Vintage Caravan Wheels

[Deleted]

Hi All
Found this info elsewhere on another forum.
Some useful stuff here when converting old imperial tyre info to modern day metric tyre info..
Rolling diameters etc..

www.carbibles.com/tyre_size_calculators.html

Regards
Reddo

[LinPet]

We recently changed our 13" for 14" - it's just the same stud pattern the tyre places refer to as HT (not what car they came off, but have read that Torana 13" had HT pattern), you can buy 13" or 14" in both HT and HR stud patterns - that's what the tyre place told us anyway. They said that most caravans and trailers used to be made with the HT pattern.

[kaybee]

Hi Linda, HT does refer to what they came off , there were 3 Holden series that used that same bolt pattern wheel in 14",they were HK,HT,and HG......seems odd for the tyre service to single one of the series out as the definitive wheel,but maybe they didn't know any different . That bolt pattern started in late '56 in the FE ,continued right through FC,FB,EK,EJ,EH,HD, and HR ( which is what you're wheels are).....these were all 13" and then in HK they went to 14" until they finished with the HG.....6 cylinder early Torana's had the same bolt pattern but different offsets and visual styling......

One thing you will need to check on your van ,if they fitted HT wheels and used the wheelnuts you had on before , make them get you the right ones for the wheels. HT and HG used a different taper where they bear on the wheels, if you use the wrong ones for any length of time,the holes will flog out and you'll lose a wheel......messes up your day a bit...... ,cheers.....Col.

[LinPet]

Hi Col, sorry for clogging up this for sale post with all this - but now I have to check -

We had new 14" HT pattern brake drums fitted (as went from hydraulic to electric brakes and 13" apparently don't fit for elec brakes), and took old rim to tyre place - he measured with special instrument and declared them HT pattern, so we knew what we had to sell - and he had in stock 14" HT stud pattern ROH steel trailer rims brand new (said he kept 13 & 14" HT in stock as was the most common stud pattern used for years on trailers and caravans, if we wanted other stud pattern, we would have to order in and wait 3 days) - but basically, these new rims are made especially for caravans, not a vehicle. For some reason, the manufacturers just refer to them as HT rims and the offset was good, so we went with them.

Anyway - your comment about the wheel nuts is what concerns me - yes we used the old ones - should we get them checked? don't want the wheels to fall off

[kaybee]

Hi Linda, no need to apologise....it's your thread after all ;D....but yes , the early nuts are different and not many people notice it because the thread size is the same, so they just do the nuts up and send folks on their way. The right nuts are easy enough to get , all HT-HG and the later HQ nuts are the same and are usually what you'll find at most parts stores and trailer suppliers. I'll see if I can find one of each ( after lunch ) and get a decent pic on here so you know what to look for ,cheers, Col.

[LinPet]

oops, just went and checked the wheels, and looks like hubby did put new nuts on (they are quite shiny) - OK - I am blond - I have a valid excuse..... ;D ;D (But he did keep the old ones!!)

PS: this isn't actually my thread - but at least we are keeping it at the top for them

[kaybee]

Jan 1, 2012 11:37:32 GMT 10 LinPet said:

PS: this isn't actually my thread - but at least we are keeping it at the top for them

oh yeah....oops! ;D

....I thought I'd still do the pics anyway since this little drama pops up from time to time.....



....the one on the left is the HT/G and HQ and later.....other one is the FE-HK nut.....you need to have a good look at the difference in the tapers ...



...that little wedge between the two shows the difference in angles



....when you butt them up to each other like this the centerlines don't match, if you do this to the nuts when they're matched the centerlines are parallel. This only highlights mixed up nut sets ,you still have to look closely to make sure you have the right ones for the right wheels........basically the pointy ones are the later nuts,the wider,flatter ones are the HK and earlier. Hope this saves someone from some grief on the roadside....cheers, Col.

[Deleted]

Yo....
Just thought i would add a bit more to this thread.
I have just fitted HR disc brakes to my early holden panelvan. The standard FE to HR rims that fit drum braked cars wont fit the HR disc brake front ends. Holden produced a seperate rim to suit Hr Holden diosc braked front ends.
These rims have a slightly different offset ( outwards ) to clear the brake caliper. Also the "wedge"shape between each stud hole is different on the HR rim to suit disc brakes. It is more of a rectangle than a wedge shape.
It may be possible to use these rims with your electric brakes ( if you wanted to stay with 13"wheels that is??)
Easily identified by a single 1/8th inch hole drilled between 2 of the 5 stud holes.


Another issue with the after market R.O.H 13 "rims is they dont have a lip on the "bump" that holds the hubcap on. So can be difficult making the caps stay in place. They look very similar to Holden rims ...with the bumps ... but no lip for the cap.

Not sure wether the 14"rims have a lip on the bump .

I paid $30 each for the 2 HR rims to suit disc brakes.. both had good tyres on them.. but $60 is still cheap to get something that works with the brakes .

Hope this helps.. probably just confused the issue.

Regards

Reddo..

[aquamum]

Here are some pics of the Wheels, Tyres & Dress Rims on my 1959 Bondwood Supalite

Wheels are 14 “ Tyres are RD-229's P185 / 75R 14" 89H

I think the wheels are:

Holden HK, HG, HG?



Dress Rim “unidentified”



Dress Rim HK, HT, HG?

[neilncheryl]

the unidentified wheel trim looks like ZB Fairlane (1968/69)

[kaybee]

Hi ,they are HT/HG wheels ,the Holden cap with the black center is HK, HT has a white center and HG had red....but they all interchange, cheers....

