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Post by dyds4x4 on May 22, 2012 11:28:26 GMT -5
Anybody ever considered running 15" wheels on a metric Ford front end and been unable to find a 15" wheel with the 170mm pattern? I haven't found anything bt "custom order" options, and WOW....do they want some coin for those ones.
Already have rims/tires for the GM stuff, and buying an entire new set of wheels/tires (+ 2 adapters) to run Ford metric on my rig is cost-prohibitive at this point.
Thoughts on converting the front axle to the 6.5" pattern to run GM wheels?
Track width being what it is....adapters would work, but would also make the full-width axle WAY wider than ideal.
Thoughts/comments.......???
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Post by dyds4x4 on May 30, 2012 9:42:02 GMT -5
So....from the looks of things, most of you just BUY your parts......or whatever?? Once this FORD front end is XJ-ready, I'll post a few pics of the mods and build. Got the plan worked out in my head, and it looks good on paper. Time to break out the welder and a few tools and get busy...........more to follow.
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Post by joshbaker on May 30, 2012 11:40:26 GMT -5
Can't u just change the outers on the front axle?
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Post by Deleted on May 30, 2012 14:58:52 GMT -5
So....from the looks of things, most of you just BUY your parts......or whatever?? Once this FORD front end is XJ-ready, I'll post a few pics of the mods and build. Got the plan worked out in my head, and it looks good on paper. Time to break out the welder and a few tools and get busy...........more to follow. You underestimate the amount of custom fabrication done around here. Although there hasn't been much lately. Maybe we don't understand what you are asking. The way I see it is this: You have Ford spindles, rotors, and hubs. You have Chevy wheels. You don't want adapter because of cost and added track width. You don't want to buy new wheels. So your option seems to be to source some GM outer shafts, spindles, rotors, brakes, and hubs. I'm not sure exactly what you plan to weld together to make chevy wheels work on a Ford bolt pattern. What bolt pattern is on the rear axle? If they don't match now, then make them match. If they do match now, then it seems silly to change the front BP to match a set of wheels. Come to think of it, it seems silly to do all that work to match a set of wheels. Seems more cost effective to find a set of wheels. It is interesting to hear you can't find some 15" wheels for that bolt pattern. Perhaps it is because of caliper clearance issues. |
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Post by OFBY&4 on May 30, 2012 19:02:07 GMT -5
So....from the looks of things, most of you just BUY your parts......or whatever?? Once this FORD front end is XJ-ready, I'll post a few pics of the mods and build. Got the plan worked out in my head, and it looks good on paper. Time to break out the welder and a few tools and get busy...........more to follow.  Great Scientist' are rarely understood ;D ;D ;D Good luck.......I just bolt my junk on and hope for the best.  |
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Post by joshbaker on May 30, 2012 21:39:59 GMT -5
Hehe. I "bought" Dana 44's that bolt onto an 89 Dakota. Yea ok. Plus how many Dakota you see rolling on sold axles with 37's? Much less try and find any aftermarket lift kits or bumpers or anything at all. Come on man. Give us a break. Your not special. Get off the soap box and read some build threads. Thanks and have a nice day.
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Post by Deleted on May 30, 2012 22:12:32 GMT -5
Come on man. Give us a break. Your not special. Get off the soap box and read some build threads. Thanks and have a nice day. You must be the firey one..... |
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Post by Deleted on May 30, 2012 23:28:20 GMT -5
So....from the looks of things, most of you just BUY your parts......or whatever?? This will get you some help for sure. I gonna fall in the whatever catagory. |
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Post by Deleted on May 31, 2012 7:21:02 GMT -5
You must be the firey one..... Well at least I didn't have to read another post about a Sooper Doodie pulling a sled, or a play by play on a Dakota build up with no pics. Now back to the program. I want to see what is being made to make Chevy wheels work on a Ford bolt pattern, or why there are no inexpensive steel 15" wheels made in that bolt pattern. |
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Post by dyds4x4 on May 31, 2012 9:10:08 GMT -5
Josh, The Dakota SAS w/37s sounds like a fun one to have around. Not a lot of aftermarket support for that rig, for sure. Good on you for locating what you wanted for it.
