Converting to dually questions

[stumpjumper3]

Okay so with the revival of our truck i have a major dillema. Our old tow rig was a 1978 GMC Dually, 454 4spd, with a nice 10 foot flatbed. My dad bought me a brand new set of 10 hole aluminum dually wheels with all new lug nuts and center cabs for a college grad present. Well about 1 month later we ended up with our Crew cab. Now my thinking is, i really, i mean really love these wheels and they have more value to me now. I've been tossing around the idea of converting our truck to a dually. So far as i can tell, all i would need is the dually spacer for the front D60, and maybe longer wheel lugs for the rear? Anybody done this, i do forsee heavy load hauling in the future and the dually rims have all new 235/85/R16 load range E tires on them. What say ye? I think it would really make the truck stand out also. Not too many Dually Crew Cab 4x4's out there

 

[LCAM-01XA]

Is your truck a pickup-truck frame or a cab-chassis frame? If it left the factory with a pickup bed you will need a dually-specific axle in the rear, as if you simply bolt the dually wheels onto your SRW axle the inners will not clear the leaf springs by about 2" or so. Not sure what the situation will be with the cab-chassis axle...

 

[Diesel_brad]

For your king pin D60 you will need a set of these
See thumbnail below
For the rear axle if it is a SRW axle you will need a set of these
http://www.wheeladapter.com/images/wheel_adapters_MAGNUM.jpg
Either that or a cab-n-chassis rear axle

I have both if you are serious about the conversion

 

[franklin2]

I have been messing with a chassis/cab dually dump truck once in awhile, and haven't figured out some things about them yet.

1. See that pin sticking out in the above picture of the dually adapters? The wheels have a corresponding hole that this pins fits into. What exactly is the purpose of this? I know the pin fits into the hole in the wheel, but why is this needed? Does it have something to do with my 2nd question?

2. I noticed on the truck I am messing with (1989), the lug nuts are not conical shaped. The lug nuts have a large washer made onto them. Are all duallies like this? There is nothing that is going to center these wheels to the hubs except the fit on the large hole in the center of the wheel. Is this possibly the reason for the pin, to keep the wheel from working back and forth around the hub centric part of the hub?

 

[rjjp]

The rims you're looking at are hub centric and yes the pin is to keep it from walking on the hub. No not all duallies are like this.

 

[Diesel_brad]

I have no clue what the "Pin" is for. I would just knock em out for aluminum wheels.

And all the dually I have seen are hub centric so the wheels center themselves

 

[LCAM-01XA]

and yes the pin is to keep it from walking on the hub.

I'll have to disagree with you on that, as said pin is no larger than 1/2" in diameter whereas the hole it fits in is like 3/4" or so. Not sure what exactly that pin does tho, other than getting in the way.

 

[stumpjumper3]

Attn Diesel_brad

Diesel_brad i need to get ahold of you about those rear spacers you have. I'm wondering if they are steel or aluminum. If they are steel, i'd be very interested in them. Thank you.

 

[IDIDieselJohn]

10 hole wheels? Like 10 lug wheels?

Those are for F450's...

 

[stumpjumper3]

10 hole wheels? Like 10 lug wheels?

Those are for F450's...

Not sure what you mean lol. My wheels are a plain standard 8 lug pattern. Diesel_brad has the rear wheel spacers that i need to complete the conversion. I just scored a set of front dually hubs off ebay today to convert the front.

 

[IDIDieselJohn]

You said in your original post you got some 10 hole alluminum wheels?

I thaught you meant 10 lug patern wheels, cause those are for F450's only. F350's had 8 lugs a wheel.

But I think I know what your talking about those 10 hole wheels, the newer duallys have them.

 

[stumpjumper3]

You said in your original post you got some 10 hole alluminum wheels?

I thaught you meant 10 lug patern wheels, cause those are for F450's only. F350's had 8 lugs a wheel.

But I think I know what your talking about those 10 hole wheels, the newer duallys have them.

Oh i see now, my mistake. Yes the wheels i have are an 8 lug, but a ten hole design, different from the traditional alcoa wheel look. They are the only aluminum set i've ever seen. I had only seen the style in steel until i found these. I think if it wasn't for the fact that they were a grad present from my dad and the tires are brand new, and my father in law wants the alcoas on the truck. I'd just stick with the SRW setup. Luckily things are falling into place nicely. I'll post pics in my buildup thread when things start moving along.

Austin

 

[crashnzuk]

If you already have the dually wheels all mounted up with tires, just test fit on on your rear to see if it'll clear the springs. I did this with my dodge and guess what, it will fit. There are lots of variables involved, so it may not work on your truck but it is worth it to see for your self.
Travis..

 

[stumpjumper3]

You make a valid point. I'll give it a go this weekend. Even if they don't fit, i can then measure to make sure what thickness of spacer i'll need.

 

[crashnzuk]

Since your wheels are aftermarket, make sure that there is a way to make the wheel centric with the hub. If all 6 of your wheels are aluminum, it may work better since the centers are thicker on aluminum wheels. This spaces them out from the springs the extra thickness of the center section.
Travis..