Anyone commit sacrilege and weld 16.5 inch rims to convert to 17 inch rims?

[TOBASH]

I want to run 17 inch rims and I prefer steel. That will improve tire options while allowing me to run a standard 16.5 inch runflat insert.

I figure welding a 1/4 inch rod all around might be the ticket, but I wanted to see if anyone else had done it?

 

[simp5782]

Be looking at about 8 beads to get up to that diameter. You are going to have a heck of a sun tan time you get all those done. if you were that good of a machinist or welder you would know the answer to what you are trying to do and know it's a bad idea. Not to mention lots of grinding when you mess up

I don't think a company would touch it for liability reasons

There is a company in Florida that can make you any wheel in type and style for reasonable prices.

@patracy knows who they are

You would want to run 1/8" rods maybe 5/32 on a wheel that would be close to 1/4" thick.
350amps on a 1/4" rod in 7018. Pfft.

 

[TOBASH]

Be looking at about 8 beads to get up to that diameter. You are going to have a heck of a sun tan time you get all those done. if you were that good of a machinist or welder you would know the answer to what you are trying to do and know it's a bad idea. Not to mention lots of grinding when you mess up

I don't think a company would touch it for liability reasons

There is a company in Florida that can make you any wheel in type and style for reasonable prices.

@patracy knows who they are

You would want to run 1/8" rods maybe 5/32 on a wheel that would be close to 1/4" thick.
350amps on a 1/4" rod in 7018. Pfft.

Thanks. I was planning on getting 52 inch long round 1/8 rod and tackwelding every 2 inches, then running a single weld all the way around. I was going to weld 2 inches at a time, then move 90 degrees away and another 2 inches. This would disperse heat and prevent warping. Eventually it would create one long solid weld. Then a little grinding and I would fill defects with either lead or brass or Bondo or epoxy. Ten rods should take 1/2 hour per 1/2 rim and 1 hour per rim. All 5 rims pobably will require a full roll of MIG wire and a tank of CO2/Argon gas.

EDIT - Your idea of 5/32 rod is better than my idea of 1/8. Thanks.

EDIT - I will also PM Patracy

 

[simp5782]

Thanks. I was planning on getting 52 inch long round 1/8 rod and tackwelding every 2 inches, then running a single weld all the way around. I was going to weld 2 inches at a time, then move 90 degrees away and another 2 inches. This would disperse heat and prevent warping. Eventually it would create one long solid weld. Then a little grinding and I would fill defects with either lead or brass or Bondo or epoxy. Ten rods should take 1/2 hour per 1/2 rim and 1 hour per rim. All 5 rims pobably will require a full roll of MIG wire and a tank of CO2/Argon gas.

Oh. You are a squirt gun guy. Never mind. All mig welders should carry on

 

[TOBASH]

Oh. You are a squirt gun guy. Never mind. All mig welders should carry on

I just don't have robust TIG experience yet. I don't want to learn on rims. At least not on this project.

 

[patracy]

Yeah, this is a terrible idea. Just have wheels made. Or buy huchenson 17" wheels.

Long's wheel in FL has made a few rims for the deuces. They might be able to help with this as well.

https://otrwheel.com/otr-blog/longs-wheel-now-otr/

Trailworthy fab might be able to help too.

 

[TOBASH]

Hutchinson rims cost 1500... each.

I will call your guy, but FYI...

I used to widen and modify and weld steel rims for drag racing. Never had one failure, even when incurring damage from potholes.

 

[Csm Davis]

Why not go up to 20" and use Hemmet rims?

 

[gringeltaube]

..... while allowing me to run a standard 16.5 inch runflat insert.

You could cut off- and then weld the outer bead sections of a 17" rim to the HMMWV rim, after cutting off its bead flanges. And the stock runflat may fit somehow but it would never really lock the beads of a 17" tire.

 

[Jbulach]

I want to run 17 inch rims and I prefer steel. That will improve tire options while allowing me to run a standard 16.5 inch runflat insert.

I figure welding a 1/4 inch rod all around might be the ticket, but I wanted to see if anyone else had done it?

Sounds like an excellent idea! Darwinism...

 

[TOBASH]

Why not go up to 20" and use Hemmet rims?

I thought Hemmet were 10 bolt rims. They would require a machined adapter.

 

[simp5782]

I thought Hemmet were 10 bolt rims. They would require a machined adapter.

They make a 8lug to 10lug budd adapter. HEMTT wheels just weigh 160lbs each.

Some caiman aluminum wheels would be the smartest bet with weight but they are around $250 a wheel


I have several aluminum variants that are 10 lug budd. 20in x 10in wheel

 

[simp5782]

Sounds like an excellent idea! Darwinism...

I honestly was in the middle of something when I first saw it. I saw 1/4" rods and I assumed stick welding. Only because I was using some 1/4" 6011s at the time and I had my unit cranked. The amps to run a 1/4" 7018 rod would mean the welder costs more than most trucks on this site.

 

[TOBASH]

Sounds like an excellent idea! Darwinism...

Yeah, because no one has ever welded HMMWV wheels before. :/

Rock crawling guys cut the centers out of these wheels and weld in new centers to recenter them to fit other vehicles. They used to do this all the time.

