Any options for spacing out HEMTT wheels?

My truck has the hubs flipped in on the rear, but it would be very difficult to move those hubs out, as the drums engage the lugs.

First question - does anyone make wheel spacers for 10 lugs Semi wheels? I need 5.75" long spacers. This would allow me to either space out the wheel from the stock location, or space out the drums behind the Wheel mounting surface on the hub.

Second question - how do the drums engage on the stock 5 ton axles? I am wondering if there is enough strength in the 8 bolts on the backside to bolt an adapter plate to the hubs to carry just the drums, which would allow me to properly flip the hubs.

Sorry, no pics. I know that would make this almost too easy. If this is clear as mud, I can bring a pic to this to aid in the discussion.

Best,
Bob

Flip the wheel over....

Pics would deffinitely help.

ODdave said:

Flip the wheel over....

Click to expand...

As much as I don't want to do that for aesthetics, it may just be the easiest and cheapest option.

Sigh. What I am prepared to contemplate to keep things "looking good".

Best,
Bob

What truck are you putting these wheels on?

MidnightDuramax said:

What truck are you putting these wheels on?

Click to expand...

They're already on my hybrid truck, just with the "flat plate" side of the hemtt wheels facing out, and the hubs flipped in. The rear track width is about 11 inches narrower than the front. It runs down the road ok, but I'd like it to be the same width for stability issues.

I'll see if I can get some pics in the daylight.

Trango said:

First question - does anyone make wheel spacers for 10 lugs Semi wheels? I need 5.75" long spacers.

Click to expand...

Thats alot of leverage on those bearings.

I'm lost as to what you need to do. You say your hubs are already flipped and your rear tires are still 11" less in trackwidth with your fronts? If you flip the hubs out (from the stock location) and run the wheels the same as the fronts, they should track pretty close. If you flipped the hubs and run the wheel opposite the fronts they should be way wider than the fronts. Are you sure the hubs are already flipped?

Or am I way out in left field on this. Im confused.

PS what is your hybrid truck?

Ok then what axles are they? Or just post a pic of the wheel mounting surface without the wheel on.

KsM715 said:

Thats alot of leverage on those bearings.

I'm lost as to what you need to do. You say your hubs are already flipped and your rear tires are still 11" less in trackwidth with your fronts? If you flip the hubs out (from the stock location) and run the wheels the same as the fronts, they should track pretty close. If you flipped the hubs and run the wheel opposite the fronts they should be way wider than the fronts. Are you sure the hubs are already flipped?

Or am I way out in left field on this. Im confused.

PS what is your hybrid truck?

Click to expand...

Yup, I am fealling like a mushroom as well..........

(kept in the dark and feed sh**)

Sorry for the non-clarity of my original post.

I built this truck:



With these axles, originally sourced from an M54/M8xx series 5-ton truck:



These axles were retrofitted with Meritor 16.5" brakes, fitted to both rear axles (no front brakes). I kept one rear axle as-is, and used it as the single rear axle. I then took the brake parts off the other rear, and painstakingly grafted them to the front axle.

You can see the brake mounting ring, along with the hub, in the below picture. This is one side of the axle that gave up its brake hardware to go on the front axle.



On these brakes, the drums are pinned to the back of the wheel mounting surface by the lugs.

Because this setup was originally designed for duallies, the hubs are mounted WMS-in. Here is what that means for the HEMTT wheels.



On the front, I was able to mount the brakes outboard a bit (just outside the spindle) and I therefore was able to flip the hubs around, so that, on the front hubs, the WMS is out.



What I'm trying to do is somehow space out the wheel mounting surface on the rear hubs so that the appearance and track matches the front. Since I doubt I can find a super long drum that would allow me to simply hub flip and keep the drums on the back of the lugs, I can either do this one of a few ways:

1. Space out the brake backing plate by making a custom ring and adapter that pushes that hardware out 5.75" (Although that may cause interference with the cans for the s-cams, since they'll then be right in line with the leafs). Much machining and welding, and I'd rather avoid this.

2. Create an adapter plate that bolts to the inboard surface of the hub via the 1/2" bolts there, and duplicates the back of the WMS to allow me to keep the drum in its current location. This wouldn't be so bad to turn out - just cut out the plate on the lathe and then mill in the bolt patterns for the axle shaft (on the inside) and then a standard 10lug wheel pattern.

3. Or, get a spacer that bolts to the WMS of the currently-inboarded hub, and effectively just moves the WMS out a few inches, so that the look and track of the HEMTT wheel matches the front axle.


I would rather not simply flip the HEMTT wheels around, but that might be the best option.

Does this explain it? Let me know if not.

Best,
Bob

EDIT: Grrrr, inline images are not working, and I'm pushing time for my appt in 20 minutes. I'll edit this later so it's clearer.

I am utterly failing at inline images, even with the tags. Sorry for the extra mouse clicks.