20" wheel options

[jsd245]

So  I am brand new to this forum. Lots of great info here.

 

I've acquired and not yet picked up a fairly rough 1953 B-4-GA. This will be my first vintage dodge, plan is to restore it to some degree  with my son. Goal is to make it serviceable and look decent but not create a pristine show truck.   So as I've done some research I can already tell tires and wheels will be an issue. Its got the lock ring wheels (not widow-makers) which seem like they can be fairly safe if you treat them with respect and correctly. Truck currently has 8.25 x 20 on it. Look super cracked and rough. so as I fix this thing up I will need to grapple with replacing them. This truck has a 5 lug wheel- since I don't actually have it I don't know what the pattern is, but I assume many on this forum know.

 

I've done a forum search - seems there aren't alot of good solutions, yet I've seen nothing very recent posted on this topic for these big trucks. As I browse the internet, The tire selection that existed just a few years ago seems to be even  less now, and my concern is eventually there will be nothing even if I am willing to deal with the split rims.  

 

Has anyone actually gotten a custom 22.5 inch rim done to match the bolt pattern hub size and offset on these?    Will be spendy I know, but if eventually these 20" bias ply just get totally phased out maybe that ends up being the only option. 

[47 dodge 1.5 ton]

 I had a price here local at 4K. That included using my (6) wheel centers and welded to 22.5 rims, radial tubeless tires. Said they would balance as well. 
  I don’t want to go that route because the smallest dia tire is still an 1” bigger than the 7.50’s that I have currently. 
 

[Brent B3B]

JSD, welcome to the forum!

i don’t have a replacement answer but my B4GA has 7.5x20 on it.

Wonder if 7.5 would be easier for you to locate?

my HH has 8.25x 20 and my local tire shop gave me a price of $1700. For all 6 (mount and balance, tubes , flaps and stems) 

 

btw, photos when you get a chance ?

 

[jsd245]

1 hour ago, 47 dodge 1.5 ton said:

 I had a price here local at 4K. That included using my (6) wheel centers and welded to 22.5 rims, radial tubeless tires. Said they would balance as well. 
  I don’t want to go that route because the smallest dia tire is still an 1” bigger than the 7.50’s that I have currently. 
 

So 22.5 tires are pretty expensive, so I'd guess maybe they are charging $300-350 per wheel to cut and weld centers, and around $300-350 for tires? not nuts I guess. How recent was this, and this was in PA? Care to share the name of who quoted  it? 

[jsd245]

1 hour ago, Brent B3B said:

JSD, welcome to the forum!

i don’t have a replacement answer but my B4GA has 7.5x20 on it.

Wonder if 7.5 would be easier for you to locate?

my HH has 8.25x 20 and my local tire shop gave me a price of $1700. For all 6 (mount and balance, tubes , flaps and stems) 

 

btw, photos when you get a chance ?

 

Thanks for the welcome  - yes should be picking it up next week. This week was a bit nuts with the Holiday. 7.5 seems just as hard to find as 8.25. Seems the only thing out there in the two sizes are those Taiwan power king tires and they don't look like drive wheel tires. $1700 seems like a good price. Was this recent? 

[47 dodge 1.5 ton]

That is from Mar-Bar Tire company in Hanover Pa. ( these guys are Black Hats so they can be tough to work with the English as they don’t like getting jerked around. They provide great service for all of our farm tires but are not the cheapest to deal with). Quote was in the early fall. For me to use my truck to haul with, I only have (2) options for tags in PA. 1– Restricted Farm tags, second is tag as a truck, that requires a safety inspection. Local shop will not allow my split wheel so I’m looking for options. 7.50’s are harder to come by than 8.25’s. 

Edited December 30, 2021 by 47 dodge 1.5 ton

[wallytoo]

3 hours ago, 47 dodge 1.5 ton said:

 I had a price here local at 4K. That included using my (6) wheel centers and welded to 22.5 rims, radial tubeless tires. Said they would balance as well. 
  I don’t want to go that route because the smallest dia tire is still an 1” bigger than the 7.50’s that I have currently. 
 

 

those 7.50s on 20" wheels run to about 35" in diameter, while the 8.25s on 20" wheels run about 36.5" in diameter.  i'd guess you could safely run the 22" rims and tires if you wanted to do the conversion.

