Alcoa 22.5 aluminum rims

[Rivetboy]

OK, where do you find lug nuts and specifically left hand threaded ones for aluminum rims. Or do you use the original ones with a special washer? And a shiny cover?

[Kubla]

you also need to change the studs, aluminum wheels are much thicker than steel ones, the original studs are probably not long enough

[Johnny Mullet]

Kubla is correct on stud length so make sure they are gonna be long enough. If you have Budd wheels with left hand thread on the driver's side, then the nuts will be the same except the nuts bury themselves a little in aluminum wheels unlike steel wheels. If the studs are long enough I would start with new nuts with no wear on them with those wheels.

*Moved thread to proper category

[Rivetboy]

Originally Posted by Johnny Mullet

Kubla is correct on stud length so make sure they are gonna be long enough. If you have Budd wheels with left hand thread on the driver's side, then the nuts will be the same except the nuts bury themselves a little in aluminum wheels unlike steel wheels. If the studs are long enough I would start with new nuts with no wear on them with those wheels.

*Moved thread to proper category

Thanks to you guys Budd wheels yeah that sounds familiar I will measure but that is way more work than willing to do at this time if the studs are too short. Rustoleum gloss black at 5 bones a can is where this is heading

[sportyrick]

Rivetboy, you do understand that the 2 different designed aluminum/steel wheels with different style lug nuts DO NOT interchange. I changed my complete rear axle out to a newer which was set up for the older cone nut stud pilot wheels originally but it had the centering pads for the smaller hub pilot wheels already there (crossover years). I drilled out the stud holes on the hub and installed the larger studs and am running hub pilot wheels now. Hub pilot wheels are .100 smaller so they center on the hub and stud pilot are larger so the cone nuts are centering the wheel, very old school and a poor design by putting all wheel loads on the studs and nuts but it came out first, a couple centuries ago. Also hub pilot doesn't use inside and outside nuts on the rear, WAY BETTER! If you wondering what I am talking about start looking at the 2 designs and you will be enlightened.

[cadillackid]

My superior has the older Stud pilot disc wheels on it.. (197.. ive converted the rears to single piece 22.5, my fronts are still Locking-ring 20's, I didnt know it was possible to convert a stud pilot hub to a Hub pilot?

[sportyrick]

cadillackid: they have to be late enough that they have bosses to support the inside of hub pilot wheels (my 76 didn't), start looking at later hubs and you should see the difference. If so lucky then a change of studs (drilling hub out for larger) and new wheels should get you into the 21st century. If not then a change of hubs should do it BUT do your homework, i'm sure there are a few that are out in left field and not able to change. I went to a truck parts warehouse in StL and luckily this guy never gave up until he got me going, wonderful help. I brought in all my old stuff and told him what I wanted to do and he figured it all out.

[Rivetboy]

[QUOTE=sportyrick;465606]Rivetboy, you do understand that the 2 different designed aluminum/steel wheels with different style lug nuts DO NOT interchange. I changed my complete rear axle out to a newer which was set up for the older cone nut stud pilot wheels originally but it had the centering pads for the smaller hub pilot wheels already there (crossover years). I drilled out the stud holes on the hub and installed the larger studs and am running hub pilot wheels now. Hub pilot wheels are .100 smaller so they center on the hub and stud pilot are larger so the cone nuts are centering the wheel, very old school and a poor design by putting all wheel loads on the studs and nuts but it came out first, a couple centuries ago. Also hub pilot doesn't use inside and outside nuts on the rear, WAY BETTER! If you wondering what I am talking about start looking at the 2 designs and you will be enlightened.[/QUOT

Hey Rick Thanks for the post. That was a couple of years ago and they did end up Rattle can triple chrome.

[sportyrick]

A couple years ago I hadn't experienced these wheel changes so it's me helping others through this less understood wheel conversion.

[cadillackid]

There’s a lot of bad wheel info floating around the internet !

Some think if it’s a Dayton spike it’s a widow maker no matter what.

Others will say “just change the nuts” if switching from stud pilot to hub pilot ..

There’s a huge need for good info on wheels