need help with disc brakes and stock wheels

[tttuba]

I once again find myself asking the vast wealth of knowledge on this board. My truck was converted to power brakes and has disc on the front. Rest of the front end has stock suspension. No frame splices etc. The person put on some chrome rims and work fine. HOWEVER...I would like to put the stock rims on and they don't clear the caliper. Anyone have suggestions? Spacers? Different caliper? different disc? What can I do?

[PurdueSD]

new oe style wheels with the later disc brake hoops.

http://www.rallyamerica.com/OE_Style_Bare.html

[frankyboy455]

What year truck ?

[Gator Alum]

Tuba- perfect timing. I am in the same exact boat as you are. I'm working with a machine shop now to see if we can make anything work. I just need to get him one of my wheels to him. I have a 59 apache with what I believe to be factory wheels.
Posted via Mobile Device

[tttuba]

I have a 47 half ton. It was already converted to front discs and I tried a 1/4 inch spacer. That is enough to clear the caliper but it looks like someone has shaved off the corners of the caliper prior to my ownership. I don't like how the wheel is seating on the lugs. could be the disc with the lugs is metric and ever so slightly smaller than the wheel. I am continuing to try things out. Could be I need an adapter instead. The wheels are 16 inch

[quigman]

I know I am going to catch grief for this but I have the same setup and got it figured out. You will need to space the wheel out 3/8 inch. I had to use 2 spacers to get this number. You may also have to lightly grind the back edges of the rim where the hoop is riveted to the center. I had to use longer wheel studs to make things fit right. I can report it works well with no ill-advised road manners. I also did the front bearing upgrade. Good luck and it's easy.

[tttuba]

Originally Posted by Gator Alum

Tuba- perfect timing. I am in the same exact boat as you are. I'm working with a machine shop now to see if we can make anything work. I just need to get him one of my wheels to him. I have a 59 apache with what I believe to be factory wheels.
Posted via Mobile Device

I found a place to make the wheel spacers/adapters. here is the link if I am allowed to post it. https://uswheeladapters.com/Home_Page.php
I ordered mine and will let everyone know how they work. price was 90.00 each but custom made for stud size, center hole for the spindle and he made it hubcentric. Will be 2 weeks to get it back but will post how it worked out.

[Gator Alum]

Tuba- how deep of a spacer will it be? Also, what size studs will you be running? I'm actually on the way to napa shortly to buy studs today.
Posted via Mobile Device

[tttuba]

studs on mine are standard GM 7/16 20 and standard size. The spacer will be 1 inch. You can get more if you want. The nice thing is that all 4 wheels will match stud size. If you want to change to something else you can do that too.
no spacers needed on the back since still a drum brake on the back

[tttuba]

Here they are. New spacers custom made for the truck. Link posted above

[mr48chev]

Just a quick question, Why do you need a 1 inch thick spacer and especially an adapter when normally it takes a 1/4 or 3/8 at the most spacer to move non disk wheels out enough to clear the calipers?
I can understand if you are also changing bolt patterns but not if you just need to clear the calipers.

[tttuba]

The bolts on the disc aren't long enough to keep the wheel on if I use just a spacer. They don't even come through the lug nut. I wouldn't feel they would be safe. I have a 1/4 inch spacer on it and it rolls fine but not safe. Also the disc on there is not hub centric so the spacer doesn't center itself when you put it on. This would cause a vibration. The smallest spacer I could find online is 1 inch and now that makes it an adapter. This will make it clear just fine. And now it is hub centric and will balance just fine.

[tttuba]

got them on today, work fine.