16" Steel Rims (semi-caveman style)

H

hawk ii

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Dec 21, 1998
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===
Pete Papas-Daytona Beach--Land of Hard Beaches & Soft Women
. ___________ (MY TOYS) ___________ (904)672-0571
. /_][__][] []| 1973 GMC M/H /_][__][][] | 1976 GMC M/H
. *O-------OO-/ Painted Desert *O-------OO-/ Royale R/Bath
.1976 Bi-Centennial Iron Head Harley Davidson Motor Cycle
.1979 280ZX Datsun (First Production Year - 1 of only 1000)
.Home Page> http://members.tripod.com/~mehawk_ii/index.html
_________________________________________________________
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oops sorry about the first message -- hit the enter key in error

I have been researching an less expensive alternative to the
Alcoa Alum 16" rims.

I have received a 16" steel rim from Hayes-Lemmer. It was made
for Chevy Duallys. It uses the Same center hub style as the
original GMC 16.5 steel Firestone/Airride #27995 (same 5"
offset, same 4.56" center hole for hub piloting hole, same 2500
lbs pound load range and pressure and same 6.5" bolt pattern).

Initial testing indicates that they are very close to front
wheel caliper studs. But i understand that was also true with
the original 16.5 steel wheels. In fact original GMC caliper
studs were ground down at the factory in order to accomidate the
Steel rims.

The wheels fit the back hubs --just fine.

The cost is very reasonable -- about $70-80 but -- with a
special order of at least 6 rims i believe the price will come
down a lot -- I had to pay for the UPS shipping myself for the
one test rim. The UPS charge was about $13.

I will be ordering and testing a full set of rims and tires
within the next few weeks.

If any of you can see any fault to my approach --please E-mail
me. Yes - I know that these rims are not Cinnabar approved and
Hayes will only say that they are APPROVED for Chevy Pick-ups.
(which - by the way - where the original GMC 16.5 rims
application)

A SPECIAL thanks to Jim Bounds (GMC CO-OP)-- for his help in
the testing and fitting of these new rims --

If anyone else is interested in my progress --let me know

Thanks guys



===
Pete Papas-Daytona Beach--Land of Hard Beaches & Soft Women
. ___________ (MY TOYS) ___________ (904)672-0571
. /_][__][] []| 1973 GMC M/H /_][__][][] | 1976 GMC M/H
. *O-------OO-/ Painted Desert *O-------OO-/ Royale R/Bath
.1976 Bi-Centennial Iron Head Harley Davidson Motor Cycle
.1979 280ZX Datsun (First Production Year - 1 of only 1000)
.Home Page> http://members.tripod.com/~mehawk_ii/index.html
_________________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com
 
Definitely interested. Keep me posted. Great work buddy. Darren

> oops sorry about the first message -- hit the enter key in error
>
> I have been researching an less expensive alternative to the
> Alcoa Alum 16" rims.
>
> I have received a 16" steel rim from Hayes-Lemmer. It was made
> for Chevy Duallys. It uses the Same center hub style as the
> original GMC 16.5 steel Firestone/Airride #27995 (same 5"
> offset, same 4.56" center hole for hub piloting hole, same 2500
> lbs pound load range and pressure and same 6.5" bolt pattern).
>
> Initial testing indicates that they are very close to front
> wheel caliper studs. But i understand that was also true with
> the original 16.5 steel wheels. In fact original GMC caliper
> studs were ground down at the factory in order to accomidate the
> Steel rims.
>
> The wheels fit the back hubs --just fine.
>
> The cost is very reasonable -- about $70-80 but -- with a
> special order of at least 6 rims i believe the price will come
> down a lot -- I had to pay for the UPS shipping myself for the
> one test rim. The UPS charge was about $13.
>
> I will be ordering and testing a full set of rims and tires
> within the next few weeks.
>
> If any of you can see any fault to my approach --please E-mail
> me. Yes - I know that these rims are not Cinnabar approved and
> Hayes will only say that they are APPROVED for Chevy Pick-ups.
> (which - by the way - where the original GMC 16.5 rims
> application)
>
> A SPECIAL thanks to Jim Bounds (GMC CO-OP)-- for his help in
> the testing and fitting of these new rims --
>
> If anyone else is interested in my progress --let me know
>
> Thanks guys
>
>
>
> ===
> Pete Papas-Daytona Beach--Land of Hard Beaches & Soft Women
> . ___________ (MY TOYS) ___________ (904)672-0571
> . /_][__][] []| 1973 GMC M/H /_][__][][] | 1976 GMC M/H
> . *O-------OO-/ Painted Desert *O-------OO-/ Royale R/Bath
> .1976 Bi-Centennial Iron Head Harley Davidson Motor Cycle
> .1979 280ZX Datsun (First Production Year - 1 of only 1000)
> .Home Page> http://members.tripod.com/~mehawk_ii/index.html
> _________________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com
 
Pete, Please keep us posted on your results.

