5 lug front/6 lug rear guys: What do you do for wheels?

[JohnnyBeagle]

Hey guys,

My '72's rear axle has been replaced, so the front is typical 5x5 and the rear is a 6x5.5 from the pre-71 trucks. I'm finding it difficult to find 17"+ wheels that work with this bolt pattern combination.

What kind of wheels are you guys in the same situation running?

[68GMCCustom]

get new axles...or have yours filled and redrilled?

[woodwright]

or get 6 lug rotors.

[LuckyHenriksen]

IMO if your BP's dont match, its kind of ghetto. If you are spending money for nicer wheels, you probably want them to me the same

[67ChevyRedneck]

If you stay with the 5/6 combo you'll be very limited with rim choices. There are NO "spoke" rims that will "look the same" for 5 and 6 lug patterns (that I can think of). You'll be limited to aftermarket rally style rims with hubcaps/derby caps/moons etc. to hide the lug difference.

There are not many rim choices for 6 lug wheels, especially if you like spoked rims, so I'd replace the rear axles or have them redrilled.

[JohnnyBeagle]

Cool.

Looks like I'll be going down the redrilling route. A nice '71 axle with 3:73 gearing just sold on CL here, can't find any other local ones

[Longhorn Man]

you checked junk yards?
Is it a leaf or coil rear?

[JohnnyBeagle]

coil rear

[jorgensensc]

I would get new axles from Moser (can be bought at Summit) with new bearings and seals. Cost right at 300.00 shipped if I remember. Easy to install and you won't have to change your rear out and hope the new one is in good shape. That's what I did. Redrilling is actually a pain around here. In the end they want almost as much as new axles. THey said they would have to bake out all the oil residue first so that the welds would actually take correctly. i don't know how true that is, but i was told that by more than one shop. At the end of the day they just don't want to really do it for liability reasons I think.
Shawn

[LuckyHenriksen]

Moser axles are great, but I got a set from Performance online, I think they are what CPP sells. They seem great, and if your not making lots of power, you shouldn't break them. I don't remember exactly what I paid, I think like $200

[woodwright]

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

There are not many rim choices for 6 lug wheels, especially if you like spoked rims, so I'd replace the rear axles or have them redrilled.

Sorry, I don't mean to argue, but Thats actually not true. The six lug is the same bolt pattern as all the new Chevy's and Toyota's. When I got my six lug wheels 6 years ago the selection and prices were about the same. A set of aftermarket 6 lug rotors is about $150 for the set.

If you look at wheel brands like American Racing or Ultra, you can find alot of "spoke" type rims at really good prices.

[OLDIRON69]

yank the axles, It was a first time job for me and I did it in about 1.5 hrs. in the yard, that included rear shoes and new drums.. Check your local wrecking yard.. bring one of your axles with you for comparison.

[67ChevyRedneck]

Originally Posted by woodwright

Sorry, I don't mean to argue, but Thats actually not true. The six lug is the same bolt pattern as all the new Chevy's and Toyota's. When I got my six lug wheels 6 years ago the selection and prices were about the same. A set of aftermarket 6 lug rotors is about $150 for the set.

If you look at wheel brands like American Racing or Ultra, you can find alot of "spoke" type rims at really good prices.

Compared to the choices for the 5 luggers??? The 6 luggers are still limited

My truck is still a six lugger with ECE 6 lug disc brake rotors. I went with Corvette style Rallys.

The original question was also for matching rims... what are you going to find that matches? I can only think of aftermarket rallys and old school steelies that can be had in 5 and 6 lug that match With the 6 lugs out back he's very limited in his rim choices, especially for something that matches.

[OLDIRON69]

His question was 5 on the front 6 lug on the rear..