What Wheels Should I Run On My Hot Rod?? - Hot Rodding 101
Вставка
- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- When building a traditional hot rod wheels can confuse a lot of first time builders and we often receive emails about what to run on their project. A lot of people get mixed up between the different styles of wheels that Ford used, and do not realize there are so many options!! Matt sits down and walks us through the 3 style of wheels that Ford produced. Each style of wheel have different factory options that can be used to further customize your hot rod. There are also a huge variety of hub caps and trim rings that can be swapped around to change the look of your car. While this isn't every single wheel option for Early Fords this should help you going in the right direction!!
Wanna send us something?
Iron Trap Garage
PO Box 6
New Berlinville, PA
19545
Amazon Wishlist - www.amazon.com...
Matt's Instagram - @irontrap - / irontrap
Mike's Instagram - @mhammsteak - / mhammsteak
Iron Trap Parts Instagram - @irontrapfinds - / irontrapfinds
Iron Trap eBay - www.ebay.com/u...
Email us - irontrapgarage@gmail.com
Get Your Iron Trap Merch Here - irontrapgarage...
I really like this tutorial type of video. I'm an old hot rodder, but never owned an early Ford, so don't have a lot of knowledge about them. Vids like this help people like me, as well as younger guys coming into hot rodding for the first time. Love how your channel has evolved over the years - why else would I get up at 6:00am to watch ?? :)
Matt, Re: 1935 Kelsey Hayes 16" bent spoke wheels.....
The wheels shown on the 5 window appear to be 40 spoke Kelsey Hayes - same as mine. From my understanding : with Kelseys, the spokes which attach to the front of the hub cross over each other as on the wheels you are showing here (in fact, they each cross two spokes - at the rim and at the hub).
However, there are other, very similar, 16" wheels out there made by Motor Wheel Co. which have only 36 spokes where the spokes "do not" cross over at the hub but cross over roughly midway between rim & hub - similar to stock early Ford). The Kelsey Hayes and the Motor Wheel Co. products look almost exactly the same at a glance, apart from the cross over at the hub, and it's easy to mix 'em up without really checking - even when they're sitting right next to each other.
Both, Kelsey Hayes and Motor Wheel Co. 16" bent spokes were aftermarket options for 1935 and were also made in other sizes for other years 18" for 1932 & 17" for 1933/34 - I have seen 18" and 17" but they seem to be rarer than the 16" (or, maybe people just go for the 16" for their hot rods).
So guys, be careful what you're buying. Either KH or MWCo. are great to use but you don't want to be getting 'em mixed up and taking home odd wheels. Count the spokes, check the cross-over at the hub - and also, check out the spoke pattern inside the rim drop centre, if anything is different it will be a different manufacturer's wheel.
As mentioned below, the old photos are great. If you know the providence of them I'd love to watch a Iron Trap you-tube old photos slide show with captions.
Matt, I think a great combo is to theme the hubcaps to match the engine swap. Every hotrodder likes to point out their upgrades. For me that means Mercury caps to highlight a Mercury y-block.
I really like this style of tutorial video. One of these a month would be outstanding. Wheels, tire brands and sizes, v8 flathead differences etc would be cool tutorials. You guys are doing great work.
Thanks Eli!
Oh, also, love the old photos, wish you would keep them on screen longer so we can really notice the details. Keep up the great work!
Maybe they are posted on Instagram or other social media site?
Just pause it so you can see the details. That's what I did to really check out Blackie's car.
This is the sort of instructional info video I search for on vintage Hot Rod equipment often, and rarely find. Comprehensive, inclusive of many minor details, etc. Need much more of this sort. Thanx.
Matt ! Did you know , 52 -67 VW Beetle wheels are like wide 5 Ford and give you different offsets. 45 years ago my brother and i street raced flat head Ford populars or Anglia 1947 ish. We used widened rims with VW centers bolted to our stock Ford rear. That was geared for 16s i think so with fat 13s boy we were fast off the mark!
Outstanding. I just picked up a 32 chevy coupe. Not running but complete. I just got it yesterday and realize its got the wooden chassis. Once i get it washed and see what all i have to work with. This channel will be a great source of information.
older chevy car had wood frame work inside the steel body i was you i replace it with steel frame wook
Speedway also offers an adapter for the wide five. Years ago I cut out the centers of an extra set of wide fives and found that they fit inside of the steel spare wheels from ford explorers. That allowed me to mount radials and greatly improve the ride and handling.
I’ll add more applause for these types of videos (though I enjoy all of them). I grew up in the muscle car era but have been dabbling more in early Ford stuff. It can be overwhelming trying sift through the old publications and sadly a lot of the old hot rodders are fading away. There’s a lot of good info on bulletin boards but these videos really pull it all together.