[carapark]

Nov 2, 2011 14:23:31 GMT 10 carapark said:

Here is the wheel

Well, after a lot of looking around wreckers, tyre places, garages etc

I finally walked into a tyre place and was told my wheels (which it turns out had 5.50 x 15 inch tyres) are Vauxhall possibly early E series.

I was directed to a Workshop in Penrith that used to work on older Vauxhalls

Anyhow, long story short , later that day I had 2 spares

Just need some new tyres now, NEED ADVISE & OPINIONS, do I go crossply (still available from Antique Tyres in 5.60 x 15) or an equivelant radial tyre

Gary

[kaybee]

G'day Gary ,your van will behave best with crossplies. Radials tend to roll sideways in the walls a lot more than crossplies , and that's one of the things that starts the sways in a 'van....which ain't good!

[cobber]

Lucky you Gary ,

I'm still looking for a 16'' 5 stud with a PCD of 6 inches.

So are you saying Vauxhall had a 6 inch PCD ?

Cobber.

[DC3Td]

This easy reference for those looking at

gordon

[cobber]

This here is the wheel on the 1930s “Windmill” Caravan.

Wheels on each side look the same....... six stud with a PCD of 5.5 inch with 5.25 X 16 inch tyres fitted to them.

But the grease cap on the hubs are different.... one has “Chevrolet” on it.....the other one has what looks like a vertical wheel with wings either side of the wheel.

Who can tell me if....... the wheels are Chev. ....or not...... and what vintage they are ?
And what is the winged wheel emblem all about.



The winged wheel emblem.


And again.


Chevrolet on other hub.



Cobber

[griffin]

Hi Cobber

I had a good look at your wheels in Cowra and have no idea what they are but I'm 100% certain they aren't Vauxhall and almost as certain they aren't Chev.

With the central bar and stud for securing the hub cap I'd say they are British, I can't recall ever seeing a US make using this method. I'd also say they are pre war as the centre locking seemed to fall from favour then, on Vauxhalls as late as 1938 and then the Big Six had caps that had fake centre screws

I think most makes, including Chevs, moved from wire wheels to the easy clean style around 1936-7. The Chev roadster in the Holden collection at Canowindra we saw during the nationals was about a '38 model I think and a pic of its wheel follows.

The winged wheel emblem I feel I know but can't place a name to it, Austin used it but they only had horizontal wings to my knowledge, like the AA and NRMA badges, and not the curved style. It might come to me, maybe someone else knows and will save me the brain strain I'm sure lots of grease caps were interchangeable back then too.

It would be easier if you just found old vans with Holden wheels

George

[cobber]

G'day George,

Thanks for your thoughts, I'm also thinking the wheels are British but in my case... only because a few people at Cowra thought the same

I know the yanks will say they invented "Easy Clean Wheels" but do you know for certain sure if it was the Brits in the early 30's that did it ?

I did a google images for "winged wheel emblem" and it is a pretty popular image.....but none that I found were the same as this one ?

Somebody will have the goods..... soon

Cobber.

[griffin]

Hi Cobber

I've no idea who came up with the 'easy clean' style first, one of those style and no doubt cost things that soon spread across manufacturers.

Another thought on you caps is that they pre-date wheels with hub caps- the screw on type caps you have were used through the twenties on cars which had detachable rims rather than the whole wheel, so the grease caps doubled as a hub cap as it were, being decorative and a source of identification. Once detachable wheels became the norm the grease caps were plain as no one could see them under the hub cap, then they changed from screw type to cheaper press fit type, mid 1930s?

I did look at your axle while the van was on the truck but don't remember what it was like, but I don't recall it being an old car axle though, I didn't take a photo for some reason.

Maybe someone was just recycling old caps and they were originally plain?

George

[Trish_M]

Hi there everyone, I am almost at the stage where Bettie is ready to get some new "shoes", this is her here: vintagecaravans.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=photo&thread=10884&page=1
I am completely lost as to whether I can just take the wheels off and bring them to a tyre place and have them replaced or if I need to hunt down alternatives? I am hoping that someone here can help me please
Here are pics of her current tyres/wheels, as far as I know they are 1939 Chevrolet wheels :







Thanks so much, Trish.

[kaybee]

Hi Trish, you'll probably find it easiest to buy your tyres through Antique Tyres in West Heidelberg and have them sent to you ,then get them fitted at your local tyre service. 6.00x 16's are not something that's readily available at general tyre services anymore.....also, replace the tubes as well, cheers, Col.

[Trish_M]

Jun 18, 2013 17:05:07 GMT 10 kaybee said:

Hi Trish, you'll probably find it easiest to buy your tyres through Antique Tyres in West Heidelberg and have them sent to you ,then get them fitted at your local tyre service. 6.00x 16's are not something that's readily available at general tyre services anymore.....also, replace the tubes as well, cheers, Col.

Thanks so much Col
Will they be able to send me tubes as well or will my regular tyre place have them?

[kaybee]

Hi , order them at the same time as the tyres for the same reason....cheers....

[Trish_M]

Great! Thanks so much! Have a great weekend.

[akeepsake]

Just thought I would add this here
Wheel from my 1949 Jennison Pathfinder They are 16" fitted with 6.00x 16 tyres. Not sure what breed they are Austin, Dodge, Chevy?.



Here's the sole surviving hubcap! Am chasing its mate!