Rim Conversions for 53" Tires

[Dave08]

Alright here it goes at the risk of being told to search, which I did. I have seen people making rims for the big 53" tires that will fit the 8.75 inch lug pattern of the deuce. I have seen several styles for the Hemit rims but they have all been weld in type modifications. My question is has anyone made a bolt in modification? I am modifying my rims this weekend by using a steel plate and milling the plate to fit the Hemit rim. The two piece rim is held together with 20 bolts. What I plan on doing is removing the 20 studs, enlarging the center of the rim by cutting out the excess metal with an end mill, cutting my plate to the same size and having the same bolt pattern as the 20 studs holding the rim together. I will then place the steel plate on the back side of the rim and then repress the studs into the rim. This would hold the steel plate to the rim and the steel plate would have the new deuce lug pattern. Has anyone done it this way before? I have seen plates that bolt to the front of the rim with the new lug pattern and I have seen weld in plates but not one like I am planning. Any thoughts or suggestions?
Dave08

 

[DUECE-COUPE]

you are right. by doing a search, you will see this VERY thing completed my many members. Go to 100dollarman.com. he has the plates, and is reasonable considering that his are CNC machined and true.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Yup been done. Why would you think a plate that bolts to the front, can't be bolted to the rear?

 

[Dave08]

my set up is CNC Machined as well and will be trued. Bolting the plate to the rear by pressing the studs through the plate may and then again may not make putting the two rim halfs together more difficult due to the length of the studs and thickness of the plate. I am using 1/2 inch 1040 steel for the plate. I believe the 100dollar man uses 3/8 inch plate for his set up. The other issue is not so much the cost from the 100dollar man but the shipping will kill you. We will see how this all works out. I have about $45 per plate by the time all is said and done. The end mill bit was another $53 and I hope I do not break it during the machining process; we will see.
I did do a search on this subject as I knew someone had to have done this before but apparently I did not use the right search parameters. I will try it again.
Thanks for the comments.
Dave08

 

[gimpyrobb]

NO problem, and good luck. Its nice to be able to do these things on your own. Search is a pita and it does not surprise me you couldn't find it. Please post pics when you are done.

 

[wreckerman893]

I got mine from Mike in MI....he had them delivered to Haspin for me.

Good price and good work.....but I don't need them now cause I sold the deuce I was going to bob and am now going to use the HEMMT rims on the M915.

I'll prob sit on them since I still want a bobber in the future to drive to school and to irritate the tree huggers.

 

[Trango]

Just as an aside, I did a double take to see your Oak Leaf avatar with the word "Corporal" next to it.

 

[ApopkaFL]

Here you go 280.00 per rim. THE WHEELS WILL BE REVERSIBLE. THEY RUN A 3.5" BACKSPACING ON ONE SIDE AND A 7.5" ON THE OTHER. THEY DRILL THE VALVE UNDER THE DISK SO IT IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE FROM BOTH SIDE.

 

[Dave08]

E4 Vs. O4

Just as an aside, I did a double take to see your Oak Leaf avatar with the word "Corporal" next to it.

Well there is no problem with Corporal. You see I am what you call "Mustanger" and went to E4 Corporal in the USMC and then went to the O4 Major in a grand total of 26 years.
Being promoted 8 times in 26 years is not a bad record in my book.