by RodStRace Sat Jul 13, 2013 7:35 pmThere seems to be a wheel question at least once a month. So, I decided to go back and gather all my previous posts and info I shared with the mods here and write up a single reference for DODGE VAN WHEEL QUESTIONS!!!!
Please add any more solid info to this thread, but don't post more questions here.
All wheels are 5 lug on 4.5” pattern. The Barracuda/Dart/Valiant cars had 5 on 4". All other similar era Mopar cars shared the 5X4.5" except Imperials.
This bolt pattern is shared with many Ford cars from the 1950s thru the early 80s. The Ford wheels and Dodge wheels had different size center holes, so in some cases they will not bolt up. All aftermarket wheels with this bolt pattern will bolt on because the center hole and pattern will work. If you want to research this more, look for "Hub-centric" and "Lug-centric".
You may ask about offset. The factory wheels were all 0 or zero offset. It's simply the way it was done back when the tires were skinny. Guys would customize wheels by cutting out the centers and switching the rim on the center. These were called Reverse Offset. They were typically an inch offset. Aftermarket wheels could be ordered standard or reverse offset by the late 60s and by the late 70s custom offsets could be ordered.
With the big change to Front Wheel Drive (FWD) cars and modern Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) cars, the offsets tend to be offset outward (positive), giving the wheels a 'flatter' appearance in comparison to the old negative offset 'deep dish' wheels. This has a couple of reasons; less aero drag and suspension design for less tire scrub. Modern wheels with positive offset (like the Bullett Mustang wheels) require a spacer to place the wheel properly for scrub and to avoid hitting steering and suspension parts.
Here's a diagram
http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/infoWheelOffsets.dos
All vans originally came with LEFT hand lug studs and nuts on the left (driver’s) side. These are often broken and changed out for standard right hand parts.
There were 2 different wheels the vans came equipped with originally.
Standard 14”X5.5”
Stock tire sizes 6.95/14 7.75/14 modern equivalents=185/75R14 and 205/75R14
Optional 15”X5.5”
Stock tire sizes 8.15/15 Modern equivalent is BETWEEN 205/75R15 and 215/75R15
When comparing old tire sizes, they had an 80 to 90 profile. Modern tires normally have a shorter profile, as indicated by the “75” in the tire sizes listed. The profile is the percentage of tire height to width. A “75” tire is 75 percent as tall as it is wide. This is why there are no modern tires that are an exact match to the original tires. To get an 80 or 90 series tire, you would have to find a classic tire manufacturer that carried outdated bias ply tires. They would look correct, but be less useful for driving.
There are a few places that sell new wheels, but they are usually not the exact same centers as the vans. The vans have an "early" style which work with the stock hubcaps.
The more common and reproduced later style (1969-1970 and up) that were the first 15X7 had a different center that take a different hub cap. They made another style in the mid 70s too.
Here's a thread on the later stuff.
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php?topic=42379.0
which has this link in it
http://www.classicchambered.com/classic/wheels.html
That should show you the differences
Note that they mention the 2 different size hub caps.
Mopar wheels 1968 & newer accept the smaller Dog-Dish caps (9" OD).
Mopar wheels 1967 & earlier use the larger Dog-Dish caps (10-1/4" OD).
The early style like our vans NEVER came with 15X7. There just weren't any tires that size until the late 60s.
Note that the early ones are highly prized by the nostalgia and super stock racers for the correct look and you will be in competition with guys that have big money!
Also, the 69-71 date coded 15" steel wheels are also sought by the muscle car restorers. 1969 "H" code wheels can go for $500 each and up! They were on the 68.5 six pack "M" code and hemi cars.
There are a couple new makers, but you have to be very careful about the wheels working with your hubcaps again. They are often a strange size, requiring you to buy their caps that don't look the same. Wheel Vintiques, Stockton, and others. Some have good reps, some have had issues over the years. RESEARCH before you buy!
Some places also will build a wheel for you. If you want a 15" wheel wider than 5.5" but still has the early center so you can run original hub caps, you can have them remove original centers and weld them into wider rims. This is not cheap.
There are of course many older wheels out there for you to find. Inspect the lug holes to make sure they weren't run with the lug nuts loose, which tears them up.
