Questions about wheels/studs

shaune

shaune

Well-Known Member
Supporting Member
Ok, project is 52 F1, several years ago I bought a Mustang 2 front end and specified to have Ford bolt pattern. I recently got my rear end installed, 9inch from a 71 Ford, installed a posi and bought new drums.
Oh happy, getting stuff done.
Now I find out I have mixed bolt pattern sizes in my build. Front is 5 on 4.5 and my rear is ....yup you guessed it 5 on 5.5.
So, what to do now. Rim selection is going to be steel painted but what direction or option do I have now ? Affordable and practical are keys here (don’t want a mix on rim front to back)
Thinking now to buy wheel adapter for rear to go down to 4.5. I think they make those ? I know it will widen the track by 1.25” per side (2.5” total) but I think there will be space for that. Not really an option to add adapter to the front as there could be clearance issues with the turning wheels .... not confirmed yet but discussed. Not keen on disassembling the rear to have the axles redrilled and then beg NAPA to take back my new drums for a different bolt pattern.
I see sort of where M2s can come with 5 on 5.5 but then I need bigger discs and caliber brackets $$$$$ losing out on the key word affordable.
Open to ideas here guys.
 
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FD98FTf.jpg
 
Shaune: I'm assuming your 9" with 5x5.5" BC came from a Ford Pickup? (or a large passenger car?)

This has been covered multiple times on the H.A.M.B. and other places, so if the info below doesn't satisfy you, do some more searching, the info is out there.....

Well, if you're running OEM Axles, the bad news is, in order to change the BC, you will need to either weld a plug in the hole in the axle flange that is used to access the studs that hold the axle bearing retainer/brake backing plate to the diff housing, then face the front/rear surfaces of the axle flange, or buy aftermarket axles.
There used to be a shop called Rotten Leonards that sold jigs to re-drill your bolt pattern, but it turns out they've sold their gear to Hells Gate Hot Rods.....but sadly, Hells Gate's webpage makes no mention of the above mentioned info (that I saw) on their webpage??
BUT, I did find a cached version of Rotten Leonards webpage, where they made mention of this information (re: welding a plug into axle flange).....

https://www.hellsgatehotrods.com/product-category/drill-guides/

(TWO)cached versions of Rotten Leonard's webpage:

First is the drill jig chart.

http://hstrial-robertmeacham.homestead.com/Drill-guide-price.html

Second is the comment that you have to click on to view, which is under 5x5.5" on the charts.

http://hstrial-robertmeacham.homestead.com/Frequently-asked-
Questions.html

Just so others don't need to click on a link that may/may not be in service a few months from now, I'll paste in the comments from the cached webpage.....

Drill Guides
Question; Why won't the guide work on 8 and 9 inch Ford rearends?
Answer; 8 and 9 inch Ford rearends have a bearing access hole in the flange right where the new stud needs to be. While we have had many customers successfully weld a plug in this hole we cannot condone the process due to liability. Should this modification be done all welding should be done by a qualified welder.

9_inch.jpg



HTH
James
 
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Shaune, sorry for the high-jack, no personal messages here. (Yet) Thank you.

James please email me at: books1 at telus dot net (no spaces etc) Thank you.

Old Ray.
 
Shaune the wheel adapters seem to be the cheapest fix here if you have the space for them. However I personally have never used this type of spacer or that width, I have used 1/4" wheel spacers but that's it. I know others who have but I have no personal experience. Perhaps members that have can chime in here with their opinions and or likes/dislikes?
 
Thanks James, there are many posts on HAMB, Ford truck and others and I have been weeding through them this past week but at this point in my "research" I haven't seen a definitive answer. It seems a few of those post get side tracked.
Checking the links you posted now, only one works but I see the drill jig. I think the center of my axle housing needs to be machined down also to fit the different brake drums (unconfirmed but suspected) I am not sure redrilling my current axles is my best option, it might be the best solution but I am now curious about the wheel adapter. Like Bash says....anyone use them ?
Looking at pictures of the truck with the old rear end I can see the wheels easily could be "adaptered" out 1.5" per side.
 
Shaune: Despite never having used them, I'm not a fan of adapters, they are, at best, a bandaid solution.
If I was doing it, I would buy a set of axles from Bear's (CDN dist. for Strange), Currie, Yukon, Moser, Dutchman, etc. Some of them may have "economy" (ie: basically a stock replacement, other than you can customize BC & hub diameter).
They will drill then for any BC you want.
 
