Super singles for M139? How?

We have a M139 bridge truck that a fire department mounted a 3800 gal tank on that we are turning into a water truck for construction. It has the 1400x20 tires and wheels on it that make the overall width greater than 9.5 feet. What is required to mount 1600x20 super singles on this truck using the existing 10 inch wide wheels? Is this possible? We expect to have a problem with the State MV about being road legal without a special permit for overwidth with the dual tires like they are now. Thanks

What about flipping the hubs like they do on the duece's?What will you do with the old bridge truck tires ?

Are you sure they aren't 24's? Most brifge trucks used different hubs and wheels than othr five tons. The bolt patern is even bigger.

dg

Bridge trucks run 14x20's on 10in. wide wheels with wider offset. The bridge trucks have wider rear axles and spacers on front axles . Bolt pattern is same as stock 5 tons . I bolted some on the rear of my 5 ton on the outers ( too much offset for the inners ) . 24 in. rims came on the ten tonners . You could use the stock front wheels and get combat wheels for the rear ( not cheap ) or get new centers made from 1/2in. flat steel and weld them into the center of the bridge truck wheels , sort of like a cheap combat wheel . Let us know how it goes , Mark

the bridge truck also has spacers on the rear axles and long lugs, the rims are 12"where the standard rim is 11", the spacers are about 3" thick, this keeps the 1400s from rubbing the springs. the tm-20p and 34p show this detail clearly, the older 5t bridge truck(m139)had the same axles only had a fatter hub instead of the spacers. the g744-ord.9 book showes this

m.walker said:

Bridge trucks run 14x20's on 10in. wide wheels with wider offset. The bridge trucks have wider rear axles and spacers on front axles . Bolt pattern is same as stock 5 tons . I bolted some on the rear of my 5 ton on the outers ( too much offset for the inners ) . 24 in. rims came on the ten tonners . You could use the stock front wheels and get combat wheels for the rear ( not cheap ) or get new centers made from 1/2in. flat steel and weld them into the center of the bridge truck wheels , sort of like a cheap combat wheel . Let us know how it goes , Mark

Click to expand...

what is a combat wheel?

a 10x20 rim that is only offset a few inches? for single tire use only?
how much?

A combat wheel is two piece and unbolts to come apart , easier to mount / dismount and wide enough to run your 16.00x20's on . Though the bad part is they usually cost around $200 a wheel !

Super Singles

Thanks for all the replies.

Can the hubs of a 5 ton be reversed like a 2½? It looks like if this is possible, I can use just the single wheels on the back. The original wheels are "Goodyear" 10" wide x 20" with a big offset marked 1400 max width tire. No spacers that I can see on the back axles, but a 4 or 5" spacer on the front with looong studs to hold the wheel and spacer. Can the newer 1600x20 radial tires be mounted on these rims with tubes? See these on E-bay all the time for about $100/tire plus shipping. 52" high vs about 48" for the old style 1400x20. Truck also uses the normal gears in the rearends, not the extra low range like the rocket carrier. One of the M139's (D?) did use the extra low gears, but it looks like ours is a straight M139. Truck needs to be 102" wide or less to make it legal for on road use.

Also looking for the depot manual (34?) for the gas engine trucks. Any help?

Super Singles

m139h2otruck said:

Thanks for all the replies.

Also looking for the depot manual (34?) for the gas engine trucks. Any help?

Click to expand...

I have recently submitted several 5-ton manuals to the Tech Manuals library here. I have several more that I plan to put up. Let me see if I can find the one you've mentioned.

Ok, just added 3 more manuals to the library for the 5-ton
(These are for Gassers only!!).

TM 9-8028
TM 9-2805-203-35
TM 9-2805-203-34P

Availability pending approval by Mike

You might check www.usa6x6.com for wheels (and/or tires).

I've talked to/worked with several states on overwidth permits. Permit pertains to the load NOT to the truck. Legal limit on the vehicle is 102", load limit is per the permit (and state regs). In otherwords can not run a vehicle that is more than 102" unless you have an exemption that your state establishes, as in Iowa Fire Dept vehicle are exempt from all wt/size limits.

