MTFCA Forum

I purchased two sets of disc wheels: I did research on old forum posts and the yellow type of wheels have been used with regular Model T hubs. Evidently for the rear wheels I will need to have a spacer plate. I would love to hear insight on that.

Any insight on the gray set of wheels?

Thanks,
Matt

Is it possible to use Chevy hubs on Ford spindles/axles?

On the chevy wheels I have, I was going to have to re-drill the mount holes. The model t hub fit the wheel but the bolt hole pattern was different. Just turn it between the old holes and use the hub for the drill guide. To make them purdy you need to build new bolt rings for the out side and they will cover the old holes.

Do what you wish. I don't like Chevy wheels on a T. They only look right on a Chevy!

I have ‘27 Chev spindles on my ‘26 T. And Chey hubs and 21 inch disc wheels.
They don’t look good on a Stock T. Better on a speedster.

The yellow wheels are ether 26/27 or 28 depending on the width of the rim. I think the sandblasted one is 29 or 30.
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/50 ... 1425180175
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/17 ... 1303565191
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/82 ... 1526766314
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/59 ... 1465257688
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/17 ... 1321041917

Matt, Back in the 1980's I had a set of Chevy 1925-26 era 4:50 x 21" Jaxon disc wheels, like your yellow wheel, on a stockish Model T speedster. They worked well on Model T wood wheel hubs with careful redrilling to Ford. It did take a spacer in the rear to clear the 1926 style Model T brake drums. The 1925 style smaller brake drum may work with out a spacer, I don't know. They are heavy wheels and after a few years I ended up changing over to 1926 Model T wire wheels and sold the Chevy wheels. They are nice wheels for a low bucks car if you have good split rims for them. The other wheel I think you would want to use the Chevy hub that goes with it due to the embossing at the hub.

Jaxon was a spin-off of one of the independent wheel manufactures of the late '10s. In the beginning they made mostly wood spoke wheels, then more and more they made steel disc. During the '20s, they mostly provided steel disc wheels for General Motors. Their wheels were used on Chevrolet quite a lot from about '23 up until 1931. They were also offered as an option on Oldsmobile and even Cadillac, although it was a rarely chosen option for Cadillac, I have seen two surviving Cadillacs with Jaxon wheels on them. Sizes ranged greatly from 21 inch diameter down to 18 inch, tire widths from 4.25 on earlier Chevrolet up to 6.50 for the Cadillac. I have seen a few even heavier Jaxon wheels used on the front of early '30s ton trucks.
One of the problems today with Jaxon wheels is that with so many variations of diameter, rim/tire width, and disc to felloe offset, is that putting together something close to a matching set can become quite difficult. About twenty-five years ago, Vic Salla and I swapped wheels around so that both of us got decent sets where both of us before had just a mis-match mess. I still have one wheel left because the off-set on it didn't match any other wheel between us.

On the wheels you show above, the yellow one has the flat center where it bolts to the hub. Those are usually 21 inch wheels. However, some can be found that are other sizes. The gray wheel had re-enforcing ribs around where the wheel bolts to the hub. These strengthened the wheels slightly and helped prevent the development of cracks. Wheels with those ribs are usually smaller than 21 inch. 20 inch and 19 inch are common, and I have seen a few 18 inch also.
So if trying to collect up a set? Measure carefully for size, have a good idea what variation and size you would like, and try to work with a few friends that would also like to get a set.

I have been making the adapters for about 20 years. I like the 21” as they keep the gear ration the same. The rims are about bullet proof unlike others. The adapters work best with 3/4” billet aluminum with Model T wood hub pattern and the other side using the Chevy pattern. Making a beautiful 1/4” outside rings for the lugnuts.

They are high on a shelf at the moment.

Hope this Helps.

Hank

Pull these off the top of the shelf to show how we did it. Two piece adapter for the harden counter sunk machine screws which do the attachment. Will work on everything except the Rocky Mountain Brakes. A wider adapter plate is required.

These are for sale with the hubs fitted, no bearings (1 set) $900.00 plus shipping and insurance, also have just the adapters (3 sets) $600.00 plus shipping and insurance.

PM if interested.

All the Best,

Hank in Tin-A-See

In addition to or to clarify what Wayne said above, the wheels measure 2 1/4 second pic,and 2 5/8,top pic, at the outer flange. The only difference I know of in the rims is the method to lock the split. I have one mismatched 2 1/4 wheel with adapter plates I make already installed. Looking for its three kin...….

I actually squire two sets. Thankfully I don’t have the miss match issues.
Matt

Awesome! This is why I love the MTFCA forum! Where to start?

Hank in Tin-A-See,
I will start with you. Wow! Thanks for taking those down off the top shelf! What beautiful adapters you make! I like these because I wouldn't have to drill into the rims. Are these for the earlier (my yellow) or later (my gray) disk wheels?

Wayne Sheldon,
Thanks for all the insight on Jaxon wheels. I checked my two sets and yes the yellow are 21 inch (with 4.40/4.50-21 tires). The gray look like 20 inch.

Kmatt,
Thanks for the insight on how to use these in a low budget manner. Do you remember how think the spacer was? Sometime I need to visit you;)

John Warren,
Yes, the Model T hub bolt centers are 5 inches and the Chevy lug centers are 5.5 inch. It looks like the Model T hub is right at 6 inch and should almost cover the Chevy lug holes if I where to mount it that way. I see Stan Howe used the extra plate like you mention in his setup here: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/17 ... 303565191

Mark Gregush
All the links that you posted are very helpful even/specifically this short one: http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/82 ... 1526766314

Original Smith,
I disagree with you. I think compared to spoke wheels these even look ugly on a Chevy:) My main purpose is to have a nice safe set of wheels to use... until I have time to re-spoke my wheels.

Aarongriffey,
Who said I won't be making a speedster out of these. Was there anything special needed to use the '27 Chev spindles?

Thanks to All! I will continue to research before I start drilling. Any other insight is welcome.

Matt

Made for the early flat ones like your yellow rims.

All the Best,

Hank

Well, mine are not all nice and polished like Hanks, I prefer mine painted and use round head hub bolts.

They still do the job and look great to me Brother!

Hank

Donald,
I agree those red wheels look great!

What is the reason that you have the spacer on the wheels?

Matthew

I had some made by a custom wheel spacer shop

Matt, On the Chevy wheels the original bolt holes are on a slightly bigger diameter than the Ford wood wheel hubs. If you don't want the Chevy holes to partly show you would need cover up spacers. On my set I only used the Ford outside flange and wood wheel hubs and let the Chevy holes show. It didn't look that bad and kept the cost down.

Matt, I make the spacers as large as the flat surface of the Chevy wheel will allow. IMHO if the Chevy bolt holes are exposed using just the Ford hubs and outside plates, a stress riser will be created at the exposed holes, especially when subject to high side loads. A crack will always start at the weakest point and propagate from there.

Don

Adding a thicker spacer behind the wheel will help keep the track the same or close to what Ford is. The Chevrolet disk wheel hub moved the wheel out more then just using the Ford hub. I think cracking was an issue even when mounted on Chevrolet hubs. Keeping the track the same is why some mount the wheels backwards, which means you have to take the wheel off to change the tire or fix flat.

Thanks for all the responses.

I plan to sell one set (the gray/black one) at Bakersfield: viewtopic.php?f=5&t=2705&p=22567#p22567

I am debating about selling the other set (yellow). I am just not sure I have the equipment, time or want to spend the money for the necessary adapters. Who knows, maybe I will find a reasonably priced adapter at Bakersfield.

Matthew