Wheel adapters

[cbarm]

Hey guys, I am curious if anyone makes an adapter to be able tp use '99 and up dually wheels on an '89. I would really like to put the 19.5's on it like they had on the F450 pickups...

 

[FORDF250HDXLT]

arrowcraft magnum force?
http://www.arrowcraft.com/products.php#adaptors

give them a call.i know they make their adapters specifically for a lot of trucks.id be surprised if they didn't have just what your looking for.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

If your truck is already DRW, there is no need for adapters to run 19.5 wheels.

Most step-van chassis are GM, with GM axles/wheels.

Most built in the last 20-years have 19.5 wheels.

The GM bolt-pattern is the same, BUT the center opening is about 1/4" smaller.

It is a simple task for any decent machinist to lathe-cut the GM openings to FORD dimensions.

Although the 19.5 tires are super heavy duty, compared to an LT 16" tire, there are a lot of ride quality and wear pattern compromises when changing from LT-16s to 19.5s.

Also, there is a big difference in un-sprung weight.

Every set of 19.5s I have seen on mid-duty trucks that are set up to run them are dipped and scalloped badly before they have 12,000-miles wear on them.

Although the tread might last 75,000 or more, by the time they have 30,000-miles on them, they are so wash-boarded and out of shape that they get scrapped.

The above is considering that these tires are on a mid-duty truck; the problem is amplified somewhat on a much lighter weight vehicle.

Using CENTRAMATICs will help to some extent, but will not completely cure the problem.



If one has a big old heavy gooseneck that is somewhat under-tired with 16-inch rubber, the usual factory option is 17.5s, which are rare as hen's teeth and very expensive once one is found.

Such a trailer can be changed over to 19.5 wheels and be put to good use in getting all the wear that is left on the 19.5 used tires that have become so badly dipped-out that they were removed from the truck.

On a trailer, so long as one keeps them inflated to maximum PSI, there is little danger in over-loading a 19.5.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

A source for various wheel adapter kits to run 19.5s, and 10-lug 22.5 and 24.5s, is RICKSON.

I thought I had them saved in my "favorites", but did not find them.

 

[cbarm]

The GM stepvan wheels could be an option but I dont think they ever had aluminum. Thats what I have in mind is to have a bright shiny set of aluminum wheels. Maybe I will just have to go with the 8 to 10 lug adapters. I figured someone woulda made adapters for the '99+ wheels...

 

[cbarm]

As for balancing...why go with centramatics which only balance to the outrr edge of the rim? Counteract beads are a much more superior product which go inside the tire and balance the outer most surface of the tire. Much more effective in my opinion.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

As for balancing...why go with centramatics which only balance to the outrr edge of the rim? Counteract beads are a much more superior product which go inside the tire and balance the outer most surface of the tire. Much more effective in my opinion.

At our tire-shop, we have done both many many times on many different vehicles, in fact, we have just about done it all one time or another; I very much prefer the ride quality with CENTRAMATICs over any pour-in-the-tire product we have ever used, be it beads, silica, BBs, golf-balls, anti-freeze, whatever.

 

[cbarm]

Well I dont have any experience with balancing media in smaller tires, but alot in 22.5 and 24.5's. In my opinion the counteract glass beads are a far superior product. Did the golf balls ruin the inside of the tire? I would never try anything that wasnt designed to be in there, so I have not experimented, but next time I got for new tires I really wanna try the counteract glass beads in the tires on my 16" tires