Is this possible? Did a search but only found one post that alluded to it being possible. The 14B bible didn't have any hints in that regard.

Got a small fortune in wheels and the front axle, would like to keep 5 on 5.5" if at all possible.

TIA

r@m

I think you can always get custom adapters from Spidertrax and other vendors. Check for spacer adapters from 8 lug to 5.5.

Gui

Thanks for the idea - I'm trying yo keep the width down though (C&C 14b).

r@m

seems to me a 5.5" circle on a 14FF hub is pretty tight.

sell the wheels, adapt the front end to 8 lug

Then get custom shafts built, that is the only way, or use a C+C 14 bolt like mine in the 64" wms range.

Gui

there was this otherguy off of another board that did this and i dont think he ran adapters. you can weld in the old bolt holes and drill another pattern, and you could probably have the OD of the hub turned down alittle, but you are going to have to openup the ID of the rims center to get them to fit.

I would suggest the same, sell the wheels and do it right. Do you alreday have the 14 bolt, or just want one? If you are keen on preserving the 5.5, just get a Ford 9 inch and be pretty close strength wise.

Gui

Then get custom shafts built, that is the only way, or use a C+C 14 bolt like mine in the 64" wms range.

Gui
Yes, that's what I mean. I want to be in the 63-65" range since that is already 4-5" wider than I'd prefer.

Was hoping to start with a C&C at around 63.5" in and not get any wider...

Thanks.

r@m

there was this otherguy off of another board that did this and i dont think he ran adapters. you can weld in the old bolt holes and drill another pattern, and you could probably have the OD of the hub turned down alittle, but you are going to have to openup the ID of the rims center to get them to fit.
Do you remeber what BB that was at so I can go search?

Thanks.

r@m

Is the 9" a FF axle? Sorry, dunno nutin about ferds.

r@m

Gradys sells 5x5.5 hubs for the 14b, if you search on here you'll find a link.

Or you could have the machine work done to turn down the hub and redrill, I haven't seen this done for a 14b hub, but it can be done on d60 fronts, so I'd venture to say it could be done for a 14b, though until someone does it I can't be certain.

Hey, thanks...search in progress (maybe I'll have better luck this time?).

r@m

I'm in the process of doing this in the near future. It has been done before, extensive machine work to the hubs. There were a few threads on here about a year ago, but I can't find them either. It is alot of work but cheaper than converting to 8 lug. :flipoff2:

I managed to find the threads once I got a half decent search term (Thanks JJ).

Grady''s off-road does "turn key":

http://www.gradysoffroad.com/parts/parts.html

And it looks like Scott E has done the machine work method for 6 on 5.5". I'm thinking I'll go that route if I can get the hubs turned down by my b-in-law.

From what I read (quickly - revisit for confirmation) there should be no need to turn down the wheel.

r@m

Is he set on keeping it FF? He could always convert it to Semi Fload and go with custom shafts? A thought. :D

-RJ

I managed to find the threads once I got a half decent search term (Thanks JJ).

Grady''s off-road does "turn key":

http://www.gradysoffroad.com/parts/parts.html

And it looks like Scott E has done the machine work method for 6 on 5.5". I'm thinking I'll go that route if I can get the hubs turned down by my b-in-law.

From what I read (quickly - revisit for confirmation) there should be no need to turn down the wheel.

r@m
I'm pretty sure that due to the method of measuring the 5.5 portion of lug spacing your 5 x 5.5 will have a smaller pattern than a 6 x 5.5

but I've been known to be wrong before. :flipoff2:

I specifically remember a thread where the guy took stock hubs, machine down the diameter, filled the original holes, drilled new ones on a 5.5 circle. if you want to be able to take the wheels off with out taking off the axle shaft then the shaft has to be turned down a little and then use allen head bolts.

the inside diameter will need to be whatever stock toyotas have, i think cj, ford, and aftermarket 5 on 5.5 wheel will be big enough.

I did this exact thing to my 14 bolt. It is a tight fit to get it to work and mine turns 44's. What I did was I took the hub off and had it turned down to 4.24 and had the hub dia. raised to 4.25 about an inch away from the WMS. This provides a nice close fit just incase there is any deflection of the studs. You will also have to turn the axle flanges down to 4.25 and use socket head bolts as the stock hex bolt heads are too large for the 5 - lug wheel to slide on. I had to turn these down a bit too. I wanted disc brakes, so I tapped 7 of the 8 lug holes out to 11/16 fine thread, You'll need to use socket head bolts as the clearance is again tight. I had to plug one of the 8-lug holes. Because one of the 5-lugs ends up perfectly centered in it kinda half and half so to say. I put a wheel that I was going to use on the newly turned down hub, used some paper to shim it real tight so it was nice and centered, used a 5/8 transfer punch to mark where the new studs would be. I predrilled the holes and double and tripple checked everything. I drilled them out so I could tap them to 1/2 - 20 thread. Took some grade 8 bolts, threaded them on down, cut the heads off and put them in. I tack welded the backsides of the studs on the hub just to be sure. Be carefull as after the 1' think flange the threads kinda get half in and half out of the hub material. tap and drill them slowely when you reach this point so that they stay straight. I can take some pics of the finished product if you want. I did this to save some money as I had 3 sets of 5 - lug wheels. i will eventually change them out to standard 8 lug stuff once i can go bigger then 44 cause although they have done really well, I just don't trust 5 lugs to turn 47's or 48's or anything bigger than a 44, and thats pushing it as far as I'm concerned. If you need pics let me know.

