wheels for disc brake conversion?

[dsrtjeeper]

I'm about ready to pull the trigger on the disc brake conversion on my '66. I'll be adding AIM beams up front with 28-29" tall tires.

What width wheel did you use?

What offset F&R did you use? I'm want to avoid any rubbing while turning.

I know Kevin Stone has used '67 steel wheels with a disc conversion he did for a friend. This is a possibility. I'm considering wider tires though as my 225/75R15's can't get traction with my nearly 400HP 390 with gobs of torque.

Pics? Ideas? I'd like to see pics of your trucks if possible.

Thanks!
Eric

[charliemccraney]

I only have discs up front and the factory Ford rims that were on the truck when I got it work. They are 15 x 6, 4" backspace with 225/70-15 tires. On the rear I have some aftermarket 15 x 8, 3.5" backspace that I found in a junk yard with 275/60-15 tires.

With that much power, you're going to need more than tires to get traction. Limited slip, if you don't have it, and traction bars will be a good start. Where traction is concerned, I cannot say that I noticed any difference going from 225s to 275s in the rear. Again, more than tires is needed.

[dsrtjeeper]

I only have discs up front and the factory Ford rims that were on the truck when I got it work. They are 15 x 6, 4" backspace with 225/70-15 tires. On the rear I have some aftermarket 15 x 8, 3.5" backspace that I found in a junk yard with 275/60-15 tires.

With that much power, you're going to need more than tires to get traction. Limited slip, if you don't have it, and traction bars will be a good start. Where traction is concerned, I cannot say that I noticed any difference going from 225s to 275s in the rear. Again, more than tires is needed.

Thanks for the reply. I have the Ford TracLok rear but she breaks loose even when auto shifts to second. Lol. I have steelies on my truck now but they don't fit over the calipers. I like the look of steelies and 1" white walls. Traction is going to be worse after I get the C6 in with 2500 stall and shift kit. HANG ON!!!

[kstones63]

I know Kevin Stone has used '67 steel wheels with a disc conversion he did for a friend. This is a possibility.

Glenn's truck is a 72 F100. I don't know if the wheels are different on the earlier models but his wheels are going to clear the brake calipers with about 1/4" clearance.
We haven't gotten around to doing that swap yet. I still have his engine in my garage and he doesn't have the engine compartment finished yet so we can put the engine back in yet.

Kevin

[thenephilm]

It depends on what kind of wheels you want to run. I had my 8 lug innies rehooped in the front to accommodate for the disc brakes and also had the offset changed to suck the wheel in further. I was also told that they can use your center and jump the wheel up a size. It wasn't too expensive either, it was about $400.00 for both wheels to get done with shipping. Here is the place I used http://www.mrt-wheels.com/index.html. Now I only did this because I wanted retain the innie wheel and 8 lug options for wheels are very limited for my application, however it is a good alternative if you want to keep the stock wheels without using spacers.

[thenephilm]

Here is a pic of the truck btw

[dsrtjeeper]

I know Kevin Stone has used '67 steel wheels with a disc conversion he did for a friend. This is a possibility.

Glenn's truck is a 72 F100. I don't know if the wheels are different on the earlier models but his wheels are going to clear the brake calipers with about 1/4" clearance.
We haven't gotten around to doing that swap yet. I still have his engine in my garage and he doesn't have the engine compartment finished yet so we can put the engine back in yet.

Kevin

Hey Neighbor! My bad; I keep thinking it's a '67. I wish you'd get that '72 finished. What are you waiting for?

[dsrtjeeper]

Here is a pic of the truck btw

That is one ratted out ride! Diesel?

[Greg D]

Easy solution?
Just go get a set of stock steelies from a van or pickup made with disc brakes out of a junkyard.
The rim is different on disc brake wheels to clear the caliper - about the only difference.

[dsrtjeeper]

Easy solution?
Just go get a set of stock steelies from a van or pickup made with disc brakes out of a junkyard.
The rim is different on disc brake wheels to clear the caliper - about the only difference.

There in lies my dilemma. I'm wanting a wider wheel/tire on the rear. I could have a stock wheel widened but need to know the offset due to my truck being lowered.

[charliemccraney]

It should be pretty easy to determine by getting under there and measuring what you have now and how much room you have to work with, determine the tire size you want and figure out which combination of wheel dimensions will work. The backspace and width come into play. You can't just consider one dimension. For the same backspace and tire, a wider rim will push the tire out. For the same width rim and tire, less backspace will move the tire out. If the tire is significantly different, you may need to change the width and backspace to get it to fit because a wider tire on the same rim bulges more and moves toward the inside AND outside.

[Uncle Skip]

I know you're all talking about the twin I-beams, but FYI, innie hubcap style steel wheels will not clear the calipers on any of the disk brake conversions that I know of.

[Leeroy]

^^^^ Thats on the factory style of wheel only Uncle?

The aftermarket style are meant to after speaking with Pete Paulsens. (Boy I hope they do, I have a set waiting for slick 2! )

[Uncle Skip]

Yes, I was speaking of OEM wheels on the front. They will not clear the calipers without wheel spacers.
But FYI -------
Even the Wheel Vintique Steelies will not clear the calipers on a 9" rear disk brake conversion with standard backspacing.
We are running into that problem on Tweety and have to use thick wheel spacers and grind on the calipers to get clearance. Hope we never have to pull a wheel at a car show. Its ugly.

[F100forever]

Later model steelies from ford or dodge will work with disks. I got dodge wheels from an 80's ram truck.

[dsrtjeeper]

What back spacing Pippin?

[Greg D]

Most of the late 80s - 90s van & truck wheels are 7" wide rather than the older 5 & 6".
If you happen to like the polished aluminum 10 hole wheels no rivets 90s (they were the Premium option) - those are 8" wide.
You can find 8" steelies - they are quite hard to come by.

[Sidetrack]

ok I have to ask, how much did you have to drop it to get that stance jeeper?

[dsrtjeeper]

ok I have to ask, how much did you have to drop it to get that stance jeeper?

Sorry; I missed this post.
I cut two coils out of front springs and used AIM drop brackets and shackles out back. Went to Jack's Alignment and they re-bent the beams for correct alignment. I run Doetsch Tech Nitro Slammer lowered shocks up front and AIM shocks in rear.

[theastronaut]

I widened a set of steelies for my '64 VW by cutting the centers out and welding them into wider rims. Just gotta find a set of rims that have the same ID as your stock centers. Check junkyards for wider steel rims off newer cars/trucks with disc. You can weld the centers in anywhere in the drop center to adjust the offset where you need it, as long as the drop center is wide enough. You can always reverse the rim relative to the center to change the offset as well.

Once you get the center in the new rim, get the backspacing where you want it, then check the runout with a dial indicator and tack the center in place.




These were stock 4" wide wheel, now 5.5" using Porsche 911/912 steel rims. I reveresed the rims to get the wider lip to the outside edge, and to keep stock backspacing. Had to weld up the original valve stem hole and relocate it to the front.