Projects Diamond T wheel choice?

I'm not sure now that I'm liking the 17" Dodge one ton aluminum wheels I have for the DT project. My thought when I bought them was to paint the spokes, leave the rim clear-coated aluminum, and have an engraver buddy make some center cap inserts with the Diamond T logo. Now, however, I'm not sure I like the way they look. Also, I've used two of them on our Spartan trailer, so I need to buy at least 2 rims, to either put on the trailer, or get two matching ones to replace these for the truck.

I'd like to mimic the original 6 spoke Dayton hubs and rim mounts. I don't want the truck to look too street rodded, but I do like the idea of a modernized take on the 6 spoke thing. Found some "XD" Extreme 17's, which I think wouldn't look bad which I can get thru Discount Tire. I want of course to keep the same offset as the stock Dodge wheels, no tire outside the fenders. Here's the Dodge rims on the truck, the XD, and what the thing is too look (sort of) like when finished. Have the tires, BTW...

Opinions welcome, but don't tell me they suck without offering a reasonable alternative, and I don't have the originals as I've sold them. I also don't have the means nor finances to machine one off's or adapt Daytons, one of the reasons I sold the originals.

 

whats the BP of the wheels ?

 

Do you mean the backspace or offset of the Dodge ones I have on the rear now?

 

The XDs look close to original. You could paint them a solid color and if you could make a Diamond T center cap you would have your look. About as close as you are going to get without using the original wheels.

 

bolt pattern

 

That's what I thought too; painted red, rim shiney, and they have a fake allen bolt at the rim/spoke intersection which if I squint a little, looks like the wedge stud for the rim. I like them better than the Dodge wheels. Plus, if I have to buy wheels, it's not much more to buy a set of 4 than look for 2 late model singles. They sell for a hundred to two hundred apiece. The bolt pattern is the common 8 lug, on I believe a 6.5" bolt circle. I have to use Dodge style wheels, as the rear is Dana 70, uses hub centered wheels rather than lug centered like the Chebbie fronts.

 

found these near you.....http://kalamazoo.craigslist.org/pts/1482439876.html

 

Truck wheels on a truck.

http://www.southwestwheel.com/steeltruckwheels.htm

 

Love the truck, cant wait to see it.

I'm thinkin the XD's are too blingy.

I think these might fit the look / era of the truck a little better (with a different center cap). Not sure of the offset options.
http://www.alcoa.com/alcoawheels/north_america/en/fsw/driver/light/lt_lts8.asp

 

Truck wheels belong on a truck....

 

20" tahoe/suburban.

 

Truck wheels on a truck is fine with me too, but everyone that has mentioned this has shown one ton dually wheels. The Dodge wheels are from a 3500 series "one ton truck" but it was a single rear wheel truck. so unless he decides to dual it out, which would throw all his contours off, I don't think he needs or wants a dually wheel.

I think the Dodge Ram 17's look fine and with the right amount of thought put towards the center caps could be the best wheel fitment for that beast. Steven.

 

Another thought: Go to your local sign shop and have them make up a heavy vinyl sticker with the insignia of your choice to stick on the center caps. A heavy vinyl like some of 3m's outdoor vinyls will hold up for several years and have them make up like 5 sets, so when they do become weathered, just peel and put another set on those Dodge center caps. Steven.

 

I think 29nash nailed it, the heavy duty truck wheels are perfect...

 

I think the Dodge wheels with some custom caps are the best of the choices shown. The aftermarket wheels seem a little modern for the overall vibe of the truck.

The number of choices available is mind-numbing, and most aren't nearly as good as those factory wheels. Experiment a little with caps and paint, and you will have something not too expensive and very cool.