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James__WC said:
Shaune: Despite never having used them, I'm not a fan of adapters, they are, at best, a bandaid solution.
If I was doing it, I would buy a set of axles from Bear's (CDN dist. for Strange), Currie, Yukon, Moser, Dutchman, etc. Some of them may have "economy" (ie: basically a stock replacement, other than you can customize BC & hub diameter).
They will drill then for any BC you want.
Click to expand...

The thing is a pair of axles aint cheap run ya about 5 hun?
 
I am going to call Bears tomorrow and ask some questions, thanks James. Getting things redrilled is the best way to go but I don't want to to spend that money yet.
I'm not stuck for options as I can run 16" 5 on 5.5 on the back and 15" 5 on 4.5 on the front, its just then I won't have a proper spare tire for the ....just my luck kind of days we will have.
I just see these adapters as being a cheap alternative to my lack of previous knowledge.
 
A GM certified mech friend of mine is running 2" spacers on his 700 hp LS 59 El Camino. Seems to think no issues? They are the bolt on type. Again though I have never used them personally and would likely shy away from anything that wide but he seems to think there is no problem? LOL you could always carry a 4.5 spare and one wheel adapter as a flat spare?
 
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Shaune I am sure you have already realized that if you move/redrill the BC the hole for bolting the axle retainers on is going to have to be filled. I did have a set of MII rotors redrilled for 4.3/4 BC and one hole for the old BC had to be plugged. It however is small in comparison to the retainer hole. One more thing to consider. lol Welcome to hot rodding. :cool:
 
Neil: That was mentioned in post #3:), and yup, it's a PITA job, particularly if you have to farm out the machine work to true up the axle flange after welding the plug in the access hole....

Bash and scratch said:
Shaune I am sure you have already realized that if you move/redrill the BC the hole for bolting the axle retainers on is going to have to be filled. One more thing to consider. lol Welcome to hot rodding. :cool:
Click to expand...
 
Hmmmm, the spare idea and wheel spacer might be a good option too .....
I am satisfied with either bolt pattern, and most likely with a rubber width front to back I would not be a tire rotation kind of guy. Hmmmmmm . . . .
 
shaune said:
Hmmmm, the spare idea and wheel spacer might be a good option too .....
I am satisfied with either bolt pattern, and most likely with a rubber width front to back I would not be a tire rotation kind of guy. Hmmmmmm . . . .
Click to expand...

For sure the cheapest option. Probably go with the 5.5 down to 4.5 option though in case wheel clearance issues in the front. That way you won't need the adapter for the front wheel but will have it for rear and won't have the clearance issue.

BTW sent you a FB link to a discussion on spacers.
 
If your running steel wheel can you not have a new Center piece put .....I know some stock car builders just have what ever bolt pattern Centers welded into the hoops...they can also pick what ever back spacing they need..same looking wheels..just different bolt pattern..
 
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Moser https://www.moserengineering.com/shop-services/ will plug and redrill your axles for $90 USD per axle. You can do the drums yourself, the drums pilot on the axle and not the wheel studs, so just a clearance hole is all you need in the drums. I have used Moser several times for customer cars

Any Job Shop can do them in less than an hour for both as long as they have a horizontal mill and a dividing head. As long as they are willing to do it.

Another way to do it without plugging the axle is to cut the old studs off, and machine the front and rear of the flange flat, leaving the serrated part of the studs in place. Then offset the new pattern just enough to make new holes for the new studs, but not so much that you get into the tool clearance hole.

If you are redneck enough to do it yourself, and I usually do for my own projects, you can find an old brake rotor with the right bolt pattern, and bore the hub pilot hole out to fit your axle. Make, or buy a drill bushing that fits the lug hole in the rotor with a 1/8" hole in the center. Clamp the rotor backwards to the axle, and drill a 1/8" pilot hole for each stud. Then just drill to the proper size for the new studs.
 
JohnnyBgood said:
If your running steel wheel can you not have a new Center piece put .....I know some stock car builders just have what ever bolt pattern Centers welded into the hoops...they can also pick what ever back spacing they need..same looking wheels..just different bolt pattern..
Click to expand...

That's the old school way to do things too.

Worked back then, should work today.
 
I thought Bash's plan of just carrying one adapter for the spare and using 5.5 BC wheels on the rear was a good one. But if that doesn't suit you, how about this budget plan that might even put some cash in your jeans. Sell that 9" rear end (everybody wants them and will pay good $$ for them) then go get a newer 8.8" that are plentiful and cheap. The Ranger and Crown Vic ones are 4.5" BC. Just find the track width you need. Note that the pre 2003 Crown Vics are narrower than the newer ones.
 
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