VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1946-1948 4" wide or 4-and-a-HALF inch wide whels?

Just stripped the old tires off all five of my wheels, and discovered that three of them are 4 inches wide, the other two are 4.5" wide.

Geeeeze! Why do people do this stuff????? Budgetary reasons?? I suspect it was the third owner (I'm the 7th). He cobbled my poor '48 Fleet back together with a '42. This has GOT to have something to do with this.

What years, and why?

Chevgene??

Are they ALL 16"?

What size and brand of tires are they?
Correct 1948 tires, 15" or 16" the white walls includes the rib at the outer edge that sticks out to be white. white walls of all brands have this rib black for all brands after 1952.

Russell, yes, they're all 16" wheels.

Gene, I'm referring to my wheels....I have no issue with my tires.

Thanks :o)

Have you checked the price of those tires lately...? Corky Coker is pleased...He needs your hard earned money...

Hi all,

Just to clarify: This post has nothing to do with my tires. My tires are fine, I bought new whitewalls to install.

My problem is with the original 16" wheels. They're two different widths, 4" and 4.5".

Chev's doesn't sell nostalgia wheels at 5 inches, only 6 inches and up. And I already have the tires.

Too late - the wheels have just been dropped off at the powder coaters. What's done is done.

I suppose I'll put the wider ones up front, to bear that additional front-end load when I barrel into corners on two wheels :-D

Just kidding, I treat my Fleet with LOVE.

The standard wheel width was 4". The wheel fit 1941-1948 cars an 1941- early 1951 1/2 ton trucks. In mid 1951 the truck rims was increased to 4 1/2". At that time Chevrolet parts discontinued the 4" wheel for replacement and sold the 4 1/2" wheel for all applications. Whould be best to use the wider rim in the rear as there will be less tire roll-under when driving around curves at highway speeds. Under most conditions the rear wheels of a 1948 carry more weight. Also the rear tires should be inflated with 2 to 4 pounds (depending on load) more air pressure.

That's great info, Gene...you're a living encyclopedia!

I wish I could find two more 4-1/2 inchers.

I have one new one.

That's mighty gracious of you to consider parting with it, but I guess I'll just stick with what I've got, since I already sent the wheels off to the powder-coaters.

Perhaps down the road, if I EVER wear down these skinny white walls, I will then up grade to the 6" wide nostalgia wheels, and then upgade to some bigger, tubeless wide-whites. But I've gotta wonder if I'll ever put enough miles on this car to justify that upgrade.

Gene, earlier you wrote: "Whould be best to use the wider rim in the rear as there will be less tire roll-under when driving around curves at highway speeds. Under most conditions the rear wheels of a 1948 carry more weight."

I don't understand none of that.

a. Seems to me the tire roll would be more on the front tires than the rear.

b. I would think that under most conditions the front wheels would carry more weight owing to the engine and front end assembly, etc. I would suspect that the center of gravity would be somewhere about the rear of the bell-housing, or so.

c. And, finally, what makes the 1948 any different than say a 1941-47 in your statement?

Charlie

It isn't a matter of weight or the wheels turning to steer. With the wider wheels on the front the car will drive like it has two under inflated tires on the rear because the tires tend to roll over side ways.. Note modern cars that use two different sized tire always have the wider or larger tire and wide rim on the rear.
My experiance comes from the rooly-pooly Chevy wagons of the early '60's.