Hey Matt
Nice video on the wheels.
An addition to the 5x5 1/2, there were some mid 50's Chrysler wheels with this bolt pattern.
The Chrysler rims were 15x7 if I remember correctly and looked like a reversed wheel so they stuck out further than the Ford wheel.
When I was 16 years old I had a set of the Chrysler Wheels on the rear of my 46 Ford coupe with large car tires like a 950-15 with the black side out.
The front tires were 600-16's 4 inch wide rims.
I had a set of longer shackles on the front spring which dropped the nose about two inches.
I joined the U.S. Army when I turned 17 and sold the coupe.
Boy do I wish I still owned that car.
The Ford pattern was only on the Chrysler Imperial model not the New Yorker.
@@williamday6637
Hey Bill
That was my thinking, But I failed to put it in the comment.
Maybe with your reply someone who needs to know will find it.
Thanx
Hi, I am a 1950's, flathead circle burner. Fabricator/builder. This was a great tutorial and if I may will add some of my experience to it.
Great information. Suggestion- early ford brakes and front axles. Maybe even buick, Lincoln brake conversions. Keep these segments coming
Well Matt, I took your suggestion & watched your video.....again(Lol), I have a full set of 35 Ford Kelsey Hayes wheels.... don't want to tell you what I paid for them, the guy just wanted them gone, if I wouldn't have bought them they would have been scrapped....two even have bias ply tires....then I found two more under a shelf in my basement that I forgot about, probably bought those at our local flea market....be safe....God Bless!!!
Sanding 16” Ford spoked rims will give you hand cramps! I just went through it for my project
Thanks Matt, a wheely good video! I really like the look of '40s smoothies, 16" wires are a close second place. You could do a video on tires, axles, steering boxes, channeling, etc. there are so many choices!
My favorite wheel treatment is the steel wheel with baby moons and trim rings. Even did this on my 67 Chevy. Looked great
Later model 15" truck rims with hubcap lugs on the outside. Spider centers, beauty rings and 3 rib trim rings
35 wires with pie cut cheater slicks and beauty rings, smooth hub cap on the rear. Skinny on front!
I have a farm wagon running gear that was clearly made from two 3/4 ton truck front axles turned upside down- one of my 16x5" wides is really rust rotted in the beads but it looks like finding another 5" wide rim ain't easy, I will do the best I can with a torch, hammer and welder. Fortunately it's on a hay rack so it won't see highway speed nor balance issues! I recall the running gear was $25 at a farm auction in the early 80's. :)
A really good tutorial, thanks. Right now I'm running "smoothie" style rims with baby moons and beauty rings. Kind of went with what I ran in the late '60's.
Matt and Mike, excellent video. In addition to the subjects mentioned below. I’d be interested in videos covering shortening a torque tube and its radius rods, when to use and how best to mount split rear radius rods (which Ford rods are best and how the length of the ratio rods affect handling or not), how to convert a banjo rear to open drive using Ford parts, and how to change the gears ratio in a banjo rear end.
In the day we made a wheel lathe from an old brake drum turner. A 1937 rear hub without the drum and studs welded in thru from inside cut out the center of the 36-39 "skeleton" wheels. At the time the best choice for wide rim was Buick, choosing what ever back set was needed. Bare in mind we used these wheels all the way around. Very short life usually. The best available were 16 inch from the 3/4 ton pick up (they were thicker). Went thru many during the day at lo bucks. I have seen in addition to your collection a set (4) 16 inch split rims but they must be very rare.
I lucked out at a swap meet in mesa and found another 3-1/2" wide five. The holy grail.
Awesome!
Love the pic of those hoodlums in the roadster @4:18
To confuse things further, the Model T at 8:45 is wearing Prefect/Popular/Anglia wide 5 wheels which are a smaller PCD than 36-39.
Loved the video today. I think when it comes to wheel/hub cap/trim ring choices more often than not the car speaks to what it wants. Some builds look kick ass on wide 5s. Others on steelies, spoked set ups on others.
A video I'd really really really really love to see would be one on rear axles. Since you've got nearly every axle assembly offered on the early Ford Motor Company cars in your shop right now it makes sense. Early banjo, later banjo, Columbia 2spd units (there are differences between the Ford and Lincoln units) and the early drop in center section rear axles..
Great idea for a video!
Man this was a good video. You just answered many mysteries and questions I’ve had about the different Ford wheels over the years. I’ll remember this episode as a reference to go back and watch over and over. Great content Matt and Mike!
Very nicely done and good info- very good period pictures!
Great series. Very informative. Thanks for what you do. You really help the young up-coming hot-rodders.
