Little UPS trucks use steel 19.5" 8 lug wheels

[Ncostello]

I was eyeballing the UPS truck wheels today on my way out to lunch (much to the amazement of the driver). I noticed they are 19. 5" steel wheels that had 8 lug pattern. Whether it was 6. 5" spacing or not I dont know. I can check it tomorrow.



Anyway this was a small UPS truck and had the single rear wheel unlike the usually dually that comes by at night. I have no idea what chassis is under there. But I think its a gasser. The steel rim reminded me of the plain mopar rim that was used on Dodge cars and trucks for so many years. Wonder who makes it and if it would fit. I'd take some. I'll look closer and see if I can find anything.

 

[n7gxz]

I believe that they are on a Ford chassis, in the past powered by a 300cid 6 cylinder.



Kevin

 

[Ncostello]

That sounds right. I know the night truck has a T444E "powerstroke". The FedEx truck uses a 5. 9 Cummins. I might go by the UPS hub and see if they got any junk trucks or spare tire/wheels laying around

 

[Bertram65]

Older GM postal trucks the small box trucks with DRW and the 6. 2L engines have 19. 5" wheels that should bolt right on to the DRW Dodge trucks. I know a couple guys who bought them at auction, one has a set sitting at his shop, they look pretty narrow though maybe 6".

 

[XJSuperman]

I have heard that UPS has some sort of patent or something on their trucks... and they don't let the parts go at all. When the truck is 'decommissioned' it is destroyed/recycled.

Again I have only HEARD this and am not 100% sure if it;s true.

 

[GOTSOOT]

UPS TRUCKS

You will never see a UPS truck in a junk yard or anywhere else, except in pieces on its way to be recycled!!!:--)

 

[HEMI®Dart]

I was a casual package car driver for a few months during the Christmas season in '97. The truck I had ( It was a BIG one) was a gasser converted to Natural Gas. A gutless pig that drank the gas. Had to shut if off at every stop or I would run out of fuel before I got back. I ran out once.

 

[Ncostello]

Well surely they didn't patent the 19. 5" wheel! Somebody like Accuride or Firestone must make it and have lots of em. Now hopefully they not "only to be sold to UPS".

 

[jwinnie]

You know your a Diesel Head when:

The Fedex and UPS drivers catch you crawling all over their trucks!! :-laf :-laf

 

[Bertram65]

I was refereing to US Postal trucks in my post not United Parcel Service (UPS) trucks. I know two guys with them, they both have 19. 5" wheels with the same pattern as the Dodge DRW trucks.

 

[XJSuperman]

Another possibility for the 19. 5" wheels. I am not sure if they are 19. 5". . but what about fed-ex trucks? I have a friend who works as a delivery driver for fed-ex. I have not been close enough to his truck to check BUT it has wheels similar to the UPS and/or postal service trucks.

He had to buy his own truck. . as I think most fed-ex delivery drivers do... SO the parts resources for these trucks HAVE to be available to the public since the public has to purchase his/her own delivery truck to work for them.



It;s just a possibility BUT may be worth a look.

 

[DarrellB]

UPS actually has all there retired and salvage trucks painted before they are torn down. Once painted in a different color they are then cut up and sold for scrap.



FedEx on the other hand will run about anything as long as it's privately owned.



DB

 

[krs]

The wheels on the USPS trucks that Bertram65 is speaking of should be available through any GM truck outlet. The truck is just a Chevy P30 chassis although the postal service calls them 2 1/2 ton trucks. And yes, they' fit the Dodge pattern. They're duellys.

 

[Ncostello]

This UPS truck is not that big but looks like a typical one. Its a SRW chassis and not the dual rear wheel. The tires are 245/70R-19. 5. Hardly any tread.



The truck is 17 years old and has 775,000 miles on it. Its based on a GM chassis and has a 6cyl gas. It gets 8 mpg and won't go over 50mph with a head wind. The driver uses ear plugs cause the noise level is deafening. The dash tag said General Motors so I assume chevrolet? It has no power steering. They installed a smaller steering wheel cause the original didn't allow room for your hand when you steered past the glass windshield. The park brake lever is 2" from your knee so if you get hit head on your leg is coming off below the knee. The seat is finally padded after 10 years of a 90 degree vinyl covered piece of plywood.



And it has had the front wheel come off twice for some reason... not lug bolt related. And the union had to file a grevience to get a sunvisor. Drivers are not allowed to use their own equipment to improve anything about the truck.



Anyway... he's gonna check on where I can get some wheels. Apparently they keep alot of spare parts and he knows they have wheels. Maybe I can buy some.

 

[Cousin Billy]

ups wheels

After a LOT of research several years ago and before I bought my Rickson 19. 5's, here is what I learned. UPS truck wheels are typically 6 or 6. 5 inches wide, good for up to 245 tires. The problem is this. The wheel needs to be hub centered over our hubs. GM hubs(UPS) are 4. 55", our Dodge hubs are 4. 77" and a Ford hub is 4. 88". There are no direct bolt up wheels with the Dodge hub diameter hole anywhere, except from Rickson or getting them custom made. All of the above are available in 8 on 6. 5" bolt pattern.

I bought my Rickson's used and saved "some" money.

Except for being heavy (about 145 lbs each with a 265 tire) and adding unsprung weight, I absoluetly love em.



Good luck, Cousin Billy

 

[NVR FNSH]

I bought a set of used Rickson's w/o tires for $150 - too bad they didn't fit my '00 and I had to give them to my dad for his '96. He then found a set of Goodyear's for ~$170 each.



Anybody got a set of Rickson's for my '00?



Brian

 

[Ncostello]

Well Cousin Billy... you kinda solved this issue. Guess it was worth a try anyway. Kinda forgot my wheels were hub centered. I've only had them on/off twice and forgot about that important detail. Thanks for that info.

 

[Cousin Billy]

Neil,



I'm glad I was finally able to help someone else on this issue. Since at one time, I spent MANY hours looking into it. That includes strange looks from ups drivers when I used calipers on their hubs when they stopped.



Good luck,

Cousin Billy

 

[krs]

"The problem is this. The wheel needs to be hub centered over our hubs"



This isn't such a problem. Hub centering rings are a common thing for some applications. I got a set of them with new Mickey Thomson wheels for a GMC truck I used to own because those wheels were a "one size fits all" deal, and I know that the Tire Rack carries them in various sizes, or used to. Many wheel centers can be turned out larger if need be. Where there's a will there's a way, ask your tire dealer about centering rings.

 

[rdrose]

ups wheels 19.5

i found a set of these rim's at the junk yard. i bought them for a 100. 00 and they had two almost new tires, the other two had nothing but the guy did throw in a recap goodyear that looks almost new. this is a nice spare in a pinch. the wheels are ups because they have the nice painted ring of silver around the edge of the rim. they are 19. 5" and 6" wide rims. the 245/70 also gave them away. i don't know how they got there and don't care but the centers on my 97 are a perfect match to these rims no problems.