Ford Spoke Wheels

[joltesvig]

My Model A has been converted many years ago to hydraulic brakes. The tires have the same rolling radius as the original wheels but the rims are smaller in diameter I think. The benefit I think is to get a slightly softer ride from the slightly "fatter" tire. Does anyone know what year Ford vehicle these spoke wheels came from. Someone told me the hydraulic brakes are from a 39 Ford but did Ford make a spoke wheel in 1939. What was the last year for Ford spoke wheels for use with a hydraulic brake system?

[Terry, NJ]

28-29 wheels are 21"
30-31 wheels are 19"
32 (33 ?) wheels are 18"
34 wheels are 17"
35 wheels are 16"
What wheels do you have? Look at the tire size (4.75/5.00 19, 6.00 16) and that will tell you the rim size.
Terry

[FL&WVMIKE]

Originally Posted by joltesvig

My Model A has been converted many years ago to hydraulic brakes. The tires have the same rolling radius as the original wheels but the rims are smaller in diameter I think. The benefit I think is to get a slightly softer ride from the slightly "fatter" tire. Does anyone know what year Ford vehicle these spoke wheels came from. Someone told me the hydraulic brakes are from a 39 Ford but did Ford make a spoke wheel in 1939. What was the last year for Ford spoke wheels for use with a hydraulic brake system?

joltesvig ....................
Ford did not use hydraulic brakes until after the spoke wheels. The last year for spoke wheels was 1935. They started their hydraulic brakes in 1939.
MIKE

[joltesvig]

Thanks Terry! My tires say "6.0 x 16" so I have 16 wheels and therefore 35 Ford wheels and hydraulic brakes installed...is that right?

[joltesvig]

Hi Mike,
What I glean is that, since I have 6 x 16 inch tire in it then I have 16 inch rims. These 16 inch rims are spoke rims so but you say there were no spoke rims by Ford so do you have any ideas where these 16 inch spoke rims came from?

[Keith True]

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What Mike is telling you is Ford made and used spoke wheels through 35,then went to disc type wheels.The hydraulic brakes came out in 39,so spoked wheels were not used by the factory on cars with hydraulic brakes.Folks did put the 39 style hydraulics on the earlier cars,and used the spokes,as in your car,but it was not done by the factory.

[Randy in ca]

You should try to determine what year of brake drums you are using for sure (post some pictures?). The spoked rims shouldn't be used on the later hydraulic drums without using a spacer, if indeed you don't already have the spacers.

[van Dyck]

The '39 Ford hubs(drums) had a 10 1/4" bolt circle - the '35 Ford wire wheels had a 5 1/2" bolt circle. The appropriate hubs(drums) come from the '40 to '48 ford cars or pickups. A special spacer is required to allow the '35 (or '32 to '35) wires to correctly seat against the '40 to '48 hubs. Be sure to use them.

[QGolden]

Originally Posted by Terry, NJ

28-29 wheels are 21"
30-31 wheels are 19"
32 (33 ?) wheels are 18"
34 wheels are 17"
35 wheels are 16"
What wheels do you have? Look at the tire size (4.75/5.00 19, 6.00 16) and that will tell you the rim size.
Terry

Good list, the '33 and '34 wheels were 17's

[Charlie Stephens]

Originally Posted by van Dyck

The '39 Ford hubs(drums) had a 10 1/4" bolt circle - the '35 Ford wire wheels had a 5 1/2" bolt circle. The appropriate hubs(drums) come from the '40 to '48 ford cars or pickups. A special spacer is required to allow the '35 (or '32 to '35) wires to correctly seat against the '40 to '48 hubs. Be sure to use them.

Actually the spacer is required for '28 to '35 wire wheels when using the '40 to '48 Ford drums and hubs. I am not sure about the AR wheels.

Charlie Stephens

[SkimmerBob]

I think Joltesvig is under the assumption that the brakes & rims are from the same "donor" car like a matched set.

[Model A Speedster]

More then likely your Hydraulic brake upgrade is from something in the '40-'48 range, some say '39-'48, but i was always under the assumption '39s had Mechanicals still. But thats another debate.
This conversion is pretty straight forward and rather simple as far as making things fit goes, and therefore is a very common brake swap. A few minor differences on drums and backing plates through the years but relatively the same stuff.
With this conversion the Ford drums have a 5 on 5 1/2 bolt pattern. Same as a model "A"! Same as all big Ford bolt pattern stuff up until the metric age. With the exception of the '36-'39 "Wide 5" stuff.
With that said, your wheels did not come off whatever these brakes did. Ford 16s had straight spokes, and Kelsey Hayes had "bent" spokes. Bent meaning where the spokes go into the rims they curve. Kinda like bending your finger. Make sense?

[1931 flamingo]

Speedster: I've always been taught/informed that 39 was first ford hydraulic. I'm thinking 36,37,38 had cable operated mechanicals. The cables fool some people as they appear to be hyd lines. FWIW
Paul in CT

[midgetracer]

39 was the first hydraulic brake for Ford, but they used the wide 5 bolt pattern, thus the 40-48 brakes used for hydraulic conversion when using Ford or aftermarket wire wheels 21 to 16 inch rims.

[Dave Mellor NJ]

39s were hydraulic and are sometimes used to retro fit the 36-38s into hydraulic. You have to take the 39 pedals with you to activate the master cylinder. 36s still had the rods while 37 and 38 had the cables.

[Model A Speedster]

I do know that with this conversion you need to use a support ring in the center of the hubs if you desire the use of wire wheels of any sort on the the hydraulic drums, otherwise the wheels will crack in the lugnut area.