6 lug to 5 lug wheel adapters

[par4tom]

Anyone used these before? Any problems?

I have original 61 Apache with 6 lug and would like to use 5 lug due to more wheel variations being available.

Any thoughts?
T

[slepysal]

I have a set of four. The problem I ran into was that they are a two peice adapter they are thick... about 2" and they push out the wheels.
This is ok in the front but not in the rear, at least for me. I wound up swaping the whole rear end out, on my 1960.
Another thing to keep in mind is that they are not cheap, and they use 12mmx 1.5 lug nuts.
If you want some I will sell them to you or anyone else who is interested in them for $25.00 ea.

[markeb01]

I'm not a fan of adapters. If used in daily service I'm concerned they are a safety issue. After I swapped front suspension to disc brakes, I carried one adapter around for a year or so until I had my rear axle redrilled to 5 lug. The type I used had a weird offset stud for one lug since one from the 6 lug pattern overlaps with the 5 lug pattern. It had to be screwed on by hand before the adapter and would have been somewhat difficult in the field. After the axle was repatterned I took the adapters to the aluminum recycler as I didn't want to be responsible if I gave them on to someone else and there was a failure.

[slepysal]

good point Mark As I am not a big fan either I guess I'll scrap mine too.

[par4tom]

If the adapters are a "No-Go", then can you direct me to some suppliers who make the 18" to 22" 6 lug wheels? I'm not impressed with what I have found so far.

T

[McCoyAZ]

GOOGLE is your friend

[slepysal]

It depends on what "look" you are after.......... Bling, classic hot rod, wire wheels, foose, stealies..... etc

[T Smith]

I used to feel negatively about adapters and spacers even though I ran them for years on a Plymouth to clear the huge fins on the front brake drums. I've seen PROPER adapters stand up to extreme abuse in autocross, road course, and off road rock crawling. I wouldn't hesitate to use them but you're gonna have to overcome the spacing issue with a strange offset wheel so I don't see the point, there are tons of 6 lug wheels out there.

[kieth]

Originally Posted by par4tom

Anyone used these before? Any problems?

I have original 61 Apache with 6 lug and would like to use 5 lug due to more wheel variations being available.

Any thoughts?
T

IF YOU ARE GOING TO DO DISC BRAKES, JUST GET A DONOR FRONT END FROM A 73-87 PICKUP OR A 73 TO 91 BURBAN.......YOU WILL GET 5 LUGS PLUS DISC BRAKES AND IT WILL COST CLOSE TO THE SAME AS THE ADAPTERS. JUST DRILL THE REAR AXLE SHAFTS TO A 5 LUG PATTERN AND TURN THE INNER HUBS DOWN. ONLY COST ME $100.00 ... AND IT WORKS GREAT......SPEND LESS GET MORE......KIETH

FRONT CROSSMEMBER:
http://kieth.smugmug.com/Trucks/66-G...5105&k=KcdBpWR

REAR AXLES DRILLED OUT:
http://kieth.smugmug.com/Trucks/66-G...Rfcq&lb=1&s=X2

[slepysal]

As Kieth said you can do the swap , or get some new spindles available in stock or droped hieght. The spindles will let you keep the torssion bars if you like them ( I do) and let you add disc brakes. You can get 6 or 5 lug rotors.
As for the redrilling of the axles, great idea if you like your gear ratio that you have. 60-62 rear end parts are not easy to come buy and have limited gear ratios available.
My rear end was damaged so I swaped it out to a 70' C10 rear end with 3.73, I got it with 5 lug axles in it and the po ( my Brother in law) gave me the 6 lug axles too.
Lot's of choices to do what you want, only limited by your budget