 

Exactly. It's not a dually, never was, and will never be. The truck type wheels people are refering too were never on a Diamond T, and aren't what I want. I'd like to mimic the original Dayton 6 spoke hubs, but the point about the XD's being a bit to "blingy" is the thing I'm worried about. The Dodge wheels are 5 spokes, and may, with paint and detailing, look just fine. They ARE 3/4 and one ton truck wheels. I can always run the steelies that are now on the frontof the DT on my trailer, I was just thinking it'd be cool to have matching rims on the rig (which they wouldn't anyway if I bought the XD's, 'cause I'm not buying 6 of 'em).

I just thought maybe someone had an option I hadn't thought of. Ya know how we sometimes get something stuck and can't think past it!

 

Thanks for the search LowFat48, but those have WAY too much late 60's vibe, are 16.5's, I have a new set of 17", 10 ply rated light truck ready to mount. I like the Ansen style rims, but not on this project.

 

Brian, respectfully, those XD rims suck donkey balls.

The way I see it, you've got 2 options. Either embrace old school with something like a steel rim with rings & caps. Or embrace new school heavy hauler with something that screams heavy duty tow rig like the classic alcoa forged wheels.

Those XDs are neither. All the blingy bits put them too far away from old school spoked rims. And even if they're load rated, they don't look like heavy hauler rims. They scream "H2 in a rap vid", with a lesser undertone of "rock crawler TJ".

With your skills, I might consider making my own simulators. After all, big rigs have used those wheel simulators for years. Use the rims you got and make some unique simulators, perhaps even ones that will accept hot rod style caps and rings.

Couple years ago I ordered the first set of rally america Jumbos but they never went into production. Too bad, as a large diameter set would be PERFECT for your truck.

Good luck!

 

for being you already have a matching set of the dodge wheels, i would say just run those on the truck for the time being, they dont look too awfully bad, and if you change the center cap and paint them i think they look alot better on the truck

 

Everytime I hear 6 spoke I think of the 80's and 90's Chevy aluminum truck wheels, which would look horrible on an old truck...I'd check with Titan wheel in Quincy Illinois and see what they offer, not sure what they make, but I am pretty sure they make lots of heavy equipment and Ag wheels, so you might get lucky finding something that fits the bill and has a somewhat classic look...

 

LOL, that made coffee come out my nose! I just got a pm from a guy here who has a set of DT hubcaps, which originally mount to the rim wedge studs. Hmmm, there's an option.

Contrarywise, the Dodge rims are looking better all the time. Maybe I'm second guessing my original choice too much.

 

If you really want to be cool, go back to the original Daytons.

 

Can't do that, disk brakes up front, and again, I don't have any way to economically machine/design some kind of adaptor. The Daytons are the brake drum, rather like the Pontiac 8 lug drums of the 60's. Besides, I don't have them any more.

 

These have a lot of potential.



I'd chuck them up in a lathe and remove the little bosses around the edge of the rim, and turn the rim smooth back to the "wedges" and polish it. Paint the spokes an appropriate color, make a Dia.-T cap and it would look cool.

I had some of those Dia-T full wheel covers, mine were for 17" rims. I don't know what sizes were available.


Here's a truck I found at Diamondtclassics.com -

 

Should you go the more OEM approach, I suspect this place could make you want you want. I've never ordered from them, but found the site last year looking for wheel options. Gary
http://www.diamondracingwheels.com/drwcustom.html

 

For my 614H, nothing smaller than the original 8.25x20 was going to fill the fenders out enough.

Ended up going with 12R22.5's all around and will be making custom hubcaps for the back with the DT logo.

 

The thing that sucks with the dodge rims is that cobbled up center with the fake wheel studs.

Gotta say I like the stock full wheel covers. I imagine they are a bit hard to find though.

 

In my opinion don't run the after market black rims just to settle, if thats what your doing. To me I'd rather see a beefy truck wheel like the red truck on the 2nd page or the ones on the blue truck on page one with the dog laying in front of it. All in all its your truck and it will look great either way... good luck and keep us posted when done...very kewl project

 

Weaverville's chop is perfect! They would look the bees knees. Everybody quit suggesting those ugly HD truck wheels!