7.50-20 tires available?

[Gazolba]

I found an old bus (1966 Ford). The seller says it needs all new tires (6) and the size is 7.50-20. After a little research, it seems this size is no longer made. I did find a site where you could order them from China so long as you buy a minimum of 100. Is there any alternative or should I forget about this bus? What are the common sizes for bus wheels these days. The Firestone site only lists 22.5.

[cowlitzcoach]

7.50x20 is an old and obsolete tire size for a smaller sized bus.

You might be able to find some 8.25x20 or 9.00x20 that would fit your wheels.

If you have spoke wheels it would be relatively easy to upgrade to a tubeless tire and wheel.

If you have the 5- or 6-lug wheel it will most likely be very difficult and expensive to upgrade to a tubeless tire and wheel. About the only places I can think of that might be able to help you with finding tubeless replacement wheels would be Stockton Wheel or Six Roblees.

Stockton Wheel
Six Robblees' Inc. | Since 1913

[Tootalltechie]

My 1974 C60 BB has 6.5 x 20 2 piece wheels. I want to change to tubeless tires. I have been quoted 370.00 ea cdn to replace the wheels then tires on top that. I have found Accuride wheels (same as quoted) at half the cost + shipping. Exchange rate makes the price work out the same.
Hope this helps
Gordon

Sent from my SM-G530W using Tapatalk

[Tango]

I priced out 6.50 x 20's for my '46 before I swapped axles at $200 each through a big rig tire shop here in Houston.

Wound up with 19.5's but they are tubeless radials. All the 20's are bias ply, tube type.

[DoubleO7]

Tire Rack has 27 different
20" tubeless radials .
But only up to load range E.
If they are the split rim type you might as well figure on getting newer rims.
Most tire shops refuse to work on split rims.

[Robin97396]

You could get them delivered.

(6-Tires) 7.50-20 tires Hi-way Express 10 PR tire 7.50/20 Samson / Advance 75020 | eBay

There seems to be many 7.50 20" tires online. I couldn't find anything specific to your area because I can't tell where you live.

[2kool4skool]

Originally Posted by Robin97396

You could get them delivered.

(6-Tires) 7.50-20 tires Hi-way Express 10 PR tire 7.50/20 Samson / Advance 75020 | eBay

There seems to be many 7.50 20" tires online. I couldn't find anything specific to your area because I can't tell where you live.

Phoenix AZ

[Robin97396]

In Phoenix there seems to be a lot of used or vintage tires in your size. Some come with wheels, although I'm unable to tell what kind of wheels.

For new tires I think you'll have to have them delivered. This is a common size tire for old farm trucks. Both the 7.50 and the 8.25. In my experience these sizes are usually bias ply.

https://www.cokertire.com/

https://phoenix.craigslist.org/cph/wtd/6077076633.html

I've bought sets of wheels from the truck junk yards for my '72 Ford shorty at $50 per wheel. Occasionally a junk yard wheel will have a half decent tire on it, but they like to charge extra if there's any tread remaining on the tire.

I like the solid wheels much better than the split rim. I was never able to get a cage for inflating the split rim wheels and I got tired of wrapping chains around the wheel for safety during inflation, so I switched to solid rims.

[Tango]

Make sure you do NOT have any split rims. Safety ring rims are easy enough to work on, but any true split rim can be deadly. The most notorious was the Firestone RH5. I only press this issue because they can often show up on vehicles which originally never had them. Like my '46 Chevy, for example. I discovered that one of my inner duallies had been replaced with one such RH5...also known as a "Widowmaker". And for good reason.

Play safe out there.

[Robin97396]

For any of you that don't understand the dangers of split rims, if the split ring is not seated properly it can shoot of the tire as you're inflating it at a velocity that can take a man's head off if you're in the wrong position near the tire. They have also been known to throw a man 13' or more into the air if you're standing on the wheel when the ring comes off.
Tire shops have a heavy duty cage to put these split rims into while inflating them to prevent such injuries. You can use numerous loops of heavy chain wrapped around the tire and wheel during inflation for safety.

Many times it is nearly impossible to break the bead when trying to change tires. You may feel that $35 is well worth having someone else change those tires.

[mmoore6856]

Originally Posted by DoubleO7

Tire Rack has 27 different
20" tubeless radials .
But only up to load range E.
If they are the split rim type you might as well figure on getting newer rims.
Most tire shops refuse to work on split rims.

if you find someone to work on this split rim wheels sometimes they will get them apart and find that the rust is so bad they can not put them back together (osha rules here) and you will be buying new rims split rims and tube type tires are still available but not common so carry a mounted spare or convert to tubeless talk to truckers about tube type and you will find out why we dont run them anymore and carry a big fire extinguisher if you do

[WVDarren]

I've done hundreds of 24" split rims w/o a cage. If you're doing a three piece always buy and install new lock ring. Clean off the rust on the rim and the safety ring. I inflated them flat on the shop floor with a clip on chuck. When the rings did come off it was always less than 50 psi. The air hose kept them from going far.

Clip on air chucks, the push on kind, are your best friend working with split rims.

[mmoore6856]

Osha requires a cage many guys died doing it your way

[WVDarren]

You're correct except WV is not an OSHA state. OSHA doesn't say boo in WV. There were nights I had to mount thirty+ tires. I often had three laid out flat being aired up at one time. The upside is that the wheels and safety rings had been refinished and the liners, tubes and lock rings were new.

[Robin97396]

I was changing about 27 tires per day by hand working in a rock pit, and they never had a cage. That was in Alaska.

[EastCoastCB]

I used to live in a place with a bunch of asbestos in the ceilings.
But I wouldn't recommend it.

[REDD]

Just in case you weren't sure about the "cage" this is one of a couple we still have kickin' around. Not in use anymore. We have just over 2000 power units and just under 20,000 trailers and just retired the last split rim trailer...a 1972 tanker.

[Tango]

Being lucky 99 times out of a hundred is what these guys have a claim to...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=25afvp1X9LY

[WVDarren]

Originally Posted by REDD

Attachment 13125

Just in case you weren't sure about the "cage" this is one of a couple we still have kickin' around. Not in use anymore. We have just over 2000 power units and just under 20,000 trailers and just retired the last split rim trailer...a 1972 tanker.

We where doing demounts and mounts for a military vehicle facility. They would break a vehicle down to components, inspect and either replace or repair including the frames. We got the stuff that the officials deemed off limits for the inmate labor. We did all of the tires and the removal of the brake shoes. For the brake shoes we got the entire axle. It was good work for two to three years until the military changed their minds and stopped the program.

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by Tango

I priced out 6.50 x 20's for my '46 before I swapped axles at $200 each through a big rig tire shop here in Houston.

Wound up with 19.5's but they are tubeless radials. All the 20's are bias ply, tube type.

what size 19.5s did you get? the ReddByrd has good tires.. but Id love to get taller ones.. but seems 19.5's are a PITA to find in other than Light-truck style sizes...

-Christopher