Just to be clear.....I started this thread to find out what OPINIONS would be out there, and to find out if anybody ever even HEARD of a 15" wheel with the metric Ford pattern. I have had NO luck with that one so far. As you said, Keith....likely due to caliper clearance, however, the 2.5" B/S wheels I already run actually DO clear the brakes well. Leave it to the oval to put a goofy pattern on a truck (who dreamed up the 7-bolt Ford anyway).
So far, the rotors/hub units are converted to 8x6.5, and I've nearly completed building the brackets and spring/trac bar brackets for the front end. The rear is already the GM 8x6.5" pattern...which is what I've run for a few years after I snapped a D35 at Crozet......I have the GM rims and a set of tires already - which is precisely the reason new rims/tires are out of the question. $1600 for new rubber is not in the build budget.
I picked up this Ford axle for a paltry $600, so it seemed worth a shot as a conversion candidate. Up to this point, it's coming together nicely
Soap? I don't need no stinking soap.
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Post by Deleted on May 31, 2012 9:40:05 GMT -5
I don't know why they did the 7 lug thing, but what's even crazier is they are still doing it. You can order a new F150 HD and it comes with a 7 lug bolt pattern.
I think you are doing the correct thing here IMO.
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Post by dyds4x4 on May 31, 2012 10:20:44 GMT -5
Thanks, for the encouragement.
If I had unlimited funding to throw at this thing, I'd have picked up a pair of 60's that would bolt right in. I'd rather build my own axles, though. Keeps me busy! Besides....setting up gears isn't tough if you take your time.
It's amusing, isn't it? Ford has a 6-lug 150, a 7-lug 150 "HD" and the metric 8-lug 2, 3, & 450......re-tooling an entire factory must be cheaper than most believe it to be. I miss the days when the majority of stuff on the road was a 5x5.5 or a 6x6.5, or 8x6.5. Things were much more simple "back in the day".
As for this front end.....it's going to work out. I'm shooting for completion this weekend, but have a few more brackets to fab, so maybe that's an optimistic goal. All said and done.....87 XJ w/5:13 gears, locked front/rear, on 10" lift, with 38s. Call me a nut if you like......should be lots of fun, though. Not to mention fairly unique.
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Post by joshbaker on May 31, 2012 12:54:53 GMT -5
Keith, I didn't know I had to show you pics of every inch of my build. Guess you want to see the PayPal to my builder too hu? Don't worry it will be done soon. And then I'll show it off. And the pooperduty comment was well unnecessary at the least. But thank for the aw inspiring build of another mil trailer. It by far the most hard core thing I have ever seen.
Dyds4x4. I look forward to wheeling with you in our unique 4x4's
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Post by dyds4x4 on May 31, 2012 13:45:14 GMT -5
Josh - I look forward to seeing the Durango. Did you grab the V8 model? Excellent power for a mid-size pickup.
I considered doing a leaf conversion (front) under my XJ to make this axle swap easier (the Ford would have bolted right in with leaf springs under the front), but I like the flex I get with the coils up front.
As for the Ford thing.....pooper duty, super doodie.....those things are definitely geared right for pulling. Best puller I ever had was a 79 F-350 with a flatbed. Empty or pullin a loaded trailer, it never got better than 10mpg, though.
I've been to more than one outing with some of you T4W folks at Crozet & Harold's. There are some capable rigs and drivers in the bunch.
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Post by Deleted on May 31, 2012 14:37:37 GMT -5
Come on man. Give us a break. Your not special. Get off the soap box and read some build threads. Thanks and have a nice day. You must be the firey one..... Or maybe the thin-skinned one? |
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