 

fwiw, all six tires on my b-1-fa are 8.25x20s.

 

 

5 hours ago, jsd245 said:

 Will be spendy I know, but if eventually these 20" bias ply just get totally phased out maybe that ends up being the only option. 

 

i doubt you will wear out a new set of 8.25x20s or 7.50x20s.  i'm still running 5 of the 6 tires that came on the truck when i bought it back in 2007, and i've put about 15k miles on the truck.  most people will only put a fraction of the mileage on these bigger trucks.

[47 dodge 1.5 ton]

Wallytoo— can you throw a tape on your 7.50’s and see what dia they are? The only replacement’s I have found advertise 37” which seems bigger than what I believe they should be. I currently have (6) weather cracked Goodyear’s that look like about 36”. I picked up (2) old firestones last week from a fire truck that measure 35” without being mounted. Thank you, Kevin 

Edited December 30, 2021 by 47 dodge 1.5 ton

[wallytoo]

i have 8.25x20s, not 7.50x20s.  the diameter derives from doubling the sidewall and adding it to the wheel diameter.  thus, 7.50+7.50+20=35, and 8.25+8.25+20=36.50.

 

no matter the actual diameter, i am running 8.25x20 tires at all six wheels.

[jsd245]

Most of the specifications I’m finding for 8.25 tires show them at 38.3 overall diameter, while the 7.5s show 37.5. Of course none of them are in stock. The 22.5s would be larger yet at 39. I’d rather go with the larger diameter- seems with the super low axle ratios on these a larger tire would be better. Maybe a couple mph gained. It’s not like I’m going to be loading this thing to the max ever. 

[MBF]

I bought 7.50’s for my truck this year from Simple Tire.  Nebraska Tire has them too.  As long as they’re locking ring rims are serviceable any truck tire shop will mount them for you.  I did 3 of mine myself, and found out the local truck tire shop would do them.  Cost me less than $25 per tire.  Where are you located?

[jsd245]

I'm in ct 

[Dodgeb4ya]

These heavier trucks don't have an abundance of power on hills....especially the 237ci models.

Be careful as to how tall of tire you run.

[jsd245]

So new info- called a few places- no-one around here can do the weld in the hub. IM not even sure how that would work. I guess they would have to add material since the hub is going  into a 22.5' rim vs a 20". One place says they can probably get the 8.25 bias tires but aren't sure. But I think again - the only thing out there I see in 8.25 or 7.5 is the Taiwanese power king tires. 

 

This company- https://www.wheelsnowinc.com/ and an in stock option he said would work. Picture attached. $295 each. He said he could do as custom wheel that would look much closer to stock- right number of handholds, etc. for $430. Profile won't be exactly the same, but closer. 

 

So there are options. 22.5 inch rim options are very expensive. But given the very low selection of 20" tires, seems the radial will give me more traction options. probably handle and ride better.  While yes, this truck won't be a daily, and  in 7-10 years there could  still be plenty of tread left on a bias , I will be looking to replace tire before that because I won't want to run around on old tires. I will do more with this truck that leave it in to the garage and go to the occasional cruise night or car show. Potentially will be hauling some loads with it. This may be the way I go. 

wheel.jfif

[bkahler]

Have you checked with Coker Tire?  They are big into remanufacturing tires for the antique and hobbyist.  Whether they have tires as large as you're looking for I don't know.  

[Brent B3B]

 

On 12/30/2021 at 4:14 AM, wallytoo said:

i have 8.25x20s, not 7.50x20s.  the diameter derives from doubling the sidewall and adding it to the wheel diameter.  thus, 7.50+7.50+20=35, and 8.25+8.25+20=36.50.

 

no matter the actual diameter, i am running 8.25x20 tires at all six wheels.

Hey Wally, on those 7.50 your running…( just kidding ?)

 

on the 8.25x 20’s your running, do you ever get tire rubs up front when loaded? A couple times I had some weight in “Rob” (the HH), I thought I heard some rubbing up front when turning sharp. 

on Jimbob (B3GA)

he has 7.50 up front and 8.25 in the rear. 

