Possible Rim Alternative

[Ford Mechanic]

Riding down the road today during a roadtest I happen to notice that a peanut trailer lug pattern looked alot like a M35A2 lug pattern and hub size. Specificaly the single and dual axle trailers they use to harvest with and then hook up to the dryers. I talked with one of my farmer buddies when they came in this afternoon and they are 20in rims. He had a couple lying around and said to come get one to measure and try so I'll have a definite answer for the question in a couple days. I searched yahoo for some pics but apperently they're something that folks take alot of pics of. But what got me looking was that it had no backspacing like the HEMMT and other rims folks are running. They may be bead locks though. Didn't know if anyone else had ever noticed or tried one?

 

[Ford Mechanic]

Of course I can't find any pics online of what I'm talking about. I'll try and get a pic tonight.

 

[Ford Mechanic]

They fit! Pics and more later....

 

[Aswayze]

is the offset any different? I am curious because Deuce rims also fit a BTR-152 but the deep offset causes them to hit the air brake actuator. A more mid offset wheel would actually work MUCH better and still allow us to fit 20 inch tires instead of goofy 18 inch ones imported from Molvania.

 

[Ford Mechanic]

They're flat across the front like the combat wheels. So something like 1-2 inches less backspacing.

 

[Ford Mechanic]

Cheap combat rim look???

So here's the pics, the rim came off a Long brand single axle peanut trailer with 6 lugs. This one is a 12 bolt rim but there are several different types of rims that come on them including 6 bolt ones that would all fit the same. I included a pic of the origanal rim and tire for comparison. It fit just fine other than a little trouble first clearing the lock washers, and I didn't see any clearance issuses and it may actually be a little wider than a stock M35 wheel and it was a 20 in wheel. The tire is actually a aircraft landing gear tire and is marked USAF and has a couple NSN#'s on it. The farmer told me that these trailers usually wiegh about 10,000lbs total. This rim was just as thick all the area's as the origanal also, so I don't think weight would be a problem. I was also told that these rims were a dime a dozen before scrap prices rose and alot of the old ones sitting around with blown tires were scrapped. If you curious about the trailers, you see alot of the backed under barns by themselfs due to being hooked up to dryers by the hole in the back. The one down side to this rim was that it was god awful heavy! I don't know how much the 14 ply tire wieghed but together it was as heavy as the 395 assembled that I removed just to try it on. Any input or thought's about it?

 

[Ferroequinologist]

I'd be worried about balancing etc at highway speed. Are those trailers designed to be pulled at 55-60mph?

Might have a DOT guy looking for missing studs and or lugnuts on the side of the road running those as well.

 

[Ford Mechanic]

I'd be worried about balancing etc at highway speed. Are those trailers designed to be pulled at 55-60mph?

Might have a DOT guy looking for missing studs and or lugnuts on the side of the road running those as well.

I was told the aircraft tires wouldn't hold up to the sustained heat of 55 mph and a load. The tires were prone to blowing and a single axle trailer with alot of wieght up top makes it VERY top heavy. They nevey exceeded 35 because of that. There are 6 lug rims also, this was all the guy had off the trailers. There is a 6 lug one just down the road mabey I'll try and get a pic of it on the trailer.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Well, if it's in fact from an aircraft landing assy, I would think 55-60 MPH would be no problem.

 

[Ferroequinologist]

I figured the tire wouldn't stay, I ment the rim by itself. Nice there are 6 lug rims too. I'd try to use them because they would look right.

 

[Derrickl112]

That looks similar to a DUKW wheel...

 

[Ford Mechanic]

I figured the tire wouldn't stay, I ment the rim by itself. Nice there are 6 lug rims too. I'd try to use them because they would look right.

Don't have a answer there, and yeah balancing may be a issue. There was wieght welded to the inside of the rim like it was balanced at the factory. I have no idea if it was a origanal rim to the trailer but several of these were on his trailers.

 

[Ford Mechanic]

Here's a pic of a peanut trailer and a 6 lug rim. Something I forgot to mention is that the lug holes are only beveled on one side of the rim. So you'd need to either have the hubs flipped in the rear or have some way to bevel the holes.


Edit: Well I thought it was a 6 lug wheel... Just zoomed in on the pic and it may be a 12 lug rim... Shows just how far away I was when I took the pic!