Can some one please explain stock 8 lug wheels to me?

[laplander]

I'm at my wits end trying to find a det 16x7 or 16x8 steel wheels thqat will allow me to run the stock dog dish hucaos. I have found 15's 16.5' and all manners of 16 that the dish won't attacth too. Any advice on where to find a set before I go bonkers. I've checked the loacl yards around me and they say they're all the same, till I show up and try to installl a cap on one, then they just shrug their shoulders and walk off. If someoen has a set for sale, or can point me in the right diretion, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Nik

[special-K]

They're all the same . No really,as far as how the hubcaps mount. If they have outer nubs then it doesn't matter if it's GM,Ford,Dodge,International...all hubcaps interchange and mount exactly the same. GM used 16" wheels on 8-lug trucks through '91 and even '96 on Vans.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=96+GM...r:11,s:0,i:110
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=91+Su...:12,s:35,i:228
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=91+Ch...r:7,s:15,i:147
Many people like to use late Ford wheels that are a bit wides and deeper...7". They used those until '96 also,I believe,then went to metric and styled wheels.
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=96+Fo...r:0,s:102,i:83
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=96+F3...:10,s:35,i:222
The wheels off this Dodge will work:
http://www.google.com/imgres?q=91+Ch...r:6,s:15,i:144

[Pete70GMC2500]

Just checking - do you have the hub caps that are about 12" in diameter? Those are the ones that fit the 8-lug wheels. There are smaller caps at about 10.5 inches in diameter that won't fit.

Pete

[longhorn70gmc]

Hello Laplander,
I went on detachment to ALAMAGORDO/HOLIMAN AFB in NM back in 2010. They have two really nice junk yards and had lots of 16 inch/8 lug original rimes. I payed for 4 and shipped them back in our packout for the aircraft. I don't know how close you are to that area, but the yards had some of the most intact old vehicles I have ever seen since the seventies as a kid. The desert areas have the best locations to find these with no rust and availability. It took me a solid four years to find some. I also have a set of rolling rubber rimes that are off of the 3/4 ton 1990's era dodges. The rimes look great and fit perfect on our older trucks. I attached a pic for you. Some people use the turn of the century chevy truck rimes also with the plastic hub caps. You should be able to find a picture of them on the 3/4 ton GMC/CHEVY's from around 2000-2008 time frame. Anyway, great thread and good luck on finding those. All my rimes are 16 inch.
R/

[Daddy Brim]

Page 36, If you want to buy new. http://www.wheelvintiques.com/index.php/products/

[special-K]

I can't see paying what new wheels cost for a stock size when these are all over the place and a whole set costs less than one new. Here are the wheels on my '72. They're old with new paint and look good as new with new paint. That's the beauty of steel wheels. Mini-grinder with a 4"cup brush,primer and a couple cans of spray paint and you have fresh wheels. I bought a set of the 7" Ford wheels for very reasonable,also,this spring.

[100%Chevy]

I'm confused on this topic!
Why can't you find wheels?
Have you tried the scrap yards?
There must be millions of 73/87,3/4 ton trucks and vans going to China.Chevy,Ford and Dodge fit and have the nubs for the caps.
Mike./

[JHT67]

My dad picked me up a set of 16" 8 lug wheels that came off an 85' Chevy 4x4, and they fit perfect,(mine is 2wd) also had tires, 265 70's. We did have a little time in trying to find them but they are out there. And my hub caps popped right on.
Good luck.

[jocko]

Originally Posted by Daddy Brim

Page 36, If you want to buy new. http://www.wheelvintiques.com/index.php/products/

The wheel vintiques look nice and are a decent resort - but expensive. However, they are solid center wheels - they do not have the 4 windows between the center and the outer rim that oem steelies do. For me, that's a showstopper - guess I'm being picky - but there are enough laying around for less that are or at least look oem.

Sicklajoie used some mid-80's 16" rims - they have the windows and they fit the stock 3/4 ton caps.

Pete posed a good question - if your caps aren't fitting ANY 8 lug wheels in the junkyard - are you certain you have 3/4 ton and not 1/2 ton caps? (12+" vs 10.5") There's no such thing as an 8 lug wheel that will fit a 10.5" cap. BUT, I'm assuming you have the right caps, so that's probably not much help.

Here's where I get confused:
- The standard base wheel in 72 was a 16.5" wheel. But since it's very difficult to find 16.5" tires nowadays - folks look for 16" wheels.
- I was always under the impression that the optional 16" wheels in 72 were only for tube-type tires (and were they split rims??) Anyone know?

