Model A with 15s

Has anyone installed 15” Steelies on a stock mechanical Model A drums?
Found a deal on a set with new whitewalls too hard to pass and don’t have the option of trying them on.


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you can't mount steel wheels on the stock mechanical drums without replacing the wheel studs with longer ones .I had to do it on mine

 

Wasn't 49 Merc steelies the thing back in the day??? They were 15's if I remember.

 

Merck’s came with 15 inch tires 49-51 not sure if you can mount on stock A or not

 

I have seen it so I am pretty sure you can. Not sure about spacer etc. The price for these wheels are nuts though.

 

First I assume the bolt pattern on the wheels you are looking at is 5 on 5 1/2? Right? If the pattern is not 5 on 5 1/2 you will need an adapter that also addresses the next problem. Your next problem is that the Model A brake drums are at two levels. You will probably need longer studs and definitely need a spacer. Note that it is a real pain to replace the studs, a task for a good machine shop that has done it before. To the best of my knowledge nobody makes the spacer for the general market. Here is a post where I discuss putting wire wheels on hydraulic brake drums: https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/40-ford-wheels-on-a-model-a.750368/#post-8330045 It is the opposite of what you are doing but the attachments show the problem. To make matters worse the wheels appear to fit unless you are paying careful attention. You won't know there is problem until you find the holes for the lug nuts are cracking or a wheel comes off of the car (hopefully at a low speed).

Charlie Stephens

 

Ford pick-up wheels up through 1996 and Ford vans through 2006 have the same bolt pattern. If you have the original Model A drums, you will need a spacer.

 

What car/truck did the wheels you are looking at come from?

Charlie Stephens

 

Hmm all this makes sense....Looking at the step on my mechanical 31 drums definitely seems a spacer and longer studs would be required.
The wheels I was looking at were on a 31 A truck roadster but converted to 40s style juice brakes.
I will be converting my brakes to juice brakes later down the line eventually but don’t have rollers and the deal was hard to pass. I could meanwhile use as rollers.

Thank you all for the input. Much appreciated.

Leo Loeza


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Replacing the studs with longer ones is a major project best left to a shop that has done it before. If you just need rollers (not on the street) you could probably get by with washers modified with a hack saw and file and accept less than full thread engagement on the studs. If you have (or could borrow) the '40 drums you could install them over the non functional Model A mechanical brakes.

Charlie Stephens