Dick 75 PB in Atlanta

>oops sorry about the first message -- hit the enter key in error
>
>I have been researching an less expensive alternative to the
>Alcoa Alum 16" rims.
>
>I have received a 16" steel rim from Hayes-Lemmer. It was made
>for Chevy Duallys. It uses the Same center hub style as the
>original GMC 16.5 steel Firestone/Airride #27995 (same 5"
>offset, same 4.56" center hole for hub piloting hole, same 2500
>lbs pound load range and pressure and same 6.5" bolt pattern).
>
>Initial testing indicates that they are very close to front
>wheel caliper studs. But i understand that was also true with
>the original 16.5 steel wheels. In fact original GMC caliper
>studs were ground down at the factory in order to accomidate the
>Steel rims.
>
>The wheels fit the back hubs --just fine.
>
>The cost is very reasonable -- about $70-80 but -- with a
>special order of at least 6 rims i believe the price will come
>down a lot -- I had to pay for the UPS shipping myself for the
>one test rim. The UPS charge was about $13.
>
>I will be ordering and testing a full set of rims and tires
>within the next few weeks.
>
>If any of you can see any fault to my approach --please E-mail
>me. Yes - I know that these rims are not Cinnabar approved and
>Hayes will only say that they are APPROVED for Chevy Pick-ups.
>(which - by the way - where the original GMC 16.5 rims
>application)
>
>A SPECIAL thanks to Jim Bounds (GMC CO-OP)-- for his help in
>the testing and fitting of these new rims --
>
>If anyone else is interested in my progress --let me know
>
>Thanks guys
>
>
>
>
>
>===
>Pete Papas-Daytona Beach--Land of Hard Beaches & Soft Women
>. ___________ (MY TOYS) ___________ (904)672-0571
>. /_][__][] []| 1973 GMC M/H /_][__][][] | 1976 GMC M/H
>. *O-------OO-/ Painted Desert *O-------OO-/ Royale R/Bath
>.1976 Bi-Centennial Iron Head Harley Davidson Motor Cycle
>.1979 280ZX Datsun (First Production Year - 1 of only 1000)
>.Home Page> http://members.tripod.com/~mehawk_ii/index.html
>_________________________________________________________
>Do You Yahoo!?
>Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com
>
>
 
Pete, I'll sell you a good clean original "Radial" set of steel wheels
for half the price of these. I have already switched to Alcoas but my
take offs are in pristine shape. Phil Swanson

> oops sorry about the first message -- hit the enter key in error
>
> I have been researching an less expensive alternative to the
> Alcoa Alum 16" rims.
>
> I have received a 16" steel rim from Hayes-Lemmer. It was made
> for Chevy Duallys. It uses the Same center hub style as the
> original GMC 16.5 steel Firestone/Airride #27995 (same 5"
> offset, same 4.56" center hole for hub piloting hole, same 2500
> lbs pound load range and pressure and same 6.5" bolt pattern).
>
> Initial testing indicates that they are very close to front
> wheel caliper studs. But i understand that was also true with
> the original 16.5 steel wheels. In fact original GMC caliper
> studs were ground down at the factory in order to accomidate the
> Steel rims.
>
> The wheels fit the back hubs --just fine.
>
> The cost is very reasonable -- about $70-80 but -- with a
> special order of at least 6 rims i believe the price will come
> down a lot -- I had to pay for the UPS shipping myself for the
> one test rim. The UPS charge was about $13.
>
> I will be ordering and testing a full set of rims and tires
> within the next few weeks.
>
> If any of you can see any fault to my approach --please E-mail
> me. Yes - I know that these rims are not Cinnabar approved and
> Hayes will only say that they are APPROVED for Chevy Pick-ups.
> (which - by the way - where the original GMC 16.5 rims
> application)
>
> A SPECIAL thanks to Jim Bounds (GMC CO-OP)-- for his help in
> the testing and fitting of these new rims --
>
> If anyone else is interested in my progress --let me know
>
> Thanks guys
>
>
>
> ===
> Pete Papas-Daytona Beach--Land of Hard Beaches & Soft Women
> . ___________ (MY TOYS) ___________ (904)672-0571
> . /_][__][] []| 1973 GMC M/H /_][__][][] | 1976 GMC M/H
> . *O-------OO-/ Painted Desert *O-------OO-/ Royale R/Bath
> .1976 Bi-Centennial Iron Head Harley Davidson Motor Cycle
> .1979 280ZX Datsun (First Production Year - 1 of only 1000)
> .Home Page> http://members.tripod.com/~mehawk_ii/index.html
> _________________________________________________________
> Do You Yahoo!?
> Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com
 
Pete,

My coach has the original 16.5" rims. One or two of the hubcaps are missing
and the others look like they've been ran over a few times so I need to
replacing them with something soon.

