Hot Rods wire wheels

how do I get 32 and 34 ford wire wheels mounted to a 8 inch ford rear end

 

Wheel adapters or different / drilled axles.

 

yup, drill the axles to 5 on 5 1/2, then buy the little support rings from speedway that support the center of the wheel

 

You’ll still need the spacer with the flat face of the 8 inch drums though

 

are the axles big enough to drill out to 5 on 5 and a half.. how about the front . was thinking of using 56 ford pickup brakes, are they good enough? thanks

 

Put new centres (with correct pcd) in your wheel rims.
Or adapters.

 

If you hold the wheel up to the drum you will see that the back side of the wheel is dished too much to mount up tight. You might as well change the bolt pattern with the same adapter that spaces it out. Do some measuring to find the exact depth needed.

 

Pick up brakes have the correct bolt pattern. You'll still need the spacer in back of the wheel.

 

It's the same thing that Pete just told you about the front brakes in another thread. you have to have a spacer to get the back of the wire to clear the flat drums. Lay a straight edge across the back side of one of the wire wheels and measure down to where the surface that would bolt to the drum is. that plus a slight clearance is the thickness you need. I think someone does make a special spacer to use that has the raised lip to catch the inside edge of the wire wheel so you don't tweak the wheel.
Here is a thread from a couple of years ago that has most of the answers you want or need. Good photos too. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/f-100-drums-and-35-wire-wheels.960061/

At the time that thread was done I wanted 35 wires but lately have decided on steelies because of the need for the spacers or having to dig up earlier drums and backing plates.

 

lots opinions here, i am not familiar with the face of your drum, but the wire ford wheels support off the outside, note bump on wheel, and the inside either by a peg on 32-35 wheels, or a ring on the model a's. so, the bolt pattern is a no brainer, but what does the face of your drum look like?

 

Put a nine inch in it, Bones

 

Same wheel mounting problems though.

 

I just installed early wires on a 9" using 4 1/2" to 5 1/2"adapters and Speedway support plates on my 5W.
No issues.

 

5 1/2 x 5 nine inch are readily available. Personally I don’t like adapters. Just me. I like to use Oem junk yard junk when possible . Most stuff you buy today is China **** and I don’t trust it. . Bones

 

This is not the problem.
35 wires are made so that the outside of the wheel centre is supported by the outside of the 35 brake drum. The centre tapers like a cone and does not fit on late type drums. This is why really wide spacers are needed to move the wheel centre out clear of the drum.

By this point, the wheel will not be supported factory style. Plus support rings are also needed because the stud holes have raised nubs half way around them while the original 35 drums have raised nubs on the opposite side, thus providing 360 degree support around the hole. Without support rings to make up the difference the lug nuts are wrenching down on a half supported hole, distorting and stressing the centre.

 

Ok, gotcha. Thought there may be more to it. Should have got the wheels down from the shelf in the shop and looked at them. That’s what happens when I go from memory . My bad, Bones

 

Yeah, a buddy bolted his on without the plates and drove to Goodguys in Columbus. Vibration big-time.
Like running with loose lugnuts.
Plates fixed it.

 

Is that for 35 only or all wire wheels? I was going by the wheels on the self in the pic. Bones

 

I have run 1" adapters on my roadster forever. It has a Maverick rear end. I had the steelies off and just for kicks I tried a Kelsey wire. The lip that causes most of the problems was not a problem and it slipped right on. It would still need the spacer rings.