Just a small teaser I will post the pictures tomorrow!!! The rims are for my 52 GMC 3/4 ton. They look so close to stock that 99% of people won't know the difference. Anyways a little background this is my last step to getting the truck running and road worthy. I couldn't get anybody and i do mean anybody to mount new tires on my original 15" split rims. I tried all the regular tire places, just to see if i would get lucky and someone would do them for me, but no luck there. I also tried 6 different semi-truck shops that can work on some split rims. Took my rims to each of those shops and not any would do them. So I went out to get some rims... Zig was so kind to donate some rims he dug up for us fello 3/4 ton 8 luggers.... Thus ends this section of the story... Will continue tomorrow with pics!!! Wolf
Many thanks to Zig for the rims. I unfortunately couldn’t use but one rim!! I was however able to pass along the giving of the rims to a good friend of mine in NW Kansas!!! The problem I had with the rims where I couldn’t mount hub cap clips on 2 of them in a way to allow the factory hub caps to work. It was a clearance issue. Rims: The rims that I now have mounted and balanced on the truck are as follows. They are dexstar rims. Part #: 017-302-25# Website is http://www.dexstarwheel.com/products.html Scroll down to conventional rims, and there they are. They where around 30 bucks a rim and they where brand new. I got them from a local junk yard in Northwest Kansas, where I grew up. PM me if you want there names. Work: I then took the rims to my uncle who has a great shop. There he sand blasted them. Welded new custom made hub cap clips to the rims to fit my hub caps perfectly. Now 2 of my rims where slightly different, I wasn’t able to get a part number for them. So he had to weld a, looks to be an 1/8th inch, steel ring on the front to hold the hub caps. See pictures for details, this trim ring is right where the hub cap hits the rim. We did this so the hub caps would be tight to the rim. Not sure what or why the rims are just slightly different, but that’s how life goes. These rims are on the rear of the truck. But both rims fit perfectly!!! There are no clearance issues anywhere with no spacers!!!! The Hub Caps: They fit great both the new ones for a 3/4 ton from Jim Carters and my original ones. No clearance issues on the front or the back hubs. Since I don't want to spend the moneys for the new chrome ones. I will need to get 2 more old ones and i will have my uncle sandblast them and powdercoat them white or cream white and paint the GMC logo black!! Should look good im thinkin. Tires: I got 225-75-R16. Firestone Destination LE. 4 tires mounted rotated, balanced for life installed for $410 They were buy 3 get one free! Gives me an overall height of 29.28”. Look good enough for me for this truck. I really like it. Overall: Overall they look great i think. I also got the look I was wanting which was as close to stock as possible. They clear the tie-rod ends on the fronts!! They also allow original hub caps on the front and rear, even with those big ol’ ¾ ton spindles and axles on the rear. Everything fits great. Advice though when you have the tires balanced, and the weights put on the inside for looks… the weights will barely hit the tie-rod ends on the front… Ask me how I know All I have to do now is put in my 2 seat belts and off to the DMV I go. I drove it around Saturday for about an hour and she ran great!!! Heater works great too. No water leaks from the new water pump.
Thanks Nate!!! I think they look great. Pretty darn close to stock if ya ask me. Hub caps fit nice and tight too. Am in the process of looking for some old used 3/4 ton hub caps. I will sand blast those and powder coat them white.. Then paint the GMC part black.. I think it will be a good look. And a lot cheaper then getting the new chrome ones!!! The 3/4 ton ones must be made of actual silver or something!!
There you go~ They look great, Brian! New shoes always catch peoples attention. The best part is, YOU'RE DRIVING THAT THING!!!! Good luck with the seat belts. That is a very important detail!
Hub Caps Nice wheels and tires Wolf. I wish I had a set. I would sent them to you to put to good use. Do you plan on keeping the blue color. My Grandad had a blue one with white hub caps back in the good ole days. The good ole days = thinking everyone was good and I was not old.
That is a cool picture!!! Im not 100% sure on a color yet. That will be in a year or two probably. Im leaning towards black however. Its not going to be a "show" truck... However I will be going to some shows this year!! Just want to get a coat of paint on it to freshen it up and keep it from getting rusty. Thanks for the compliments. I really like them! Thanks Zig for all your help in this also!! Sorry i couldnt use your rims but i did get to re purpose them, pass them down kinda thing, which is great! Can't wait to finish getting the seat belts in and then im off to the DMV and it will be legal... hopefully Now just to find some time to do this...
Wow, those look nice! They clear the tierod ends alright? I'm going to need new rims / tires when I get the truck finished, and wasn't finding any usable replacements.
Thanks!!!! it wasn't too bad considering i had access to a nice shop that could make the hub cap clips and weld them on. But it was worth the effort, because i really wanna drive this thing, and i really didn't want generic white spokes on it, thats just me though
I've been working on my project for almost a year, and I'm aching to drive it too. Can you PM me where you got them? I've googled and can't find anyone that sells them .
I just set ya a PM on their contact information. If that # doesnt work for some reason, let me know and I will get ya it! I'm really happy with the results! Looks stock, didn't cost much, and i don't have to deal with tire places wrestling them about split rims, dont have to worry if i ever get a flat now either
Hmm, I ordered those rims and have hit a bit of a problem. I bolted one on the front to double check that it would clear the tierod. When the wheels are pointed straight they just clear the tierod. When I turn the wheels, however, the rim bumps into the tierod. They don't appear any different than yours: Picture with the wheel straight: With the wheel slightly turned: Given that they doesn't appear to be any adjustability up front I assume there is nothing I can do about them bumping?
Darn, I thought I had ordered the right ones. Leave it to me to botch something as simple as that. The ones I ordered had these specs: Bolt Pattern: 8 x 6.5" Rim Capacity: 3700lbs Offset: .50 Pilot Diameter: 4.89" and they were made by Dexstar. Well, I guess I am going to look into using spacers. It looks that I could get away with a 5/32" spacer and still use the stock studs.