I love the look of both style of wheels on a hotrod. I think the pagoda city coupe is a great marriage of both those looks with the lyons caps on the wires.
Thank you ITG!! I really like the 40s smoothie rims. I've been looking at ww2 Willys MB and I think those rims would look boss on an early style hot rod.
101 videos ideas
Flathead types
Carb types
Knobs and badges and things like that maybe even gauges
Also things that could have been different options from factory.... kept or deleted for hot rods
Great ideas!
Painted spoke rims with the small dog dish hub caps. Or painted solid rim with baby moons!
A video tour of the Brookville factory (they make new steel 1932 Fords) would be interesting to Deuce lovers.
I asked permission to visit, and photograph, and the owner said no problem. It was amazing !!!
Really appreciate you sharing your knowledge. A really interesting video.
If I recall "accurately" (not at all a given), installing the 35 Ford Spoke wheels on the Hydraulic brake drums requires an adapter also if you want the wheel to "correctly" engage on the hydraulic drums. That "probably" explains why so many of those wire wheels end up with "wallowed" out lug holes???
The 15" version of the ribbed trim rings (like the 40 Ford used), work really nice on the 8" Vette Rally wheels. The 8" Rally wheel has a "step" in the rim that is normally hidden by the Vette trim ring. Those 15" trim rings tuck perfectly into those steps and look great. I use that combination on my 57 Chevy with the Vette Disc brake center cap. Looks very much like a "reversed" wheel. BTW, those gennie Vette Rally wheels were made by Kelsey Hayes. I think they are still making wheels today!!
Good intell. Matt ! Spent a lot of time and money chasing parts I could not use over the years. (getting better at it ) Thanks , your channel rocks !
Love it man. Been looking forward to seeing a new Hot Rodding 101 .
Morning Matt, great information type video, you answered some questions that I have, I have a set of wire type wheels in the shed, I do know they are 16" or 17". I do like the big n little look, same with the 40 Ford wheel, the brake drum explanation was great too. Keep this type of video coming....I learned something today!!! Be safe, God Bless
Use the truck solids, if you need a smaller rim for the front, weldon a VW outer rim on a couple of wheels. Use the 15s.
Awesome video. I know it’s a bit older but it’s still appreciated!
GREAT VIDEO & EDUCATION!!!!! THANKS FOR SHARING!!!!
Artillery Wheels!!! With pinstripes of course.😄
Hey just found this. Thank you very much for all of this information!!
Glad it was helpful!
@@IronTrapGarage,
Yep! I've a 31' Ford truck chassis and motor. An old unfinished restoration project. The motor has been rebabbitted and it's rolling on steelies, so there's tons of food for thought here for me to wonder what drums the fella went with Etc.. Thinking not a lot of work had been done with all of that, because t still has its mechanical brakes LOL!
I really like the wire wheels, just me. I would like hear a 101 video on flatheads! Difference in years/model's.
We did! Search Hot Rod Engines 101
My favorite would be baby moons and trim rings.
Great info, Matt. Artillery wheels are my fav.👍👍🇦🇺🇦🇺
Great video helps to learn from guys that know so we can find the rite stuff at swap meets keep it up glad to see your motor is getting built looking forward to that build especially the corrective frame and mods u will need
Thank You for this series
great video! I love a black car / truck with black wheels, black wall tires and caps. I'd like a lesson on the various front axles
Great info, thanks for the video.
How about a future tutorial video, installing Buick finned aluminum brake drums on traditional hot rods ?
I really like this video and hope you do many more like this ! It help's lots of us out here that are working or looking for parts to build at some point a early ford hot rod but in a lot of cases we have not even seen some of these parts and if we come across them don't even know what they are so it make it hard like you said you may buy something that is totally wrong for what we are trying to achieve in a build ! Hears a question about artillery wheels some call them. can bent up rim edges be fixed ? This is a very good information that you are given us with your experience on these early ford !
The bent edges are just a matter of how bad. Adjustable wrench and a hammer and dolly can fix minor to moderate lip damage
Ohh please do more of these types of video...
Matt, nice video about the wheels. Would like to see something on reversing hoops and profiles of different hoops, like what centers to use with 15 inch or 16 inch reversed. Thanks.
Good information sharing today on Wheels ... I am guessing there is similar information about GM wheels too for any Ford running GM running gear.
Early Volkswagens use similar clips to the wide 5 wheels. You can buy a special tool to rivet new clips on
Great tip!!
Not a fan of the wide fives reminds of the VW wheels, dig the 40 smoothie wheel, but the 15 inch with moon caps is really the best way to go IMO! ✌🏻🇺🇸
I like Centerlines but got a real good price on Appliance spoke wheels and they look great on my car
Love these tech tip videos.
