Old and Simple: A $200 F150.

[PecosBill]

those wheels look like ca ca-doo doo-pee pee... but that's just my opinion.

More importantly, be very careful with used wheels, especially if there is obvious damage. Wheel failure can be dangerous.

[Andyinhilo]

Originally Posted by dorkpunch

QUESTION for the wheel experts.

I *really* like it. The rims arent spectacular- chromes peeling on the back side pretty badly, but I was thinking of spraying them black anyways. Tires arent in very good shape- 20-30% left.

THE PROBLEM...

One tire kind of fell off while they were driving. The bolt holes are wallowed out a bit, but I didnt think they were that bad. Theres some scratches on the back side. Should I be worried about metal fatigue and the tire eventually breaking completely? The cones on my lugnuts sucked the tire in tight and it doesnt appear to my calibrated eye to be out of round at all when spinning it (referencing to a stationary object).

What say ye? Pics of the carnage-

Wheels with damage like that, and corrosion are an accident looking for a place to happen. With the holes wallowed out that way, when your lug nuts try to seat the stress on the alloy will be uneven and lead to cracks and eventual failure. I had a friend that had a similar situation and wrecked a really nice 77 Bronco when the wheel failed, luckily he walked away, but the Bronco was a total wreck.

Looking at the photo again, it looks like some cracks may already be beginning. Look at the area between the two upper holes.

[Barnstormer]

Another thing that happens with a mounting surface like that is that when you tighten the lugs, you are really only putting pressure on a small point of aluminum. A bit of driving, some side loads, and that point gets smashed down and then POOF! the wheel is loose.

Bad.

Keep/paint the steelies!

[R.C.S.]

nice truck! i have a '79 2x4 with the 300-6 and auto trans, and it runs on propane. it was converted back when the truck was almost new, has a 108 gallon tank in the bed (no typo, 108 gallons) effectively converting my 8' box to 6'. runs like a top, but has a horribly loose front end and not much in the brake department.

-rick

[Poolside]

+1 on the white spoker wheels

[jackd]

Originally Posted by R.C.S.

nice truck! i have a '79 2x4 with the 300-6 and auto trans, and it runs on propane. it was converted back when the truck was almost new, has a 108 gallon tank in the bed (no typo, 108 gallons) effectively converting my 8' box to 6'. runs like a top, but has a horribly loose front end and not much in the brake department. -rick

I used to work in a Logging Maintenance shop on Vancouver Island, B.C. back in the '70s. We used to run Ford 3/4 tons and 1 ton trucks - I figure that their ages were from '68 until the late '70s and had the famed twin I-beam suspension. The front ends were constantly wearing out from running on the gravel roads. Their fix was to bring them into the welding shop and build up the pivot points for the I-beam bushings with weld and run them for another 5 years. Seemed to work.

[JimVonBaden]

Originally Posted by Poolside

+1 on the white spoker wheels

Nothing better for the price!

Jim

[Tinfish]

One more vote against those wheels. Super cheesy. That truck is classy; don't ruin the lines with ghetto-fab wheels like those.

[ddavidv]

Those wheels do not fit the look of your truck. I put different wheels on everything I own to make them look unique, but there's good and bad unique. That's the bad kind. Even painting them won't help much. Add in the 'issues' with them I think you could do better with something else.

[RLK]

Form follows function. Bottom-shelf bling belongs on a pimped out pedophile van, not a work truck with big ol' manual hubs.

[TonyKZ1]

Guess I'll throw my vote in here too. Stay with the stock steel wheels.
Tony

[MrBob]

Stock steel wheels painted to match the body with some kind of Ford dog dish hubcaps - classic.

[MZcountryboy]

HOLY HELL! You're getting the snub on the wheels you like, and are affordable.


Those wheels are ready for the scrap heap. Looks aside, if you're going to use the truck as a truck, those wheels simply won't carry the load. Lo-pro wheels + tires on a truck that old makes for squirrelly handling usually, in my experience.

But, don't let these guys stop you from making it look the way you want.

"They" told me not to use the flat black, fuck'em!

[Grainbelt]

another vote for the steel wheels

[cjbiker]

I like these on 4wd trucks:

http://www.jegs.com/i/Cragar/260/397...0002/-1?CT=999