If you want to know about my disc brakes this is what I done:
I used 79 F-250 front rotors, they had a little more offset then the chevy units to get my calipers out a little more so I'd have less grinding, I run 15" wheels. I used the drum brake backing plate, turned it around and cut and put in mounting tabs for a standard GM caliper. The full circle backing plate also acts like a skid plate for the rotor. I did have to redrill the 4 holes on the backing plate to get the caliper in correct position so I could use the easiest section of the plate to put the caliper.

Hope all this info helps. If you need pics of this I can get them up this weekend as I'll have it apart putting in a spool so I could get some good pics of most everything.

I'm pretty sure that due to the method of measuring the 5.5 portion of lug spacing your 5 x 5.5 will have a smaller pattern than a 6 x 5.5

but I've been known to be wrong before. :flipoff2:

Well you're wrong again. :flipoff2:

The bolt circle is 5.5" on center. The method of measuring differs because you can't measure from one lug to another on a five lug and have your measurement go directly across the center of the circle. It has nothing to do with the size of the pattern.

Draw two circles with a diameter of 5.5". Put five dots 72° apart on one and six dots 60° apart on the other. Same thing as the difference in lug patterns.

I did this exact thing to my 14 bolt. It is a tight fit to get it to work and mine turns 44's. What I did was I took the hub off and had it turned down to 4.24 and had the hub dia. raised to 4.25 about an inch away from the WMS. This provides a nice close fit just incase there is any deflection of the studs. You will also have to turn the axle flanges down to 4.25 and use socket head bolts as the stock hex bolt heads are too large for the 5 - lug wheel to slide on. I had to turn these down a bit too. I wanted disc brakes, so I tapped 7 of the 8 lug holes out to 11/16 fine thread, You'll need to use socket head bolts as the clearance is again tight. I had to plug one of the 8-lug holes. Because one of the 5-lugs ends up perfectly centered in it kinda half and half so to say. I put a wheel that I was going to use on the newly turned down hub, used some paper to shim it real tight so it was nice and centered, used a 5/8 transfer punch to mark where the new studs would be. I predrilled the holes and double and tripple checked everything. I drilled them out so I could tap them to 1/2 - 20 thread. Took some grade 8 bolts, threaded them on down, cut the heads off and put them in. I tack welded the backsides of the studs on the hub just to be sure. Be carefull as after the 1' think flange the threads kinda get half in and half out of the hub material. tap and drill them slowely when you reach this point so that they stay straight. I can take some pics of the finished product if you want. I did this to save some money as I had 3 sets of 5 - lug wheels. i will eventually change them out to standard 8 lug stuff once i can go bigger then 44 cause although they have done really well, I just don't trust 5 lugs to turn 47's or 48's or anything bigger than a 44, and thats pushing it as far as I'm concerned. If you need pics let me know.

If you want to know about my disc brakes this is what I done:
I used 79 F-250 front rotors, they had a little more offset then the chevy units to get my calipers out a little more so I'd have less grinding, I run 15" wheels. I used the drum brake backing plate, turned it around and cut and put in mounting tabs for a standard GM caliper. The full circle backing plate also acts like a skid plate for the rotor. I did have to redrill the 4 holes on the backing plate to get the caliper in correct position so I could use the easiest section of the plate to put the caliper.

Hope all this info helps. If you need pics of this I can get them up this weekend as I'll have it apart putting in a spool so I could get some good pics of most everything.
you where the one i was reffering to. hard to forget the Ford runnin on airbags and 44s with a half ton bolt pattern.

After re-reading it I figured I may be the one. I don't visit this site all that much anymore but maybe I should get back into it. Maybe I helped someone this time.

Thanks for this post - most helpful! Pictures would be appreciated if it isn't too much bother.

My plan only involves weenie 35-36" tires so from my perspective a five bolt pattern is fine and I can use a lot of the parts I already have lying around.

Thanks!

r@m

I would rethink running a 14b with 36" tires, it will get hung up on everything. I run 38.5's and mine is shaved a fair amount (not the ring gear, yet) and I get hung up alot.

i didn't get to put the spool in but i got these pics. maybe they'll help. I used to have build pics but they are nowhere to be found.

http://www.claycounty4x4.com/images/P10104.JPG

http://www.claycounty4x4.com/images/P1010005.JPG

http://www.claycounty4x4.com/images/P10106.JPG