The simple fix is to cut the locating pin. Replacement drums don’t even have the pin anymore.
That's what I thought. Your motorhome has the pins??
The alignment/locator pins are left over from the 30's, 40's, 50's, and maybe early 60's. I've never seen them on anything newer except for my 1972 M375 with 19.5 Budd wheel rims. (You'll see the pins on military vehicles, for reasons know only to the military.)
I grind the pins off whenever I encounter them. (Yes, I sometimes work on really old vehicles and trailers.) And, true, drums and rotors no longer have the pins. If you find one with pins, it's probably NOS ... or NROS, as in New, Really Old Stock.
Coined bolt holes align dual rims properly, so no need for the pins. (Most old-timers I know don't even know the original reason for the pins.)
Rims still have the alignment/locator holes/slots so people can use them on really old vehicles. Or, "that's the way we've always made them and I don't know why.")
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Griff in Fairbanks
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Wow! Just WOW!! You'd think I've gotten used to running across "weird and wonderful" things. But, somehow people still manage to come put with strange WTFO situations.
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StingrayL82
Nampa, Idaho
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Griff in Fairbanks wrote:That's what I thought. Your motorhome has the pins??
Yep, it sure did, until I took a cutoff wheel to them.
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StingrayL82
Nampa, Idaho
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So, yet again, let me correct myself...the Ford wheel locating pin hole is NOT closer to the hub hole, it is further away and completely round; the Dodge locating pin hole is oval. I took a pic this morning, and you can clearly see the outboard Dodge wheel and the inboard Ford wheel, showing the differences.
The easy fix is still to cut the locating pin off, or you can elongate the locating pin hole on the Ford wheel. Since I had already had the wheels powdercoated, I opted for the former fix.
Hopefully this helps someone.
![[image]](https://i.imgur.com/Rj1BA6Wl.jpg)
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