M300- 7 x 16" - 6 lug split rim swap to 6 lug solid rim?

[DigitalFrostbyte]

Sent: 12/8/2007 4:59 PM

Searched threads, lots of them.... It seems that 8 lug ford rims fit the 8 lug Dodge axles....... I was looking into tires, and figure if it will only be a small price diff, it would save headaches down the road to find some non-split rims....

None of the posts seem to cover the 6 lug ones, please if I am wrong point me to where it is.....

My 68 d22 m300 has 6 lug

There are junkyards around, mabey go that route? or cheap enough will order online.....

Thanks in advance....

[Daved27c]

Sent: 12/8/2007 5:19 PM

John;

The 6 lugs are the rarest of the wheels these things had. I don't think there is a 6 lug non split rim out there.

Dave

[DigitalFrostbyte]

Sent: 12/8/2007 5:39 PM

big bummer.......... found a tire shop locally that will put either 7.00 r16 's (which it has now but they have cracks in sidewall), or 215/85/16's which they say are the same.....

My concern is that I wind up with a really expensive flat/blowout/whatnot on the road and no body will deal with the rims.......

If anyone knows of a 6 lug rim let me know please.....

[DigitalFrostbyte]

Sent: 12/8/2007 7:11 PM

There has to be a rim with big lugs and the 6 lug pattern somewhere....can not afford a fortune though......

Figure someone has done it already.....

[Lefty]

Sent: 12/8/2007 7:44 PM


There IS another option.Have your hubs re-drilled for a different lug pattern, one that is the same as a more common rim. 

[bluebird]

Sent: 12/8/2007 8:22 PM

As Lefty mentioned, I'd either have the axles and hubs redrilled or find and have some wheels modified to fit, OR find another coach. You have to weigh the costs involved. If you go the radial tire on the split rim, be aware of the heat created  in the tube. They take a radial tube, and they don't last too many years. The tube that failed in my Itasca was only 2 years old.  When we pulled the tire off of the wheel, we found the tube had came apart. some of the tube was stuck to the inside of the tire. I had checked the pressure before we left home. 80 miles at 65 mph @ 92 degree air temp that day. If you talk to 5 tire guys, you will get at least 3 differant answers. Research, before you spend your money, unless you have plenty of it.

Chuck

[DigitalFrostbyte]

Sent: 12/8/2007 8:28 PM

I gotta do about 5-6000 miles with it..... do not even have a extra dime......

I like the RV, and do not give up easy, but selling and getting a different one has crossed my mind... I really do not want to though.....
I figure if the motor goes there are tons of running 318's out there in junkyards all over the usa......so that is a plus.....

How much would I be looking at for redrilling? where would I even go for that?

[DigitalFrostbyte]

Sent: 12/8/2007 8:32 PM


The tire guy here locally said he can put radials and new tubes in for about 140 a pop, said he never has a problem with doing it that way and they last for years...Is he just trying to make a sale with that line?

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Sent: 12/8/2007 9:32 PM


My "split" rims were 17x7.5 bias 5 lugg Budd rims...they weren't really "split" at all...they have an outer lockring.  I've never seen the 6 lug version...does it use a lockring, or is the whole rim truly split?

Oh...and that's not too bad a price...and radials to boot!  If you have a good spare, then the chances of having to change a tube on the road are slim!

Kev

[Henry]

Sent: 12/8/2007 9:46 PM

Buying the rear axle off of a motor home with a 300, 350, or 400 chassis from a junk yard with 8 lug one piece wheels, and the front spindles and hubs/drums, might work, or even a whole junk motor home with the one of the above chassis's and stripping the front and rear axles might work.  Geoff, at Alretta, may be able to tell you which axles fix which chassis, and the brake considerations.  When I replace the front drums with discs on my 71 M300 next spring, I will have a set of 8 lug spindles and drums with rebuilt brakes for sale.  I also have a rear end, but it is for a larger chassis and has 5 lug hubs.

