stock wheels no longer fit on rear studs??!!

[americana]

something really strange happened last night. a friend gave me a set of stock alloys with really fresh michelins on them. my michelin 19. 5s on rickson wheels are getting close to the maypop category and i couldn't pass up the free treads as much as i love the 19. 5 setup. i'll go back to the 19. 5s after i wear out the 16's which in my history won't take long.



now to the strange part... . i was going to do the swap last night and to my horror (hey i had to lug those heavy *******s from the basement and back!) the 16's wouldn't go on the rears!! they went on the fronts with no problem. did i mess something up? did the ricksons mess something up?



any info would be appreciated. thanks in advance.

 

[RHARVEY]

Does your truck have drums in the rear and did the alloy come off a truck with disk brakes in the rear????



Disk brake wheels wont fit over the drums. .



The 2001 alloy wheels that I have on my 97... I had to have 50k shaved off the drums to get them to fit. .



Rick

 

[americana]

rick,



to be honest with you i don't know. i've got drums. i got them from a friend of the original owner of the wheels. i can ask.



by the way... . who did you have do the modification.



thanks

 

[Thomas]

"Disk brake wheels won't fit over the drums. . "



The forged aluminum wheels first appeared on model year 2000 Ram 2500's. The first rear disks showed up mid-model-year 2001 (sometimes referred to as 2001. 5).



The forged aluminum wheels used on model years 2000-2002 won't fit 1999 and older rear drums. They fit fine on model years 2000-2001 with rear drums.

 

[RHARVEY]

I had a friend of mine here in Visalia that owns a brake and wheel shop. I had them turn the inside of the drums while they were off also. Here is the results of what they look like on my 97



Rick

 

[americana]

ok.....

thanks, thomas



so do you guys think that if i take the wheels to a good tire/wheel shop they'll be able to do it? or do i need to take them to a machine shop?



thanks again for your help, guys.

 

[RHARVEY]

My buddies have done stuff like this before so it was no big deal. Have you looked to see what is keeping the rims from going on???? I took one of the alloy wheels and tried putting it on and then looked at it from the back. I could see that the drums was the problem. Call a couple of shops that you know of and just ask if they would machine the outer lip of the drums.

Just make sure what is causing the problem before you lay out the cash.

With machining the inside and then also cutting the lip off... it was $90



Rick

 

[americana]

dunno

dunno, rick



i'll have to look. last night all i could tell was that the studs barely/hardly made it to the outside of the wheel. i could put my hand through one of the slots in the wheel and could feel that the wheel wouldn't seat all the way to the drum. i just figured there was something wrong with the studs. i'll check tonight.

 

[RHARVEY]

That is the same way mine was... the studs just barely made it thru the wheel if that.

You will be able to see real quick if its the drum holding the wheel out from the back...



Rick

 

[Thomas]

Threads that discuss model years 2000-2002 OEM forged aluminum rims on pre-model year 2000 Rams:



https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=63152

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=51721

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=50237

https://www.turbodieselregister.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=28677

 

[krs]

You may find that a licensed shop will be reluctant to accept the possible liability involved in altering the brake drums by turning the outer (unstressed) lip.



By the way, both the 1997 and the 2001 service manuals describe the original equiptment aluminum wheels as "cast aluminum drop center wheels", NOT forged wheels (pgs. 22-7 [ '97] and 22-9 ['01] in "tires/wheels chapter)

 

[Thomas]

Aluminum wheels used in model year 2000—from the model year 2000 Parts Catalog:



P/N 5EK53PAKAC 16x7, Cast Aluminum

P/N 5HC75PAKAA 16x7, Cast Aluminum

P/N 5GL88PAKAA 17x8, Cast Aluminum

P/N 52106367AA 16x8, Forged Aluminum



The cast aluminum wheels listed in the parts catalog all have five holes. The forged wheels have eight holes.



Window stickers from model years 2000-2002 Ram 2500's built with aluminum wheels describe the wheels as 'forged'. Sales brochures for model years 2000-2002 Ram trucks describe the wheels as 'forged'.



Aluminum was not available for three-quarter ton Rams in 1997.



I'd be surprised if you find cast aluminum on the Ram 2500's.

 

[krs]

Good news if true as I was somewhat bummed out to find them described in service, for all models, as either steel or cast aluminum. The identical description is contained in the '97 description as mentioned, and each goes on to make cautionary comments about the balancing requirement and alignment equiptment and both are quite a disparity.



The service manuals are not expected to be viewed by consumers?



I wonder that they went to the trouble of creating the sandblasted surface finish that's within the hole cutouts in the wheels. Think they were trying for that "Cast" look?

 

[Un-Hemi]

If you get 1/8" of material removed from the outer diameter of the drums, the wheels will fit. I had it done at the local tire shop for $20. Took one of the wheels with me so we could ensure the fit.

 

[americana]

1/8" i can live with

tommy..... that i can live with. i may just take the time and look into that.



thanks.