Railroad 19.5 Rims

[RedTruck]

Does anyone have any real world experience with the 19.5 Railroad rims on an IDI? I always liked the idea of running them because of how tall and skinny they are. I found a set of rims for sale that I've been kicking around. Also, does anyone know where you can readily get rims like this?

Thanks for any discussion,

Paul

 

[diesel4me2]

not fimilar with them, please post a pic. i currently have eagle alloys in 19.5x6on my truck. they look great ride nice and 33.5 overall
chris

 

[trackspeeder]

Does anyone have any real world experience with the 19.5 Railroad rims on an IDI? I always liked the idea of running them because of how tall and skinny they are. I found a set of rims for sale that I've been kicking around. Also, does anyone know where you can readily get rims like this?

Thanks for any discussion,

Paul

You can get the rims new from HTT.Harsco Track Technology. Anything from Fairmont (HTT) will be expensive. The rims will fit any truck. IDI PSD or gasser. Railroads use them all. With this setup don't worry abut scuffing curbs. You can't kill the tires.We tried. Great for burn outs too.



You can try this guy for the rims. www.brownrr.com

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

The genuine rail-road Hi-Rail rims set way in and look kinda weird on a hi-way truck.

 

[RedTruck]

How much are rims like this worth?

 

[Mr_Roboto]

I'd guess the reason they are 19.5" is so that they can dish back in and clear the brake calipers and drums, and fit on the narrow tracks.

I would think they would be detrimental to handling since they make the track narrower.

 

[RedTruck]

I don't mind the look. I'm a little concerned over the cost of tires though.

 

[RedTruck]

I think the major reason for the 19.5 rim is for the stiffer side wall available with these tires.

 

[82F100SWB]

I thought I had better pics of this truck, but, this is all I've got:
http://www.bigblocksix.com/f100swb/f250/June03/85f250.jpg

High rail rims are the way they are so they match the guage on the track, and it just so happens you won't clear the brakes with a 16" wheel, I'm sure the railroads don't like to spend more money on tires than they have to, and 19.5's are considerably more expensive than a 16" wheel/tire.
19.5's are real truck tires, much harder compound and way more load capacity than a standard light truck tire.

 

[u2slow]

Old rail wheels were custom made for a particular offset.

The modern ones are off-the-shelf Accuride 19.5s (DRW) and they fine-tune the track with spacers.

Either way - if you are looking for approved load rating - you will find they are low... maybe 3000# at best. Tires for the 6" wheels (8R19.5 and 225/70R19.5) are also hard to get in the higher ratings.


I went with Rickson's.... their wheels are rated for 4500-5000# EACH.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

they fine-tune the track with spacers.

Standard-gauge is 56.5-inches railhead to railhead.

How is the proper wheel-track accomplished with standard offset rims and spacers ??

There are several Hi-Rail trucks in my community, most of them early-eighties Fords SRW; they all have 19.5 tires with a lot of negative offset to the rims.

Also, the rear-ends are quite a bit narrower than standard rears with axle-shafts being about three-inches shorter than a standard SRW rear.

I know this first hand because I happen to have two trucks equipped with Hi-Rail rears.


The older trucks were propelled by the trucks tires contacting the rail.

I kinda believe the later models are not propelled by the trucks tires, but by hydraulic motors driving the rail-wheels on the Hi-Rail kit.

I could have this wrong; if so, please correct me, as I am interested in knowing.

Thanks.

 

[u2slow]

Midnight -

everything we each said jives.

I've seen about 3 different sets of the 'old' wheels. They pretty much have the lugnuts flush with the tire sidewall. So the offset is somewhere between a standard offset and a dually.

What I'm seeing now (locally anyways, Silverado-Sierra 2500HD/3500) is they are using OE 19.5 daully wheels with a spacer - probably 2" or so - to accomplish the same thing.

 

[RedTruck]

Either way - if you are looking for approved load rating - you will find they are low... maybe 3000# at best. Tires for the 6" wheels (8R19.5 and 225/70R19.5) are also hard to get in the higher ratings.

I haven't been able to find any information regarding the load rating of the rims, but I've yet to find a 8R19.5 or 225/70R19.5 with less than a 12 ply rating. They are easy to find...just expensive. I'm not saying your wrong with your suggested 3000 lb load rating, but the rims I'm looking at are made from 3/16 - 1/4" stamped steel. I have a hard time believing the rim would have restrictions. I could believe that because of the offset, excess weight would put undue strain on the bearings...herein being the week point. I'm hoping some folks that use these vehicles on a regular basis will post here.

Thanks for your feedback. How many miles are you getting out of your Rickson Tires?

Paul

 

[gamudslinger88]

One word and one word only, WHY?

 

[u2slow]

I haven't been able to find any information regarding the load rating of the rims, but I've yet to find a 8R19.5 or 225/70R19.5 with less than a 12 ply rating. They are easy to find...just expensive. I'm not saying your wrong with your suggested 3000 lb load rating, but the rims I'm looking at are made from 3/16 - 1/4" stamped steel. I have a hard time believing the rim would have restrictions. I could believe that because of the offset, excess weight would put undue strain on the bearings...herein being the week point. I'm hoping some folks that use these vehicles on a regular basis will post here.

Thanks for your feedback. How many miles are you getting out of your Rickson Tires?

Paul

12-ply is only around 3500# each. The wheel ratings are stamped on most OE wheels - and they are listed in this Accuride catalog. I think the dually offset limits the loading to some degree. http://accuridewheels.com/lighttruckwheels.pdf

I've only been rolling on my 19.5s for about 2 months. I bought the tires locally for $240/each. Wheels are 7.5" wide, 4500# rated. Tires are Triangle 689a in 245/70R19.5, 16/H/4805# rated.

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