Ford SD wheels on my K-20

[farmallgray]

I put a set of 99 & up ford wheels on my K-20 with 88-89 chevy center caps. To me they look like the factory alloy wheels used on the 1/2 tons. I did just have steelies with trim rings and center caps.


Now, before anyone runs out to buy a set, they do not bolt right on. The newer fords have a different 8 lug bolt circle.
I had to have the wheels redrilled to make them fit. I bought the wheels on ebay and with shipping and the machine work I have about $100 less in them than a set of new American Bajas.

[choptop]

That looks sharp

[campcrf]

I made the same mistake when i bought some duramax rims for my superduty... dodge and chevy 8 bolts are the same but the ford is in mm... go figure...lol
    Looks good on your truck.

[79K20]

Lots of people make that same mistake. The wheels look the same, and they will even fit over the studs if you push hard enough

I worked at a tire shop for 4 years and saw this probably a hundred times. All older 3/4-ton and 1-ton trucks use the 8-on-6.5in bolt pattern, but the 1999-newer Fords are 8-on-170mm (~5 mm larger diameter than 6.5-inches). Pre-99 Fords have the same 8-on-6.5 that GM and Dodges use. Not sure why they changed... Stupid fords.

When you had yours re-drilled, did they drill the new holes with tapered seats or did you use the Ford pressure-seat lugs with new studs? I was told once by a Ford drivetrain rep that they HIGHLY recommended against drilling/tapering the 99-newer wheels because of issues with the aluminum (thickness, alloy type, heat-affected zone, etc). He said that if you MUST re-drill the wheels, you should also replace the wheel studs to accept ford pressure-seat lugs instead of the standard tapered lugs that you would otherwise use.

Just curious. If I were you, I would re-torque them regularly...

[campcrf]

nope...I ended up selling them to another guy cause I was told not to redrill holes... but ended up winning in the end... made a little $$ on them, but now I know if i find another set i can drill them anyway... The only thing is i would be afraid of the streingth... It's an 01 f350 crew longbed we use for camping and towing the 81 around...  I guess I'll just keep useing the stock rims and buy some 35"s instead.
   

[78 Chevyrado]

Much improved!   that looks sharp!

[oldwhity]

It does look sharp. Nice rig too I've never seen it before.

[farmallgray]

Thanks for the nice comments. I have been on here a while but this is my first time posting any pics.

I had them do cone seats for the stock tapered seat lug nuts (only about 1/4" deep). My Center Lines on my 88 C1500 have much thinner webs than these and are only 5 bolt and are tapered seat and I have never had any problems with them. I have always been careful torquing and retorquing them and plan to do the same on this truck. I thought pretty hard about it and consulted the machine shop and an engineer friend before having them drilled.

I planning on painting the truck again in a year or two. I looks ok in the pics but its getting a little rough around the edges. The paint job is from 1997. The hood is rotted at the front and the bedside are getting a little rust in the usual places. I have a cowl hood to put on it too.

[campcrf]

right on....   are you sticking with the same color?.... cowell hood will look sweet on that beast....   Good job so far...

[HAULIN IT]

Farmall, How did they go about doing that? Did they counterbore off-center to the original holes when installing the inserts to line up with the GM pattern? Lorne

[farmallgray]

right on....   are you sticking with the same color?.... cowell hood will look sweet on that beast....   Good job so far...

I'm getting rid of the pruple. The teal color will be where the purple is now, and where the teal is now will be a lighter blue maybe like a silverish blue. It should have a similair look to the 78 chevy sport 3 tone pattern.

[farmallgray]

Farmall, How did they go about doing that? Did they counterbore off-center to the original holes when installing the inserts to line up with the GM pattern? Lorne

I'm not quite sure I understand the question. They just drilled new holes in between the original ones. So now the wheels have 16 holes.