Wheel Bolt Spacing

[DonaldSmith]

I've been following another thread about rear axle swaps. The converstion seems to zero on on a 5 on 4-1/2 bolt pattern.

My 47 DeSoto Suburban has 5 on 5-1/2. The bolt holes are centered on a 5-1/2" circle. Center-to-center of adjacent bolts is about 3-1/4". Center-to-center two bolts away is about 5-3/16".

Is this a larger pattern than the typical Mopar of the postwar era, (since the Suburban gets all the long wheelbase equipment) or did the pattern get smaller later?

[Plymouthy Adams]

you can still look to the Mopar lineup of rims for the 5x 5.5 wheels..older Dodge Ramcharger, trucks and vans and even the more modern Durango if you be looking for alloys...

[James_Douglas]

Don,

The Suburban shared the wheel pattern of the Big Chrysler 8 and some Dodge Trucks. Since these cars are larger and could carry more they made the chassis stronger. All of the chassis parts on our Suburbans are larger than most of the rest of the MOPAR line up up to about 1953/4.

Also the lug bolts are 9/16". When I went to disks on the front we had to use 1/2" as no supplier makes a 9/16" lug stud. All that is out there is 1/2" or 5/8".

Of particular note is that the wheel bearings and the king pins are also much larger.

As far as rims go, I had Stockton wheel (CA) make me a new set of rims so that the disk calipers would clear and also so that I had new steel all around. The old riveted rims had a lot of rust on the insides.

Best to you and your wife. There is a small chance we my be in the area this year for the NDC convention...

James

[captden29]

the chrysler imperials also had the 5 1/2 rims. most of the wire wheels in the 50's are from imperials and don't fit the rest of the mopars. when i wanted wires for my 54 windsor i would usually come across the imperial ones. i finally found a set off a 55 new yorker and they are the 4 1/2 pattern. dennis