Original 15" wheel specs

The place to talk Slicks. All we ask is that discussion has something to do with slicks...

Moderators: Kid, Casey 65

Post Reply
User avatar
charliemccraney
Posts: 1743
Joined: July 9, 2008, 10:02 pm
Location: Lawrenceville, GA

Original 15" wheel specs

Post by charliemccraney »

In the parts manual, it looks like 15 x 5 was used from '57 until '62. Does anyone know the backspace or offset those wheels would have had?

My truck had newer 15 x 6 installed when I bought it. Those have 4" backspace and work out to about 11-12mm offset.
Lawrenceville, Ga
1961 F100 Unibody
318 Y-block (292 +.070 bore, +.170 stroke), FMS T5-Z w/Mustang 10.5" diaphragm clutch.
User avatar
Toyz
Posts: 4333
Joined: March 22, 2011, 6:23 pm
Location: Baja Houston Taxes
United States of America

Re: Original 15" wheel specs

Post by Toyz »

Charlie, I'm a little fuzzy on this, but 4" backspace on a 6" width would seem closer to a 18/21 mm. positive offset. The old five bolt "innies" were indeed mostly 15"x 5", positive offset was very neutral, in the 5/10 mm. maximum range.
I just packed up all my manuals, I'll look to see if I can easily locate the Hollander for that era!
Paul
The Ford Orphanage
Life's too short for boring vehicles!
My quest to develop a universal solvent is held up by the lack of a storage container.
Paul
User avatar
charliemccraney
Posts: 1743
Joined: July 9, 2008, 10:02 pm
Location: Lawrenceville, GA

Re: Original 15" wheel specs

Post by charliemccraney »

The width specification of a wheel is between the beads so it is a 6" specification but the overall width is 7 1/8". The center of 7 1/8" is 3.5625", which puts a 4" backspace at .4375" offset which is between 11mm and 12mm.
Lawrenceville, Ga
1961 F100 Unibody
318 Y-block (292 +.070 bore, +.170 stroke), FMS T5-Z w/Mustang 10.5" diaphragm clutch.
User avatar
charliemccraney
Posts: 1743
Joined: July 9, 2008, 10:02 pm
Location: Lawrenceville, GA

Re: Original 15" wheel specs

Post by charliemccraney »

Any luck, Paul?

Anyone else have one to measure?
Lawrenceville, Ga
1961 F100 Unibody
318 Y-block (292 +.070 bore, +.170 stroke), FMS T5-Z w/Mustang 10.5" diaphragm clutch.
User avatar
Toyz
Posts: 4333
Joined: March 22, 2011, 6:23 pm
Location: Baja Houston Taxes
United States of America

Re: Original 15" wheel specs

Post by Toyz »

Haven't located the manual yet, Charlie, and the general Hollander doesn't list the offsets.
Paul
The Ford Orphanage
Life's too short for boring vehicles!
My quest to develop a universal solvent is held up by the lack of a storage container.
Paul
User avatar
Zax63
Posts: 83
Joined: May 26, 2017, 9:22 pm
Location: Atlanta, GA
United States of America

Re: Original 15" wheel specs

Post by Zax63 »

charliemccraney wrote:Any luck, Paul?

Anyone else have one to measure?

I have a set of innies from a '60 f100 I bought a while back. Unfortunately one of them is slightly wider that the rest. But i'm guessing the 3 that are the same are the correct ones and the wider one is a replacement from something else. These are all bare rims and I can measure them this weekend. I also have two factory innie wheels on the front of my '63 and the spare should be the factory innie as well. The rear wheels on my '63 are later outies that were the previous owners winter tires most likely.

All of these will be for sale around the end of spring if you are looking for a set.
'63 F100 Wrongbed
User avatar
charliemccraney
Posts: 1743
Joined: July 9, 2008, 10:02 pm
Location: Lawrenceville, GA

Re: Original 15" wheel specs

Post by charliemccraney »

It's important that the dimensions are for a 15 x 5" rim since that appears to be correct, based on the parts catalog. My 15x6s are stamped 15x6. I imagine the 15x5 will be as well.

I'm not looking for a set. What I am doing is considering 17" rims because that allows for so many more tire options, and the tires are generally cheaper, for the same or better performance. The issue with going to any aftermarket wheel bigger than 15" is that there aren't many options below 8" rim width, most of which that I don't consider even remotely good looking, and some of which that are seen on many customs and hot rods which don't interest me because they are so common (like torque thrust). That means more rubber on the road for about the same cross section, which means more effort to steer, which means I need to have the scrub as close to factory as possible while minding clearance to the drag link because I have no plans for power steering. Hence the desire to know what the factory rim offset is.
Lawrenceville, Ga
1961 F100 Unibody
318 Y-block (292 +.070 bore, +.170 stroke), FMS T5-Z w/Mustang 10.5" diaphragm clutch.
User avatar
Zax63
Posts: 83
Joined: May 26, 2017, 9:22 pm
Location: Atlanta, GA
United States of America

Re: Original 15" wheel specs

Post by Zax63 »

charliemccraney wrote:It's important that the dimensions are for a 15 x 5" rim since that appears to be correct, based on the parts catalog. My 15x6s are stamped 15x6. I imagine the 15x5 will be as well.

I'm not looking for a set. What I am doing is considering 17" rims because that allows for so many more tire options, and the tires are generally cheaper, for the same or better performance. The issue with going to any aftermarket wheel bigger than 15" is that there aren't many options below 8" rim width, most of which that I don't consider even remotely good looking, and some of which that are seen on many customs and hot rods which don't interest me because they are so common (like torque thrust). That means more rubber on the road for about the same cross section, which means more effort to steer, which means I need to have the scrub as close to factory as possible while minding clearance to the drag link because I have no plans for power steering. Hence the desire to know what the factory rim offset is.
Where did you see the stamping at? I have a couple of them stripped and can look. They have the Ford stamped on the triangle part between two of the lug holes. But I haven't noticed any other stampings.
'63 F100 Wrongbed
User avatar
charliemccraney
Posts: 1743
Joined: July 9, 2008, 10:02 pm
Location: Lawrenceville, GA

Re: Original 15" wheel specs

Post by charliemccraney »

On the 15 x 6s, it is on the inside of the rim, near the center of the wheel. That one cannot be seen if the tire is installed. It is also stamped on the outside of the rim where the hub cap tangs grab on.
Lawrenceville, Ga
1961 F100 Unibody
318 Y-block (292 +.070 bore, +.170 stroke), FMS T5-Z w/Mustang 10.5" diaphragm clutch.
User avatar
Toyz
Posts: 4333
Joined: March 22, 2011, 6:23 pm
Location: Baja Houston Taxes
United States of America

Re: Original 15" wheel specs

Post by Toyz »

OK,old post, but finally found my '64 body builders manual. the F100 wheels in 15 and 16 are listed at .62 offset. I would expect, (but don't know) that the earlier "innies" are the same. That would put the original '64 wheels at the 15/16 mm. range.
Paul
The Ford Orphanage
Life's too short for boring vehicles!
My quest to develop a universal solvent is held up by the lack of a storage container.
Paul
User avatar
charliemccraney
Posts: 1743
Joined: July 9, 2008, 10:02 pm
Location: Lawrenceville, GA

Re: Original 15" wheel specs

Post by charliemccraney »

Awesome, thanks. Better late than never.
Lawrenceville, Ga
1961 F100 Unibody
318 Y-block (292 +.070 bore, +.170 stroke), FMS T5-Z w/Mustang 10.5" diaphragm clutch.
Post Reply