Help Please with Dually Rims

[Todd C]

I recently acquired a 1969 C30 dually Chevy truck. It lived most of its life resting in a field in Riverside. The tires are rotten and I am trying to put modern tires on it. But my local independent tire shop won't touch the old rims with lock rings (these aren't the same as "split rims" are they?).

So I found some Ford rims and tires for a good price on CraigsList thinking I could work with them. But of course, I can't get them to center on anything. The lug holes are too large and the hub center hole is also too large. So I ordered some hub centric adapter rings--wrong ones of course!!

Today I did some better measurements and here's what I found. The hub holes on the Ford are 124 mm. The hub holes on the Chevy are 115.9 mm. The lug holes on the Ford vary from 17.1 to 17.28 mm. The lug holes on the Chevy are a sloppy 1/2 inch at around 13.3 mm.

I know I have to fit the wheels in a hub centric fashion. But what I can't figure out is whether I will be time and money ahead to just buy some 16 inch Chevy rims. And if so, can anybody tell me what years actually used the 4 9/16" (115.9 mm) hubs. Try as I might, I just can't seem to find out that information. And, of course, I don't want to use the 16.5" rims. I really want to stay with 16" wheels.

Thanks in advance for any help to this newbie.

[71swb4x4]

I have a 67 C30, and it too came with the split rims. Your truck indeed does have split rims.
I bought rims from a 75 Chevy dually. If I remember correctly you should be able to use any dually rims from a 73-87 (and possibly newer?) GM. The main difference is that they use 9/16" lugs instead of the 1/2" lugs. I am swapping over disc brakes from a 75 one ton so my front will have 9/16" lugs, so I will only have to convert the rear lugs to 9/16".

[Todd C]

So, you're telling me that all the '73-'87 trucks have the 4 9/16" (115.9 mm) hubs?

I know that at some point they changed to 4 5/8" hubs. Just don't know when????

[Duncan and son]

Part of the problem is that you are measuring in metric. We only have three metric tools in our shop... a hammer, a hack saw and a cresent wrench. Ha

[Todd C]

Yeah. I know. Just tryin' to be modern!

It's just that there are SO many variants of the 8 on 6.5" dually rims. And this is preventing me from getting this old truck on the road. Frustrating.

[norman martin jr.]

GM has always been really good about interchanging parts. Like 71swb4x4 says, Next jen. wheels will fit. If your not worried about keepin it stock, There are alot of parts that can be swaped if you know what your look for that will make your life alot easier.
Find a GOOD tire guy and some wrecking yard guys that will work with you. I,m in the Central Valley and have a hand full of them. If you where closer i'd show you around.
This is the best place I have found so far for good info. Good luck.

[ed2552]

If guys can fit PYO's (the polished alum wheels from the new trucks) I can only assume that the newer dually wheels will fit too.

[Todd C]

You're absolutely right. I will have to have Hub Centric Adapter Rings made up specifically to fit. Inside diameter has to be the same as my hubs and outside diameter has to be the same as the wheels I am using. And since the Fords are common, it shouldn't be a bad way to go.

But, if I knew I could hold out for some Chevy rims that would fit my hubs precisely, I might do that. But I would have to know which years have the 4 9/16 hub diameter.

[storm9c1]

I have the later (73+) Chevy rim style on my '69 C30. And the previous owner already did a later-year front disc brake conversion, so it's nice having one spare tire that will fit on the front or back. Keep that in mind when going through these gyrations of using adapters. If you plan on doing a disc conversion, then I'd go with the later Chevy dually rims so you can run one spare that fits all. I can measure the lugs if you want. But you may be able to just pull up specs on various 73+ C30 front rotors (online, ie: NAPA) and see what those numbers are.

[70BLAZERX2]

you know,up to a 1991 R (old body) C/30 2wd front susp. crossmamber will bolt right up to the 69 frame with only 2 minor mods..you have to drill 2 holes. thats it..Then you have the saftey of front disc brakes too.

[71swb4x4]

I just walked out to my dump truck and visually the wheels off the 75 look like they are the same hub size as the hubs on the dump truck. They are seated very nicely.

[into69z]

ToddC-I was in Pick-a-part today on 6th and waterman. They have a c-30 flat bed truck in there with dual wheels-I didn't look that close, but maybe it's something you can use-it still had the front drums etc.....good luck

[into69z]

sorry forgot-its a 68 or 69 I believe.............

[Todd C]

Thanks guys. Options are opening up!

[landarts]

I know where a 68 c30 with new tires on it that the guy is parting out, would you like me to look into it for you?

Jim

[Todd C]

Originally Posted by landarts

I know where a 68 c30 with new tires on it that the guy is parting out, would you like me to look into it for you?

Jim

Shipping from Idaho would probably kill the deal. But thanks.

[Todd C]

Just to kill this thread. I decided to stay with my original rims. They AREN'T illegal to run in California. I just had to go to a truck tire place to get the newer tires mounted on the old rims. Cost a fortune since they charge a higher rate for dismounting and remounting on the split rims. Plus I had to buy 6 new tubes. Yup, the split rims don't work with tubeless tires unless you add tubes. But, the truck is finally on its own tires and I won't have to worry about the old rotten bias ply tires.