flipping wheel centers

strange1

strange1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 31, 2005
Location
Elkin
I just got a set of 15x6 factory ford steel wheels (from an early 80's F-150). The centers are riveted to the rim itself, instead of being welded like most of the wheels i have seen. Has anyone on here ever drilled the rivets out, flipped the center, and welded (or bolted) it back in? Looks like an easy and cheap way to gain 1-2 inches of offset. just wondering how hard, and how safe, it will be.

BTW, i know 15x6 is skinny, but I am running 10.50 LTB's and hopefully will be adding weld-on beadlocks later.
 
before... you can see the rivets holding everything together.
SSPX0044.jpg
rivets drilled out, then attacked by my large buddy with a BFH.
SSPX0045.jpg
 
after... I plan to bolt the two pieces back together to line everything back up, then weld, then remove the bolts and weld some more.
SSPX0046.jpg
before and after... looks like a lot more than the 1-1/4" that i actually gained.
SSPX0047.jpg
 
Seems workable to me, especially if it is offroad only. If it sees any street use, make sure everything is well centered and squared, and that the welds are very good.
 
how does this look???

I think this will ensure that everything is centered

SSPX0080.jpg

All welded up, ready for a shot of krylon

SSPX0081.jpg

SSPX0082.jpg
 
By the looks and sound of what you did, you made a set of reverse wheels. If you weld on bead locks you will not be able to mount the tires. Just some FYI
 
Caver Dave said:
Thought about that, but couldn't you put it on in reverse and then flip the front bead over the rim (3 spins on the tire machine instead of 2)?
Click to expand...

thats kinda what i was thinking.
 
paradisePWoffrd said:
the distance between the inside & outside beads are different to the low spot in the wheel. This makes it to where you cant get the tire on it...
Click to expand...

The more i think about this, the less sense it makes to me. I can understand how the location of the "low spot" can make mounting and dismounting tires easier (or more difficult), but i do not see why it would make it impossible. Like 91oneton said, this would make it impossible to get tires on many aftermarket rims. Can you explain what will happen when i try to mount the tires?
 
It is fine until you put the beadlock ring on the outside, then (atleast on a tire machine) it becomes harder to hold the wheel... I used to think that there wasnt a difference until I tried to beadlock a set of reverse wheels...

But I would think Brandon would know, he does run a tire machine....
 
I am using an old changer that doesnt clamp like the new ones, so that shouldn't be an issue.
 
paradisePWoffrd said:
It is fine until you put the beadlock ring on the outside, then (atleast on a tire machine) it becomes harder to hold the wheel... I used to think that there wasnt a difference until I tried to beadlock a set of reverse wheels...

But I would think Brandon would know, he does run a tire machine....
Click to expand...

I did the same thing. I still have the one I welded up as a spare because I could not get the tire over the outside lip. I even took it to a tire shop. Keep us posted as I have yet to talk to anyone that has done it. Not saying it can't be done..
 
89wrangler said:
I did the same thing. I still have the one I welded up as a spare because I could not get the tire over the outside lip. I even took it to a tire shop. Keep us posted as I have yet to talk to anyone that has done it. Not saying it can't be done..
Click to expand...

x2... I could get the tire on the rim, but couldnt get the bead over the outer lip to clamp it... My beadlock turned into a rim stiffener...

good luck with it, and post up your results...
 
paradisePWoffrd said:
x2... I could get the tire on the rim, but couldnt get the bead over the outer lip to clamp it... My beadlock turned into a rim stiffener...
good luck with it, and post up your results...
Click to expand...

There are threads about this on different 4x4 boards. I have read of may people who ended up in that exact situation. The best beadlock for a reverse center wheel is a Staun. Add a rock ring or piece of round bar to protect the lip.
 
Has anyone used a changer of this style?
tire%20machine_phenixcity.jpg

My uncle has one similar to this one, but probably a lot older. I dont see how anything added to the outside of the rim could affect how these machines pull the tire off, or put it on for that matter. I do understand how moving said "low spot" may make it more difficult. but it seems that if it worked before the beadlocks were put on, it should work afterwards.

Anyone willing to loan me one of these wheels you have beadlocked so i can play with it???
 
thanks, that made the arising problems much more clearer. But like someone in that thread asked, if it is that much harder to get that outer bead on there, do i really need a beadlock?

I'm not really that concerned about beadlocks right now, since there is not enough room in my $0 budget for them at the time. But I am still gonna try damn hard to put the tire on from the front side anyway. We'll see.
 
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