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Mad Mad Mad!

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by w3srl, Feb 19, 2005.

  1. Feb 19, 2005
    w3srl

    w3srl All-around swell dude Staff Member

    Port Orange, FL
    Joined:
    Nov 6, 2002
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    4,275
    Welp, I bit the bullet and sprung for a set of NOS Kelsey-Hayes rims for my CJ. They were 15x5.5. with the correct 5 on 5.5 bolt circle.

    Now, those of you who have been around here for awhile know that I had a pristine set of Renegade I Kelsey-Hayes 15x8 rims on my CJ when I did the disc brake conversion on the front axle. Voila! I had a Jeep that stopped on a dime, but with wheels that no longer fit. Grrr.
    A phone call to Jeg's and I had a set of Cragar Nomad "wagon wheels" that fit, but I hated the look. Still do. [​IMG]

    Now I have a second set of rims the DON'T FIT my Jeep. I looked long and hard at the pics on eBay and compared them with my notes from several years ago. They sure *looked* like they would fit. They don't. Double Grrr! :mad: :mad: I spent the afternoon alternately cussing myself and measuring, cussing and re-measuring, along with a few medicinal :beer: thrown in for good measure. Here's what I've been contemplating:

    What if I were to take the 'new" K-H rims apart and put them back together as a 'reversed' rim ala the vintage hot-rod era, when aftermarket rims didn't exist? I need exactly 1" of additional clearance, based upon the fact that when I rotated the rim slightly so that the ends of the studs rested on the back of the rim's hub, the calipers cleared by a gnat's eyelash. So, I reasoned that if I could kick the rim out an additional 1" from the original centerline, I'd be golden. Upon closer examination, I noticed that the contour of the rear of the rim and the front of the rim are very different. If I spun the rim 180* (making the rear of the rim the front) I could probably get away with less than 1" additional track width per wheel.

    Has anyone here messed with rebuilding a set of steel rims? I know I'll need a dial indicator to get the lateral runout dialed in, but other than that, can a set of "rebuilt" rims be considered safe?

    I'm so sick of those friggin' wagon wheels that I'm really getting desperate. I might actually call $tockton and have them build me a set of rims. :shock: Oh, and did I mention that I haven't even *legally* driven my Jeep yet? :oops:
     
    w3srl, Feb 19, 2005
    #1
  2. Feb 19, 2005
    Patrick

    Patrick Super Moderator Staff Member

    Los Alamos, NM
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
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    8,360
    Wheel spacers???
    Just a thought. I've 1 1/2"s on mine; have for almost 4 years......
     
    Patrick, Feb 19, 2005
    #2
  3. Feb 19, 2005
    Boyink

    Boyink Super Moderator Staff Member

    Tulsa, OK
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2002
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    6,197
    Sorry to hear it Steve....
     
    Boyink, Feb 19, 2005
    #3
  4. Feb 19, 2005
    Mcruff

    Mcruff Earlycj5 Machinist

    Albertville, AL
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
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    5,349
    Steve just dump the KH wheels and go with a little polish. Something like this maybe.
    [​IMG]
     
    Mcruff, Feb 19, 2005
    #4
  5. Feb 19, 2005
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
    Joined:
    Sep 22, 2002
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    4,586
    You know Steve, i would for sanitys sake maybe drop the coin and get the stockton wheels. you will get a wheel you will like and will look right for your jeep. They can widen the wheels you want to fit. i would give them meaurements and see what they propose.
     
    DanStew, Feb 19, 2005
    #5
  6. Feb 19, 2005
    jollyjeepers

    jollyjeepers Member

    Roanoke, VA
    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2003
    Messages:
    221
    O.K. Steve, take a deep breath. Wheels are no problem. Send me a pic of what you have and what you want. I think we can help.

    And I'll be in Somerset in two weeks.

    Beth
     
    jollyjeepers, Feb 19, 2005
    #6
  7. Feb 19, 2005
    w3srl

    w3srl All-around swell dude Staff Member

    Port Orange, FL
    Joined:
    Nov 6, 2002
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    Patrick- What kind of spacers? Brand/model? Are they steel or cast aluminum? I'm sure you have wheeled yours harder than I ever will. You have discs up front?

    Beth- I can't tell you how much I appreciate the offer. Would you consider an even up swap for 4 15x8 "wagon wheels for 4 '77-up disc brake rims???

    I'm getting desperate here.... :shock:
     
    w3srl, Feb 19, 2005
    #7
  8. Feb 19, 2005
    Patrick

    Patrick Super Moderator Staff Member

    Los Alamos, NM
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    Patrick, Feb 19, 2005
    #8
  9. Feb 19, 2005
    jollyjeepers

    jollyjeepers Member

    Roanoke, VA
    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2003
    Messages:
    221
    Steve,

    I don't know anything about spacers, but Peter will know what wheels we have that will work on a CJ2A. I'll ask him tomorrow.

