original rims please!!

[tazztoy]

i'm trying to figure out what rims these 3/4 trucks came with or were op'ed with. untill a couple days ago i thught they were all 16" split rims but i'm finding many different things and sizes. i'm looking at 3/4 ton eight lugs. found many non-split 16'' found a few narrow (7.50) (8.25) 16.5 one i found was running a wide rim 12.00-16.5 mud&snow and i've seen 2 with 7.00-17 mud&snow. now all these rims look the same on the inside, no white spokes. were these odballs op's or early after markets?

[kookykrispy]

My '72 C20 is all original. It has 16.5 while steel wheels with chrome caps. I do not think they are split rims and they seem pretty narrow... probably 7.5" sounds about right.

[Longhorn Man]

most that I've seen were with 16.5 X 7 solid rims. There were a lot sold with the 16 inch split rims, but they need to be thrown away. (most tire shops won't let you in the door with them, and some states won't pass you on an inspection with them) There was also an optional 16.5X9 inch that are commonly called camper wheels by the uninformed. They are hard to find, and worth some coin.

[stllookn]

tazztoy, Many sizes...no white spokes though...LOL! As an example rim width standard was 5.25 or 7-17.5 according to the Chevrolet truck brochure. Optional rims could be 16, 16.5, 17, 17.5, and 19.5. Rim width could have been 5, 6.0, 6.75, or 8.25. One tons also had 5.5 in rim width. The widest tire option was 10-16.5 on a 8.25 inch wide rim...example shown in the pic. The big after-market wheel and tire combination back in the day were the 9.75 x 16.5 rims with 12.5 x 33 x 16.5 tires.

31 x 10.50 x 16.5 on 8.25 wide stock wheel
6.5 x 16 on split rim
33 x 12.5 x 16.5 on 9.75 alloy and
33 x 12.5 x 16.5 on 9.75 steel aftermarket wheel.

[stllookn]

Here's a better pic of the stock 8.25 wheel combination with 31 x 10.5 x 16.5 up front and 33 x 12.5 x 16.5 on the back. The rims are 8.25 inch wide...the widest offered by the General in this time period.

[tazztoy]

thanks a ton, I'll have to see if i can get a hold of the 16.5 set with 12.00on them.. the 17 are a stock option then cool, but where can i find replacement tires? 7.00-17? i looked for a couple hours last night and couldn't find any on the net.

[stllookn]

Here's the ones I love. 9.75 x 16.5 wheels with clips for the old school hubcaps. They stopped making these in 1968. I have one set that I have powder coated that will go on my 1968 Longhorn. These are aftermarket Firestone wheels...some guys called them "Camper" wheels because back in the day guys would run them on the back of the 3/4 and 1-ton trucks when they hauled their campers.

Before and after pics...Kelsey Hayes also manufactured these I believe. They measure 9.75 inches at the bead and 11.00 inches flange to flange. Yes..they will work on the front of a 2x4 Chevy 3/4 ton.

[mr48chev]

You might consider looking into having a set made by one of the aftermarket steel wheel shops. A set of 16-8 or 8.5 steel rims that will take a stock hubcap and have the offset you want shouldn't be that hard to get and not be that much more expensive than refinishing a set of used rims.
tires
As the other guys said, most tire shops will no longer work on split rims and some won't allow them in the shop at all. On some of the odd sizes that were usually only ordered by the railroad or some farmers and ranchers because they liked the tall skinny tires, tires may be difficult to find.

[longhorn70gmc]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

There was also an optional 16.5X9 inch that are commonly called camper wheels by the uninformed. They are hard to find, and worth some coin.

You don't say, I think I have two of those off of the longhorn in the back yard. I just refused to get rid of them. Thanks Andy!!!!

[factorystock]

The rim size depended on what tires were ordered when new.67 thru 68 3/4 tons carried over alot of the older sizes 16, 17, 17.5 19.5. From 69-72, only the 16" 2 piece and 16.5" one piece were regular options. Split rims were 6" and used 7.50-16 tires. Narrow 16.5" rims(6.75") were used on 8.00-16.5 tires,wider (8.25")rims were used on 9.50-16.5 tires and extra wide camper rims(9.75") used 12-16.5" tires, mainly on rear axle.

[PortHeadlight]

I've got a set of 9.75 x 16.5 old school alloy rims like the one in the picture with like 3 lug nuts :-) I want to put these all around on a 3/4 ton 1970 2x4 Suburban. No lift! Will 33 x 12.5 x 16.5 fit in there ok without any rubbing/modifications? If not, what size tire will work? Any suggestions? THanks!

[CG]

Originally Posted by PortHeadlight

I've got a set of 9.75 x 16.5 old school alloy rims like the one in the picture with like 3 lug nuts :-) I want to put these all around on a 3/4 ton 1970 2x4 Suburban. No lift! Will 33 x 12.5 x 16.5 fit in there ok without any rubbing/modifications? If not, what size tire will work? Any suggestions? THanks!

I had a 72 C20 with those size tires and wheels. They fit but it was kinda close. Sure looked beefy though.

[bigdon-70blazer]

Originally Posted by stllookn

Here's the ones I love. 9.75 x 16.5 wheels with clips for the old school hubcaps. They stopped making these in 1968. I have one set that I have powder coated that will go on my 1968 Longhorn. These are aftermarket Firestone wheels...some guys called them "Camper" wheels because back in the day guys would run them on the back of the 3/4 and 1-ton trucks when they hauled their campers.

Before and after pics...Kelsey Hayes also manufactured these I believe. They measure 9.75 inches at the bead and 11.00 inches flange to flange. Yes..they will work on the front of a 2x4 Chevy 3/4 ton.

Did they make some of these caps in 4WD style with hole in them for the front? I have a set of the 8.25 X 16.5 with the clips, 2 are NOS! I prefer painted to chrome. Anybody know where I can get some!

[1970cstblazer]

Mine has the 9.50 tire/wheel option..