You can get 14x7 wheels that are 5x51/2 pattern. They came on 57,58 imperials I riveted nubs on to mount the ford centre hubcap.
Use the Kelsey wires on the 34 with fenders. 40s steelies with little caps on a fenderless car.
Very informative!
Thank you Matt.
Yup mat though I was only one thinking the reference 5 wid. Wheel looking like. Vdub
I appreciate the info on the wheels and the guidance on the subject matter. I would have liked to know about what possible Aftermarket wheels would be considered era correct other than the OEM looking ones.. Personal I Really Like the Smooth wheel looks. Simple yet elegant . If you can put together a bit of Information about Chassis setup Frames Rear ends Banjo version other and front axles whats right whats wrong etc . I Would like to see that. Thanks for the advice.
Very cool 🤙 I have 2 sets of 35 wires
Well done, good info
Awesome! Like your video very much!
Hola amigos ,saludos de argentina,veo todos sus videos,muy buenos.
Good info, now I want a jalopy dirt track car
Thanks for the wheel lesson.
Watching you for awhile now... told you before you know your stuff
Excellent video! Thanks much.
My favorite wheels are '50 Mercury with original flat Mercury hubcaps.
Likewise, Thomas! Have decided to stay with my old, original set that are reversed on the rears. Only problem w/ them is
the repop hubcaps are too small, so will have to restore my original caps eventually.
@@robbh.6505 Robb, I ran into that challenge too when putting my '32 together. However, the first repop caps I got fit the original Mercury wheels. The wheels I got were for the smaller repop caps!!!! I wanted different wheels front and back, and ended up with reversed in the rear and narrow in the front. I had to get the smaller caps to fit these wheels. Nothing goes easy when building these rods. Everything is a challenge.
I would love to see a video about brakes, specifically drums, that would have been used. I bought a complete front axle that was on a hot rod before and I'm not sure what I have.
Great review Matt! Thanks
Great video.
I’m building a traditional style early model A roadster, I’d love a set of 18” wires with big and littles for it. Hard to find here as not a lot of ‘32’s were sold in Australia during the depression.
Shiny black smoothie wheels, with no caps
Wide 5 artillery wheels skinny 16" in front 18" in rear.. looks cool on a highboy model a on duece rails..
Would like a video on real world prices on early fords. Thanks
Will be running 3.5" by 17. It's for a franken t thing. Grandpa's choice, he didn't want to give me the 16" powder coated wires with beauty rings that were in the same spot. Made me promise not to run them yellow. I was like "nope, gonna be black".
Matt... What is your preference for size and width for front and back on a hot rod?
Good stuff thanks.
Matt, Ford P/U wheels in 61-63 will except 40-48 hubcaps.
this would have been a great opportunity to lift free t's skirt and show off those wheels.
how about a 101 video on gauges? more stuff that's hot rod generally and less ford specific? nothing at all against fords!
I like those spoke wheels.
sooo I am to assume the only way to put smoothy wheels on my "A" is a 32 or newer axel with 40 or newer drums. but any 32 to 35 spoke wheels will fit my "A" ?
Im fitting 35 wires to me moderl A drums. I believe I need a spacer behind the wheels to tighten onto. But not sure.
Great info. Thanks!
What about the Center Hole size, I have see them cut out with a torch...
Cragars or Centerlines. Maybe Keystones, toss the rest. If you want a Hot Rod lose the excess weight and steel rims are much heavier. Plus unsprung weight makes the car harder to turn less responsive.
I'm trying to decide if I want to run the wide 5 that came on my 37 pickup or go with a 16in spoke
Okay, very informative but I have one stupid question. Are these all tube tires? Thanks in advance!
Yes, other than the later 15 inch wheels from Ford trucks.
Awesome Thanks
A nice set of Foose or Boyd wheels on an early hotrod really set things off…..😁
How dare you !!!!!!! How dare you !!!!!!! Jus' Joshin' .
Haha trying to start a fight! Haha
Matt, love your series and appreciate all that knowledge you share. Question I have is about repair on '40 rims. I've got two that have rust holes around the stem. I think it's repairable but I've read in other forums that I should just pass on the rim because welding up holes isn't suggested. Worst I think will happen is maybe a balance issue. The rims are blasted so I'm at the bottom of the rust and it's solid material. Any recommendations?
I’ve carefully tig welded around valve stem holes and redrilled with success before. Just depends how proficient you are at welding. The balance issue would be minimal
I like 20" Boyd Billet wheels on my hot rods.
Curious about the wide 5 bolt pattern. Early VW used something similar, but they must be different sizes, right?
VW wide - 5 pattern is 5 x 205mm. No idea what the Ford bolt circle is.