A friend of mine with a 69 Travco had the same problem, and used the above solution.  He may have complete set of mounted new tires on 7 6 lug split rims for sale as well.Henry

[DigitalFrostbyte]

Sent: 12/9/2007 10:06 AM

They have a ring, but I do not know jack about split rims.... The ring is there though...

Lets assume for a moment that I do put radials and tubes on them..... (the radials on there now have cracks in the sidewall..)

I saw that someone said they heat up (the tubes)

I am going a long distance with this..... Will it be ok ?
Experiences?

Thanks for all the suggestions...

[denisondc]

Sent: 12/9/2007 12:42 PM

The inner tubes inside the radials should work fine - though I find myself very happy with my bias ply tires.

With the split rims (needing inner tubes) - you also need a 'tube liner' or 'boot' in each one. The tires on your RV would already have boots in each one - its up to you (or your tire guy) to decide if you will re-use the same old boots, or get new ones. There are inner tubes of different types. Some are for use with bias ply tires only, some are for use with radials only, and some are stamped 'for use with bias ply or radial ply tires'. I have seen all three types in dealing with my own wheels/tires. I have not seen any of the boots stamped with a limitation on tire type however. There are also inner tubes having the valve stem coming out from different locations on the tube. My 5 bolt Budd wheels take a 'center-exit valve stem', but im fairly sure the 6 bolt split rims take the inner tube with the valve coming out to one side of the 'center'. This is the more common type.
I prefer to do all of my own tire work just because I dont trust the care and judgement of others as much as I do my own. Not only do I work for less $$$, but I can accept that the job will take as long as necessary, to do it just right.
Certainly you need to replace any tires having sidewall cracks - if the cracks are visible from more than about 4 ft away. Again, dont assume that radials are essential.

The tires you select should be Light Truck tires. These are of a heavier build than passsenger car tires. I would expect you would have a load rating of at least "D" if not "E". Each tire will have a stamped maximum load, at a maximum pressure. If yours is a D22, I would assume the front axle is carrying between 3400 to 4000 lbs. That would mean you would want tires on it that had a maximum carrying capacity (each) of at least 2000 lbs. This might require the higher load range - like E versus D.

if you use a tire that is bigger than the original tires, make sure the spacing between the inner and outer tire on the rear axle is enough to at least stuck your fingers in between. If they are radials, the point where the tires 'blouse out' at the bottom must not result in the tires touching each other. (Would generate heat).

I inflate my front tires to 75 psi (the maximum on the tires is 90 psi), and my back tires to 65 psi (the maximum on the tires when used as duallies is 75 psi. Most of mine are load range "D", I think the fronts are load range "E" now.
I always buy my tires in pairs. That is so I have matched tires for used as duallies after I change a pair off of the front axle.


800 miles. The most on one vacation (in 4 weeks) was 6700 miles. I have gotten 14,000 miles on one set of 4 rear tires. We have put 50,000 miles on our RV in 16 years - and have had one tire that was flat when we woke up in a campground, and one tire that we saw was going flat - when we pulled into a rest area.

Each time we stop during a drive, I always check the tire temperatures with my hand. Each tire, each time. Any tire that is warmer than the others needs attention.

[Colin]

Sent: 12/12/2007 4:43 PM

I kept my split rims. I started by sanding each rim down to bare metal and laying down several coats of primer and paint. Since then I have had no problems. The only thing that I could add to the discussion is that I use a clip-on end so that I can stand well away while the tires are inflated.

C.

[Oz]

Sent: 12/13/2007 3:22 PM

Stockton Wheels.  They have tons of wheels and if they don't have what you need, they can make them.  Of course, that's only for those willing and able to fork out the money to do so.  Link is in the Resources section of the side-bar options.

[keytime]

What did you end up doing?

I'm in a similar situation with a 1968 D18.