Also have the tire shop spin used wheels on the balancer BEFORE installing tires on them. Plenty of them have been bent over the years.
Please add any more solid info to this thread, but don't post more questions here.
All wheels are 5 lug on 4.5” pattern. The Barracuda/Dart/Valiant cars had 5 on 4". All other similar era Mopar cars shared the 5X4.5" except Imperials.
This bolt pattern is shared with many Ford cars from the 1950s thru the early 80s. The Ford wheels and Dodge wheels had different size center holes, so in some cases they will not bolt up. All aftermarket wheels with this bolt pattern will bolt on because the center hole and pattern will work. If you want to research this more, look for "Hub-centric" and "Lug-centric".
You may ask about offset. The factory wheels were all 0 or zero offset. It's simply the way it was done back when the tires were skinny. Guys would customize wheels by cutting out the centers and switching the rim on the center. These were called Reverse Offset. They were typically an inch offset. Aftermarket wheels could be ordered standard or reverse offset by the late 60s and by the late 70s custom offsets could be ordered.
With the big change to Front Wheel Drive (FWD) cars and modern Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) cars, the offsets tend to be offset outward (positive), giving the wheels a 'flatter' appearance in comparison to the old negative offset 'deep dish' wheels. This has a couple of reasons; less aero drag and suspension design for less tire scrub. Modern wheels with positive offset (like the Bullett Mustang wheels) require a spacer to place the wheel properly for scrub and to avoid hitting steering and suspension parts.
Here's a diagram
http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/infoWheelOffsets.dos
All vans originally came with LEFT hand lug studs and nuts on the left (driver’s) side. These are often broken and changed out for standard right hand parts.
There were 2 different wheels the vans came equipped with originally.
Standard 14”X5.5”
Stock tire sizes 6.95/14 7.75/14 modern equivalents=185/75R14 and 205/75R14
Optional 15”X5.5”
Stock tire sizes 8.15/15 Modern equivalent is BETWEEN 205/75R15 and 215/75R15
When comparing old tire sizes, they had an 80 to 90 profile. Modern tires normally have a shorter profile, as indicated by the “75” in the tire sizes listed. The profile is the percentage of tire height to width. A “75” tire is 75 percent as tall as it is wide. This is why there are no modern tires that are an exact match to the original tires. To get an 80 or 90 series tire, you would have to find a classic tire manufacturer that carried outdated bias ply tires. They would look correct, but be less useful for driving.
There are a few places that sell new wheels, but they are usually not the exact same centers as the vans. The vans have an "early" style which work with the stock hubcaps.
The more common and reproduced later style (1969-1970 and up) that were the first 15X7 had a different center that take a different hub cap. They made another style in the mid 70s too.
Here's a thread on the later stuff.
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php?topic=42379.0
which has this link in it
http://www.classicchambered.com/classic/wheels.html
That should show you the differences
Note that they mention the 2 different size hub caps.
Mopar wheels 1968 & newer accept the smaller Dog-Dish caps (9" OD).
Mopar wheels 1967 & earlier use the larger Dog-Dish caps (10-1/4" OD).
The early style like our vans NEVER came with 15X7. There just weren't any tires that size until the late 60s.
Note that the early ones are highly prized by the nostalgia and super stock racers for the correct look and you will be in competition with guys that have big money!
Also, the 69-71 date coded 15" steel wheels are also sought by the muscle car restorers. 1969 "H" code wheels can go for $500 each and up! They were on the 68.5 six pack "M" code and hemi cars.
There are a couple new makers, but you have to be very careful about the wheels working with your hubcaps again. They are often a strange size, requiring you to buy their caps that don't look the same. Wheel Vintiques, Stockton, and others. Some have good reps, some have had issues over the years. RESEARCH before you buy!
Some places also will build a wheel for you. If you want a 15" wheel wider than 5.5" but still has the early center so you can run original hub caps, you can have them remove original centers and weld them into wider rims. This is not cheap.
There are of course many older wheels out there for you to find. Inspect the lug holes to make sure they weren't run with the lug nuts loose, which tears them up.
Also have the tire shop spin used wheels on the balancer BEFORE installing tires on them. Plenty of them have been bent over the years.