A word of cation about USA6x6. Some members have had a difficult time getting quality product and their product in a timely manner. Would hate to see someone get burned..... so proceed with caution.

Bridge Truck Tire/Wheel Update

Finally got the rear tires off the truck to look at the hubs and wheels. The rear hubs are not the same as the "normal" 5 ton trucks. They have a much thicker flange (2"+) and much longer studs (4"+) than the standard hubs, so the 1400x20 tire/wheel combo does not hit the frame or springs. It does look like the hubs could be flipped, with the wheel mounting surface ending up about flush with the end bolt circle where the axle bolts on. Still, with the super offset for these wheels it looks like the tires still will not end up in line with the fronts.

Also took off one of the front tires, and the front hubs do not use a spacer, the hub has the spacer built in, with studs over 6" long. No way to remove this spacer or even flip it over, other than a complete replacement of the hub. The front hub will not interchange with the rear as shown in the parts book. As built, the face of the wheel when mounted, is outside the end of the hub on these trucks with a wheel track (outside to outside) on the front of almost 8'. If we used standard wheels on the front, I think that we would be close to the 102" max width and the tires would hang outside the fenders. What is the offset for a standard wheel? I will measure the bridge truck wheels tonight. Thanks for the responces.

Who has combat rims for sale?? I have a M821 bridge truck and thought about putting singles on it also. Thanks for the info!!

More questions

We have completed flipping the driver's side rear hubs and will work on the right side this weekend. Installed the 1½" spacers on the outside so the tires lineup with the front. I was wrong in my previous post about the hubs being different from other 5 tons. The makers (IHC) just added a spacer to the flange surface to make the 1400 tires clear the springs. It just looked to be a part of the hub. Truck looks like it will meet DOT requirements for width now.

Have reinstalled single 1400x20 tires and wheels for the time being using the Budd lug/studs. Is this what 2½ ton owners use for their supersingles? It just looks like more bearing surface is needed between the wheel and the lug/stud. There is only the very narrow flange of the lug/stud holding the wheel on. Any suggestions?

Does anyone have these studs and spacers laying around ? I've got a set of bridge truck tires just sitting around waiting to be used . Did you take any pictures of the process ? I would like to see the steps and finished truck . Does any companies still produce the long studs ?

Bridge Truck

I am very poor with the use of a digital camera, but will try to get my son to take some pictures of the completed hub switch & load them into the site. I have never seen a 2½ ton with the hubs turned, but it appears that the 5 ton is just the same, only much bigger and heavier. The rear studs can be bought from Memphis, as we wrecked one stud removing the lug/stud due to a burr on the inside. Local truck parts suppliers did not have a stud this long with the shoulder the same shape, but the lug nuts and lug/studs L & R are available anywhere. Not sure about the front, but I would expect that Memhpis would have these too. Rears are now within 2" of the same overall width compaired to the fronts, and should work fine for what we are doing. Are 1100x20 tire wheels 10" wide? If so, what is the offset of the "standard wheel"? If I switched to these, the rears should be the same as or wider than the fronts. Still need to know about the use of just the lug/studs on the back wheels. What do all the 2½ ton super single guys use?

As an aside, I have placed a number of orders with Memphis and had very good luck with everything I ordered. Also bought items from Sam Winer and Saturn with the same results.

The 1100x20 wheels are narrower than the wheels you have now . I also think they have less offset . How much was your longer stud from Memphis ? I've got a pair of 1400x20's on the stock 5 ton truck wheels , it pinches them in a little but they work .

the 1400s use 12" rims. the nomal rims are 11", the studs and spacers were also used on the m812 and the m821, these were the 800 series bridge trucks, the both ran 1400s

the 1400s use 12" rims. the nomal rims are 11", the studs and spacers were also used on the m812 and the m821, these were the 800 series bridge trucks, the both ran 1400s, the offset is the same