wheel help

[SkeeterBilt]

im sure joe aka mother trucker can help me with this but

ive got a 3/4 ton 50 as some of you know. its has the 8 lug split rims and i really dont want the split rims. joe and i kinda talked about this but i wanna put a more common rim on it, 5 or 6 lug. i know some guys have put 80's ford van rims on these trucks but whats my best bet? puttin a 1/2 front axle up front and a rear out of something else like an s10 or chevy truck? my truck doesnt have a torque tube, its got a 2 piece drive shaft since its a long bed. ive got access to a junk yard to try out rims, so i might try a ford van rim to see if that'll work.
what do you guys think/have done?
im gonna lower the truck by pullin leafs as well

thanks guys

 

[ol' chebby]

Ford rears are easy to come by, as are steelies. That is what I m running. The bolt pattern is 5x4 1/2" instead of the Chevy 5x 4 3/4". I just put in a 95 Impala SS rear in an AD. It worked great.

 

[coilover]

If you're putting a 1/2T axle up front and want to stay 6 lug you might check out the Colorado/Canyon rear. If going to 5 lug then the early 50's car front hub/drum is a bolt on and combined with a Camaro/Trans Am(Firebird) rear it gives a 4 3/4 bolt pattern all the way around. All give much better road gearing than your 4.56 or deeper factory gears.

 

[SkeeterBilt]

will a 1/2 front axle with the drums and all fit onto my 3/4 ton leaf springs? i guess ill go which ever comes first, a set of 4 ford 8 lug rims or a 1/2 front axle on the cheap. the rear is the easy part. i guess i have to go visit the junk yard where my uncle works and take a ford rim and try it out.

 

[Zig]

Yes

will a 1/2 front axle with the drums and all fit onto my 3/4 ton leaf springs? i guess ill go which ever comes first, a set of 4 ford 8 lug rims or a 1/2 front axle on the cheap. the rear is the easy part. i guess i have to go visit the junk yard where my uncle works and take a ford rim and try it out.

The 1/2 ton straight axle fits right onto the 3/4 leafs.

 

[ol' chebby]

A Ford 5 lug rim will not fit at all....different bolt pattern. The 6 lug pattern is the same as most all 6 lugs, except the Dakota. The 8 lugs are the same as most 8 lug 3/4 ton trucks, vans, ect.

 

[SkeeterBilt]

thanks ol chebby and zig. i think ill keep an eye out for a 1/2 ton front axle but untill then see if i can get some ford 8 lugs off my uncle from the yard for a good price

 

[jnycnuk]

i had the same issues. i bit the bullet and had the centers cut out and replaced the outer split rim with a new barrel mounting original sized 18 inch tires. i dropped the back about 3 inches by removing many leafs and the front about 1 inch doing the same. i mounted a short box on the frame and am about to shorten the frame 21 inches. steering is really really bad so i have to do something there.

 

[SkeeterBilt]

i had the same issues. i bit the bullet and had the centers cut out and replaced the outer split rim with a new barrel mounting original sized 18 inch tires. i dropped the back about 3 inches by removing many leafs and the front about 1 inch doing the same. i mounted a short box on the frame and am about to shorten the frame 21 inches. steering is really really bad so i have to do something there.

hmm good to know