    We have no problem trading. That's how we ended up with so many wheels to begin with and have traded back and forth more times than I can keep up with as well as peddled a few on ebay.

    I know he brought home his original DJ 4-lug wheels the other day just to give you an idea of the wide spectrum.

    Beth

    P.S. Email us a number and maybe he can call you tomorrow evening.
     
    jollyjeepers, Feb 19, 2005
    #9
  10. Feb 20, 2005
    w3srl

    w3srl All-around swell dude Staff Member

    Port Orange, FL
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    Thanks for the info Patrick. I'm really hoping to find a set of rims that will work without spacers, etc. but it's nice to know that there is another option out there.

    Beth (jollyjeepers) just might have what I need to make this werk....
     
    w3srl, Feb 20, 2005
    #10
  11. Feb 20, 2005
    Patrick

    Patrick Super Moderator Staff Member

    Los Alamos, NM
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    Sep 22, 2002
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    Good luck Steve!
     
    Patrick, Feb 20, 2005
    #11
  12. Feb 20, 2005
    w3srl

    w3srl All-around swell dude Staff Member

    Port Orange, FL
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    Thanks Patrick. A stupid little thing like this is driving me NUTS!
     
    w3srl, Feb 20, 2005
    #12
  13. Feb 20, 2005
    Patrick

    Patrick Super Moderator Staff Member

    Los Alamos, NM
    Joined:
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    I do understand...
     
    Patrick, Feb 20, 2005
    #13
  14. Feb 21, 2005
    Kodiak12060

    Kodiak12060 Sponsor

    Beacon NY
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2002
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    465
    I too have that problem w/ the 15x8 KH rims. Seems that after having them sanblasted and painted there were two versions. The rivited ones don't fit 11" drums w/ the fins.
    A spacer would solve the problem but then if you have 31 x10.5 x15'' tires and want them under the sheetmetal, a must in some states w/o flares, then a spacer wouldn't work. I'm thinking of taking a grinder to the rims.
     
    Kodiak12060, Feb 21, 2005
    #14
  15. Feb 21, 2005
    w3srl

    w3srl All-around swell dude Staff Member

    Port Orange, FL
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    Ha! Gotcha beat! I had mine sandblasted, painted AND had my new tires mounted and balanced before I realized they wouldn't fit. :rofl:

    Seriously though, I'm not sure I would grind on the rivets. That's what holds the rims together!
     
    w3srl, Feb 21, 2005
    #15
  16. Feb 21, 2005
    John A. Shows

    John A. Shows Comic Relief

    Mendenhall...
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2002
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    938
    So you have two sets of 15 X 8 KH wheels?

    Why don't you sell them and buy the Stocktons like Mike Boyink did?

    I can't imagine being able to modify the wheels at all and getting them true enough to balance right, but maybe.

    Also..not sure if simply grinding the rivets down would let you take the center portion out of the wheels...if it would then possibly you could weld the 1" spacer directly to the wheel then put them back together.

    Let me know if that works? I might want to do it myself just to give the wheel a little kick outside of the jeep.
     
    John A. Shows, Feb 21, 2005
    #16
  17. Feb 21, 2005
    Kodiak12060

    Kodiak12060 Sponsor

    Beacon NY
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    Sep 27, 2002
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    The rivits just identify the rim. I was talking about using the grinder to give them clearance and it wouldn't be the rivits.
     
    Kodiak12060, Feb 21, 2005
    #17
  18. Feb 21, 2005
    John A. Shows

    John A. Shows Comic Relief

    Mendenhall...
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    Sep 24, 2002
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    938
    Do they look like this?

    If so...and I'm not looking at the wheel, but if you ground these rivots out flat would the wheel come apart into two pieces?

    If so could they be relocated more offset?
     
    John A. Shows, Feb 21, 2005
    #18
  19. Feb 21, 2005
    Kodiak12060

    Kodiak12060 Sponsor

    Beacon NY
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    Sep 27, 2002
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    See to the right and left of the rivits where there is daylight. It appears that this is the area where the problem lies
     
    Kodiak12060, Feb 21, 2005
    #19
  20. Feb 21, 2005
    BlueFlu

    BlueFlu past owner of some ecj5's

    Hermitage, TN
    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2004
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    1,552
    Steve way back when we had a sand rail that had factory VW rims. Skinny little ones up front and some fat 12" wide ones for the rear. We ran a 15.50" tire on them. We had a shop (race car I think) cut the center out and add metal to the wheel, then they rewelded the center back in the depth we needed. Worked fine.
    Lots of abuse I might add.
     
    BlueFlu, Feb 21, 2005
    #20
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