Edited February 5, 2022 by Brent B3B
Photos removed

[MBF]

There was a guy on another forum that removed his Budd center from his 20” rims and had them welded into Dayton 22.5 hoops.  This should be fairly doable given that the 22.5 Daytons are a bolt on replacement for 20” locking ring hoops on Dayton hubs.  The biggest issue would be getting them true and then find a certified welder willing to accept the liability.  

[wallytoo]

kevin, the 8.25x20s that are on my truck average about 35.75” in diameter, as mounted on the unloaded truck on the stock 5 lug budd wheels.  

 

brent, i haven’t noticed any rubbing, even when fully loaded (with ice blocks at 7500 lbs give or take).  but, i didn’t do any hard cornering, and only got into 4 low for a short stretch, otherwise used 3 high or lower.

 

 

 

 

 

i wouldn’t worry at all about running bias ply tires at only 7 years old.  radials i’d make sure had no cracking at that age,  but they are tubeless.

Edited December 31, 2021 by wallytoo

[jsd245]

Wow! You work her hard! 

[47 dodge 1.5 ton]

Guess the tire dia must change depending on time or manufacture? That creates a little problem as I really don’t want to loose any power (my truck only has 5.625 gears). Not sure if going down to 7.00’s or up to 8.25’s can be installed on my rim width? I have (4) straight trailer 8.25’s at the farm that I need to look over a little closer.

 Anyone know if straights on the rear cause any ill effects with driving? My truck has a little wobbleitess over about 35 that I’m working on hopefully correcting with the front end as we speak.

[jsd245]

I’m not worried about losing power- I have the two speed rear end. 5.81/8.3 gears. But the tire type one of the issues I’m seeing - right now, the only thing that seems to be in stock anywhere are those very lightly treaded tires almost look like steer tires. Not sure how great they would be on the rear. Or the military type non directionals which I definitely don’t want. 

[wallytoo]

On 12/30/2021 at 8:17 PM, jsd245 said:

Wow! You work her hard! 

 

i do indeed.. just what it’s made for...

 

On 12/30/2021 at 9:11 PM, jsd245 said:

I’m not worried about losing power- I have the two speed rear end. 5.81/8.3 gears. But the tire type one of the issues I’m seeing - right now, the only thing that seems to be in stock anywhere are those very lightly treaded tires almost look like steer tires. Not sure how great they would be on the rear. Or the military type non directionals which I definitely don’t want. 

 

same gear ratios in the 2-speed eaton 1350 in my ‘48.  the rear tires on mine aren’t deep treads, but the truck weighs enough for good traction, even in the snow.  i do carry chains if needed (and i have needed), visible on the back of the head board.

 

 

On 12/30/2021 at 8:38 PM, 47 dodge 1.5 ton said:

Guess the tire dia must change depending on time or manufacture? That creates a little problem as I really don’t want to loose any power (my truck only has 5.625 gears). Not sure if going down to 7.00’s or up to 8.25’s can be installed on my rim width? I have (4) straight trailer 8.25’s at the farm that I need to look over a little closer.

 Anyone know if straights on the rear cause any ill effects with driving? My truck has a little wobbleitess over about 35 that I’m working on hopefully correcting with the front end as we speak.

 

i don’t know, but i’m not familiar with the straight terminology.

 

 

Edited January 1, 2022 by wallytoo

[Dodgeboy49]

Depending on the wrecking yards in your area, you may get lucky with some very nice used tires. Our local yard used to buy all the school buses when they came up for auction. Several came in with 20" wheels and tires, and being school buses, the tires were usually in excellent shape. We've gotten a couple sets of radials that way which we run on the 20" lock ring wheels; one set was only about a year old. The buses in our area see some rural duty so they typically have pretty good drive tires in the rear. Unfortunately for us, the yard closed down, so we may someday be in the same boat of looking for a better option.

[Lingle]

FYI I didn't see earlier but the boot pattern should be 5 on 8" bolt circle.  Coker tire used to carry some option otherwise on Facebook groups there is a gentleman nameed Doug Crozier that seeks a lot of parts if you ever need, personally I've never bought from him but heard good things about him 

[jsd245]

Does anyone know the measurement of the hub pilot hole on the rear drum for a 1.5 ton? I don’t have the truck here yet and I can’t measure it.