As such - the most common swap I've heard of (getting back to your question) is to install a mid-80's Ford 8 lug wheel (16") or an 81(?)-87-ish Chevy 3/4 ton 16" wheel (after they stopped using 16.5" wheels). I'm not 100% certain of the changeover year from 16.5, might have been 80, not 81. 79's did still have 16.5" wheels.

If you happen to find more than what you need, please let me know, I'm looking for 5 too!!!

[100%Chevy]

I have a 82,3/4 ton with stock 16" wheels.
And a 79,P-30 van with stock 16" wheels.Not a dually and the wheels could have been replaced.
Mike.

[jocko]

Originally Posted by special-K

I can't see paying what new wheels cost for a stock size when these these are all over the place and a whole set costs less than one new. Here are the wheels on my '72. They're old with new paint and look good as new with new paint. That's the beauty of steel wheels. Mini-grinder with a 4"cup brush,primer and a couple cans of spray paint and you have fresh wheels. I bought a set of the 7" Ford wheels for $75 this spring.

Are those the Ford rims in the picture Special-K? I assume so - they look great, just like sicklajoie's. I've scoured the yards a bit locally for chevy rims, I need to go scour for some Fords...

[longhorn70gmc]

Hello Jocko,
Marty at Speedway may have some on the fords out there. I have skawered the whole valley here and they are scarce here, San Diego and LA. It took me four years to get the GM set I have and I found them in New Mexico. I have two leads for you. If your friends with the owner or someone of importance at A&L Tire they have a set in the back of the store with my last name written on them. I was going to buy them and the bold headed guy that works at the FORD dealer now reneged on the deal for whatever the reason. I bet there still there. The other lead is over at Pearson’s recycling yard across from speedway, not the junk yard, he will let you look around and purchase some if he has them. Again, great thread and just stay committed they will show up when you least expect it.
R/
Billy

[special-K]

Originally Posted by jocko

Are those the Ford rims in the picture Special-K? I assume so - they look great, just like sicklajoie's. I've scoured the yards a bit locally for chevy rims, I need to go scour for some Fords...

Three of the wheels on that truck are older Ford wheels that match the Chevy's dimensions,but vents are different...bigger (and look different between the lugs).The fourth is a typical GM 16". Sicklajoe's wheels are the late Ford wheels that are 7",just a touch wider and deeper. Here are the ones I bought 20+ years ago new,had powder coated,then never used. I finally decided to pull them out and sell them this spring. I can make old ones look just as good.

[jocko]

ok, I'm droolin... And still lookin! Thanks for the Ford/Chev differences, I was wondering if there were any minor visual diffs. I'll probably focus my search on mid-80s C20 rims then.

[Sicklajoie]

Once you get hubcaps on, you can barely notice any differences.

[jocko]

ya know... I just compared the wheels in the pic above and the side shot of your truck sicklajoie - and I can't tell the diff even if they are a little diff. I'm gonna look for both! An extra half inch is always nice to have....

[special-K]

Originally Posted by jocko

...An extra half inch is always nice to have....

Boy,this conversation has sure deteriorated.

Here is what the late Ford wheels look like:

[longhorn70gmc]

I'll add to the conversation again,
My second set of 16 inch steel wheels I recieved came off the 72 Longhorn I have and it took me a while, but I finally figured out that I had two Ford and two GM, I couldn't tell the difference and then I finally noticed a little stamped ford oval in them. I still like them and they look great, there really is no difference. My last thing to do to the 72 Longhorn is to get new tires and I plan to use these rims for my restored set of steer/painted white 3/4 ton caps with Blue bowtie. They will look sharp when done. Here is a picture of them on the truck before I removed them with a different set of caps.
R/
Billy

[jocko]

ok, so one more question, and I'm SURE that will be the end of this...

Although I know the Ford wheels will mount, i.e. have the same blot pattern, etc. I've also heard that Ford wheels are lug centric, not hub centric - in other words, the wheel itself does not center on the hub when placed up there on it, until the lug nuts are tightened down, whereas, chev wheels fit exactly over the hub. Yes, either will work, but I think from my 66 wheels, and the 72 K10 wheels I also have for the 66 (for db clearance) both sit perfectly centered on the hub because of the hub indexing. Anyone concerned that Ford wheels are not (if they are not)? i.e. the center hole must be bigger on Fords, is that correct?? I'd imagine nobody is concerned if you've been driving on them for years and they haven't fallen off yet - but just curious if there was any specific concern with this or if it even mattered at all. I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter, but wanted to ask.

