Original Tire Size - 1976 Chieftain

[duramax]

I am looking online at a 1976 Chieftain. I am a little ( no a lot) confused as to the original tire size. According to the Winnie Brochure it uses 19.5 tires and there was an option for radials. Yet I read on this forum where posters with the same year Chieftain have 17.5? Is it because some of the chassis may be a year or more older than the body?

Thanks

[cosmic]

I think that the 17.5 are on the shorter rigs like my 21 foot brave and on the bigger 25 foot Indians. they are the 19.5 and a bigger chassis..

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

1974 and up:
8 lug rims are 17.5 (M300/M400 chassis)
5 lug rims are 19.5 (M500/M600)

My 27ft 78 Chieftain is 17.5 (M400)

Dave

[duramax]

I wonder why the Winnies used different wheels than some of the SOB's?  78 and up Vogues on the M600 used 19.5 Budd Wheels. I remember having to get a 3/4 torque wrench to get the 400 plus torque. A real PIA as the threads were LH on one side and RH on the other. The wheel nuts are also a pia as they use a 2 piece nut. I have probably asked this before but are the 17.5 a non split rim? Were the wheels rated  for radials?

Thanks

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

The 17.5's 8 bolt rims are not split rims.  They are designed for Bias ply but most everyone runs radials on them.  Original Bias ply ran air pressures around 50 - 60lbs therefore the rims were only rated to around 80lbs.  Todays radial tires push the air pressure limits of the rims.   The 17.5 x 8 lug flanged wheel nut is torqued to 300-350lbs.  I use 3/4 drive tools and a 4ft pipe.  100lbs of force applied 4ft from the bolt center = 400ft lbs at the nut.

Purchase the inexpensive MH manual in the site store as all this info is in there.

Dave