I like the looks of the Alcoas but don't like the idea of something that
requires special maintenance. I've still got a long list of serious
mechanical problems that take priority so polishing Alcoas is not on my
current horizon. (I do however take the time to wash it each year whether
it needs it or not.)

When I stopped at Jim Bounds' in December he had a coach in his shop with
some nice looking hubcaps on standard rims. I was considering going that
route but was also thinking about trying to find a chrome steel wheel. I'm
hesitant on this because I don't know about the quality of chrome
available. Rusted chrome is just as ugly as pitted aluminum.

I think ours are standard dually wheels so there should be lots of choices
available but I haven't actually researched it. I know I've seen ambulances
with fancy wheels and have seen the hubcaps. So I'd like to hear from
anyone who can tell me what alternatives are available.

If I was buying New Chrome rims I would want 16" since that's the new
standard but the 16.5's are available at salvage prices so I don't
understand your logic of buying a standard 16" rim to replace the existing
16.5". Mine are in serious need of some new paint but they are structurally
ok. I know we're going to hit a crunch on availability at some point but
are we there yet? I need education on this point also.

At this point I'm leaning towards some fancy hubcaps and adding a rim paint
job to my list of things to do but I'd first like to hear more discussion
of what others have done and where to get the stuff.

Enjoy

Dick

>Date: Fri, 7 May 1999 20:35:27 -0700 (PDT)
>From: "hawk.ii...Pete Papas"
>Subject: Re: GMC: 16" steel rims (semi-caveman style)

>I have been researching an less expensive alternative to the
>Alcoa Alum 16" rims.

>I have received a 16" steel rim from Hayes-Lemmer. It was made
>for Chevy Duallys. It uses the Same center hub style as the
>original GMC 16.5 steel Firestone/Airride #27995 (same 5"
>offset, same 4.56" center hole for hub piloting hole, same 2500
>lbs pound load range and pressure and same 6.5" bolt pattern).
>................ . . . . . . .
 
Dick Kennedy wrote the following:

Pete,

My coach has the original 16.5" rims. One or two of the hubcaps
are
missing
and the others look like they've been ran over a few times so I
need to
replacing them with something soon.

I like the looks of the Alcoas but don't like the idea of
something
that
requires special maintenance. I've still got a long list of
serious
mechanical problems that take priority so polishing Alcoas is
not on my
current horizon. (I do however take the time to wash it each
year
whether
it needs it or not.) .......

Dick

I should have mentioned that I intended to use plastic/chrome
hubcaps on the 16" rims. The main reason for looking for 16"
steels --- I could go to the newer 16" tires.

You and several others bring up a very interesting possiblity -
Chrome 16" rims -- that would serve both purposes. I will check
with the people that helped me find the 16" steel to see if
Chrome rims are available and affordable -- Thanks

===
Pete Papas-Daytona Beach--Land of Hard Beaches & Soft Women
. ___________ (MY TOYS) ___________ (904)672-0571
. /_][__][] []| 1973 GMC M/H /_][__][][] | 1976 GMC M/H
. *O-------OO-/ Painted Desert *O-------OO-/ Royale R/Bath
.1976 Bi-Centennial Iron Head Harley Davidson Motor Cycle
.1979 280ZX Datsun (First Production Year - 1 of only 1000)
.Home Page> http://members.tripod.com/~mehawk_ii/index.html
_________________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com
 
Dick; OEM Hubcaps can be hard to find and expensive. An other option to
consider if you want to keep your 16.5" set-up, especially if you don't
otherwise need tires, is to go with SST wheel simulators. You need only to
wash them off to keep them very shiny.

Since what we need are the front 2 from a set of 4, it took some digging to
find a source that would break up sets, but I got a set of 6 last year for
$300 plus freight.

Let me know if you're interested and I'll look up the name and address of
the company I got them from.

HTH

___________
Dave (& Dege), '76 Royale /_][__] [_] | "SR JAMES"
Santa Barbara, CA *-0------OO--* (our hobby)
 
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