I want to run Ford wheels with a 5 X 4 1/2 bolt pattern on the front of my 40 Ford coupe using the original drums. Who makes adapters for this application? Thanks everybody!
Not as easy,but redrilling the drums/hubs to the new pattern is safer,and it maintains the factory Ackerman specs.
I agree with redrilling. I was going to use some bolt on spacers on the back of my new deuce highboy sedan but with 10 inch wheels I decided to modify the wheel wells instead of using spacers because of the stress placed on the studs and spacers.
Be careful with wheel adapters. My cousin had them on his 55/56 Ford wagon. Without warning, one of the adapters broke into 2 pieces. That was, however, about 50 years ago. Quality might be better, now, but not likely made in China 50 years ago.
Keep in mind that any adaptor you use will move the wheel/tire out at least 1". And stay away from any cast adaptor, you want billet for strength. For a front application, re-drilling is much better. You may even be able to buy drums with that bolt pattern.
if you drill, it had better be right on, as off by a maroon hair at the hub is a 1/8" at the tire surface... same rules go for the aftermarket adapters...
Crazy Steve had a good idea, does anyone make front drums with a 5 X 4 1/2 bolt pattern? I will ask this same question under a different thread, Thanks.
Just posted these dimensions on another thread but if your going to redrill here are the dimensions I used to make wheel checking pattern gauge.
Buy this wheel drill guide. It costs the same as a decent pair of billet spacers and is the right way to do it. Originally sold by Rotten Leonard's its now available through Hells Gate Hot rods. This is the way to do it properly. wheel Adapters are a rig at best. https://www.hellsgatehotrods.com/shop/drill-guide/
I wouldn't attempt to follow those plans to drill 5 x 4 1/2" pattern. I'm not criticizing the plans, only the person who would attempt to implement them. You might also have difficulty finding a machine shop to do it, liability if something goes wrong being part of it. I couldn't get a local machine shop to drill and pin a 55 Tbird upper steering column, possibly for the same reason. There have been cases of the 55-57 Tbird telescoping steering column separating, thus the reasoning behind pinning it with 3, 1/8 x 1/2 pins. By the way, the adapter that failed on my cousin's Ford wagon was cast.
I wouldn't attempt this either, but wouldn't it be easier to make a template of the 5 x 4 1/2 pattern, overlay it on your drums, and then drill?
I redrilled a Chevy S10 Rearaxle, so that my 36 Buickwheels fits. I made a redrilladapter bei my self and drilled with a Hand drill, step bei step. For save i fixed a billet centering ring between Hub and Rim. It`s good for 105 mph on Highway. But you have to control if the backspace from both wheels (old and new)are the same, because of the Ackerman. For my chev i redrilled the axels because i want to ride 16" wirewheels so i adappted Ford 5 lug on chevy 6 lug Hubs. This is more difficult because you first have to close th old holes. because i didn`t want to weld the cast iron,i cut M16 Threads( only second gear from3) in and filled it with screws. It works since 8 years without problems Adapter is for show, redrilling for go!
Here’s what I’m told is a ‘40 style hub/drum. If you have it redrilled for 4.5, does your wheel have a large enough center hole to fit? Or is more machining required due to what I’m pointing at? Or will you need a spacer to fit the wheels?
That's weird. I re-drill hubs/drums/discs for customers, and even re-pattern wheels for customers. I even re-center wheels with hoops from totally different vehicles. I don't know any shops in my area that would refuse this work.
Never had a problem with billet spacers - adapters. Thousands of miles and a lot of p***es at the strip.
It took me a while to remember but I bought a set of 40 ford hubs that had 4.5 pattern about 6 years ago off of Ebay that were used and I believe at the time there was a place that sold them called Thompson's Garage. Probably not around anymore.
Just looked up Thompson's garage and if the website is current they do offer 40 hubs redrilled for 250$.
Here the link to Thompson's Garage: https://www.thompsonsgarage.com/hom...uct/ford_reproduction_front_hub_aluminum.html
Thanks Phil. I'm not computer savvy enough to add websites. I did a little digging in my cupboards in my ba*****t and found that had ordered new 40 wheel cylinders and brake shoes from them some time ago. Good to know they are still around.
The Jalopy Journal