Thanks! The thread lives on!!

[special-K]

Actually,I believ it's Ford wheels that are hubcentric and GMs are lugcentric. I don't understand any of that crap and never paid any attention to it. I've been buying aftermarket wheels for 40 years and no one even cared what they were going on because they are all the same. The lug nuts are perfectly spaced,perfectly round,and perfectly centered off the hub. The stud holes in the wheels are chamfered and the lugs are cone shaped...because they automat8ically center on the stud. They have to. They can't go on any other way and I have never known of a wheel being off center of a truck hopping along because the wheel wasn't snug to the hub center.

I have a mix of Ford and GM wheels on my '72 presently and you can't tell the difference. The vents are bigger/wider on the Ford wheels and between the lugs are triangles.

[Sicklajoie]

Actually my ford wheel's centers are bigger than the hubs so you have to slowly put the lug nuts on and they eventually center the wheel on the hub. The GMs were a nice snug fit on the hub.

[ThreeQtr]

It's funny what you can find in one part of the USA easily and in another part it's almost impossible. In Cali clean rust free trucks are (sounds like anyway) on every corner, yet even though the 8-luggers get change into 5, the 8- lug wheels are hard to find.

I have 3 trucks with the 8 lugs (two have aluminum rims) and the latest has what appears stock 16" rims w/hubcaps. However it also has a larger axle shaft hub in the rear. Aren't some of the centers larger on these wheels or maybe that is where the difference falls on hub centric ,etc.?

[special-K]

I was thinking the same thing. We're hearing guys fro the southwestern hurtin' for plain old stock wheels,yet they have body parts we in the east would kill for...
WTT: Nice set of clean straight stocker 8-lug wheels for a pair of clean rust free doors.

I don't know what the other two vehicles you have are,but I believe all GM center diameters are the same,Dana 60/HO52.

When installing 8-lug wheels,the proper method is go snug first,then torque them down,done in a pattern of "skip 2" all the way around. You will return to the one you stated on. I even follow this pattern when removing. Maybe not necessary,but it's a routine I adhere to religiously.

[tev]

Fellas,

I've got the same issue and could use some help. I have a stock 72 GMC 3/4 ton 4x4 with heavy duty front and rear factory springs. It's got really nice looking 16.5x7 original wheels but tiny 8.75x16 tires that are only 29.5" tall -- and 4:10 rear end. I need bigger tires for highway movin too.

I want to keep the factory look and need some 16 inch stock looking wheels that'll fit over the brakes. I did some homework and found this thread. Had no idea Ford 8 lug wheels would work. Before I bite the bullet, could someone take a look and let me know if these wheels will work? I also have the original caps.

Modern Ford 8 lug 16x7s from econoline vans - will these fit with no problems and will they take the caps?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/141607283347...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

http://www.ebay.com/itm/16-FORD-VAN-...90494417&rt=nc

And based on what I've read here, any GM 8 bolts after 88 won't work, right? Here are a couple:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/261449636814...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

http://www.getallparts.com/GMC-K2500...FQ8waQod5pwAhg

Thanks in advance for all advice.

[Sicklajoie]

Originally Posted by tev

Fellas,

I've got the same issue and could use some help. I have a stock 72 GMC 3/4 ton 4x4 with heavy duty front and rear factory springs. It's got really nice looking 16.5x7 original wheels but tiny 8.75x16 tires that are only 29.5" tall -- and 4:10 rear end. I need bigger tires for highway movin too.

I want to keep the factory look and need some 16 inch stock looking wheels that'll fit over the brakes. I did some homework and found this thread. Had no idea Ford 8 lug wheels would work. Before I bite the bullet, could someone take a look and let me know if these wheels will work? I also have the original caps.

Modern Ford 8 lug 16x7s from econoline vans - will these fit with no problems and will they take the caps?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/141607283347...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

http://www.ebay.com/itm/16-FORD-VAN-...90494417&rt=nc

And based on what I've read here, any GM 8 bolts after 88 won't work, right? Here are a couple:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/261449636814...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

http://www.getallparts.com/GMC-K2500...FQ8waQod5pwAhg

Thanks in advance for all advice.

If you still want to run caps, the Ford rims you posted will not work. they don't have the nubs to hold the hubcaps on.
These will work, notice the 4 nubs.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Refinished-F...47c32a&vxp=mtr