Reinforcing the outer lip of a rim with a bead of steel is not unsafe.

HEMTT alloy wheels are at least 160 lbs. with the run flat. Adding rubber and a new center hub would add insane rolling weight. I also don’t know where to purchase the proper center hub adapter and I don’t know the proper offset or center hole dimensions required.

I will consider my options and report back as to what I decide. I have 4 spare 8 bolt splits and 4 spare 24 bolt splits. I will start on the 8 bolts.

 

[Milcommoguy]

I like thinking outside the box too.

Brainstorming, tossing out ideas, toss some in the dumb file, sketching up a plan, working out the details. All part of home hobby fun.

At some point of the processes way- in the dollars and cents, safety and can I really pull this off... not to mention whats the boys (wife) going to say. Sometimes a brain fart can work.
Not wanting to be a buzz kill... but you left out the hot glue gun when I read the lead, brass and Bondo. Believe the Corona 19 is at work here.

Big things that go "round and round" have a tendency to go "POW" ! Your SS pal standing on the sidelines, sipping a Corona, CAMO

HAVE a safe holiday.

 

[TOBASH]

I like thinking outside the box too.

Brainstorming, tossing out ideas, toss some in the dumb file, sketching up a plan, working out the details. All part of home hobby fun.

At some point of the processes way- in the dollars and cents, safety and can I really pull this off... not to mention whats the boys (wife) going to say. Sometimes a brain fart can work.
Not wanting to be a buzz kill... but you left out the hot glue gun when I read the lead, brass and Bondo. Believe the Corona 19 is at work here.

Big things that go "round and round" have a tendency to go "POW" ! Your SS pal standing on the sidelines, sipping a Corona, CAMO

HAVE a safe holiday.

Hey Cam! Hope U R well.

My comments about Lead/brass/Bondo/epoxy were only regarding smoothing out the inner bead, and not about fixation. In order to smooth outsurfaces (like the inner bead in this case), AFTER WELDING, those products are all commonly used.

This reply submitted with love and respect my friend.

I'll call later.

Thank you and all veterans for your service!

T

 

[kzeyus]

I think trailworthyfab.com has 17" steel beadlocks for hmmwv. Don't know details - check with Todd Wooten at trailworthy. He's had pictures of his hmmwv with the 17" rims on some of the FB groups recently.

 

[gringeltaube]

Rock crawling guys cut the centers out of these wheels and weld in new centers to recenter them to fit other vehicles. They used to do this all the time.

Reinforcing the outer lip of a rim with a bead of steel is not unsafe.

All true... and personally I have done a lot of wheel modifications, too. But I do laser-cutting /welding /grinding on the lathe, in a way that you couldn't tell where the joint is. (And the finished product has zero runout, unlike what comes from factory...)

What you have in mind goes a bit further than just "lip-reinforcing"...
Have you actually measured a 17" rim? I guess, not. The OA diameter is a tad over 18.5", while the HMMWV rim measures 17-7/16". So a 1/4" rod all around won't do it, obviously. Then you seem to forget the fact that the 17" is a 5deg shoulder rim, while the 16.5 has 15⁰. How would you address that? Fill up with bondo - I hope not...!?

Here are both, face-to-face, for comparison:


Building a (safe!) 17" bolt-together wheel (that could hardly be distinguished from a stock HMMWV wheel, once mounted) is possible and not so difficult. But as I said above, you need to have the 17" rims to serve as donors for the bead sections. And then it's only a matter of cut & (MIG)weld-together.

I'm on the wrong side of the world and too far away to offer the final product or even a prototype, but I could gladly assist you with some to-scale drawings, if it came that far.

 

[Csm Davis]

I thought Hemmet were 10 bolt rims. They would require a machined adapter.

Was being smartass, but you are overlooking the inside of the bead. It will need to be raised also. The safest and probably cheapest would be to buy some 17" shells or junkyard steel wheels and cut and weld them to the humvee 16.5" wheels.

 

[Larry Weibert]

All true... and personally I have done a lot of wheel modifications, too. But I do laser-cutting /welding /grinding on the lathe, in a way that you couldn't tell where the joint is. (And the finished product has zero runout, unlike what comes from factory...)

What you have in mind goes a bit further than just "lip-reinforcing"...
Have you actually measured a 17" rim? I guess, not. The OA diameter is a tad over 18.5", while the HMMWV rim measures 17-7/16". So a 1/4" rod all around won't do it, obviously. Then you seem to forget the fact that the 17" is a 5deg shoulder rim, while the 16.5 has 15⁰. How would you address that? Fill up with bondo - I hope not...!?

Here are both, face-to-face, for comparison:
View attachment 804973 View attachment 804974

Building a (safe!) 17" bolt-together wheel (that could hardly be distinguished from a stock HMMWV wheel, once mounted) is possible and not so difficult. But as I said above, you need to have the 17" rims to serve as donors for the bead sections. And then it's only a matter of cut & (MIG)weld-together.

I'm on the wrong side of the world and too far away to offer the final product or even a prototype, but I could gladly assist you with some to-scale drawings, if it came that far.

Thanks for that information. Iam also interested in 17 inch on stock looking HMMWV rims. I reached out to Trail worthy fab to see what they offer whether done or components, I will report back for others interested as well.