Wheels / Tires: disc brake wheels

[Scott]

I have a question. Did Studebaker issue 4 disc brake wheels (plus spare) for cars with disc brakes or only two (or three if you count the spare) just on the front axle and regular wheels on the rear axle?

[Bullet]

If you are talking about the rims, several of the disk braked cars I have had all 5 rims had the "disk brake ridge" in them that were made for disk braked cars. Later on 65, or so I think, they went to a different kind of rim that did not have the extra disk brake ridge in them, so then it did not matter.

Mark

[Mike Van Veghten]

First..rims and wheels are different. You need a "rim" and a "center", welded (some early were rivited) together to make a "wheel", or "road wheel" as the dealers call them.

Well, the "rims" (talking 15" dia.), being very little different from wheel to wheel, it's the center of the wheel that's different. The bends in the center have to clear the caliper. The rim on most wheels will clear most calipers. The "drop" in the center of the rim on factory wheels is fairly simillar through out. But the centers have a wide varity of shapes and may contact the caliper.

The Euro design Stude...calipers are much smaller than the 70's/80's GM calipers that D.L. or Turner uses. This is the reason that if you use one of the kits available, a 15" wheel with a straighter center (fewer inward bends or curves) is required.

So to answer your question, (I may be corrected) but no, the normal stock Stude wheel will clear a stock Stude caliper and-or drum brake, just nothing that uses a GM caliper.

Mike

[StudeRich]

Wheels for Disc. Brake Cars

/Cut/So to answer your question, (I may be corrected) but no, the normal stock Stude wheel will clear a stock Stude caliper and-or drum brake, just nothing that uses a GM caliper.Mike

OK, you're corrected! Lol!

The deal is that all 1959-'66 Stude. WHEELS, will clear the stock calipers.
In 1964 at least some of the cars had the Kelsey Hayes wheels (all 5) that have the ugly double "hump" on the Wheel Center, just outside of the lug nut bowl, these do have a bit MORE clearance for the Disc. Brake cars. But as bullet said, they went back to the smoother, better looking Budd Wheels I think starting with the Canadian Imported '64's and on.

Many Canadian built '64's had some USA Parts from South Bend and some Canadian Parts, so I can't say if EVERY car had them, that is also when they ditched the Beige paint and went with an off-white very similar or the same as AMC & Chrysler Prods. wheels.

So DO NOT ever try to mount the '51 to '57 15X5 inch Stude. wheels with the three rectangular slots for Hub Cap clips, on the front of a Disc. Brake Car!
They do not TURN!

[Scott]

Well, now I'm a bit confused. I am talking only about the wheels on the cars when they were new. StudeRich mentioned Kelsey Hayes, but did you mean Hallibrand?

I've never heard that the rounder style would work on the front with disc brakes no matter what year. I was informed years ago that ONLY the wheels with the extra ridge oustide of the bolt hole area would work with disc brakes. I've never had a chance to directly compare the non-disc brake wheels for 1964-1966 with any regular wheels from before 1963. I do know (as was pointed out) that any wheel with the slots for clips would not work with the disc brakes. My 1966 has the disc brake wheels on the front and the rear wheels and spare are the rounded, typical style for non-disc brake equipped cars. I'm just trying to determine if maybe the factory shipped cars that way in 1966.

[StudeRich]

There is NO confusion about it, I am talking STOCK, standard, ordinary steel wheels here.

No they did not use the '64 double hump Wheels like your's in '66 (they ARE Kelsey Hayes!), as Bullit and I tried to tell you, as with many of our 45 year old cars, yours has been messed with, all 5 DID match.

Here is a stock Disc./Non-Disc. Budd wheel as used on most '59-63 and '65-'66 Models.
However, it IS possible that some '59-'62 Wheels that LOOK just like this '64 Drum/Disc. Wheel, do not have enough clearance in the back for the Calipers, but not ALL of this type. It never hurts to check it.

[studegary]

The simple answer is that your car came with all five rims/wheels the same as each other.

[Scott]

Thanks Studerich for the picture and Studegary for the final say. I didn't realize that the special disc brake wheels were only used in 1964 (did I even get that right?)

[studegary]

Thanks Studerich for the picture and Studegary for the final say. I didn't realize that the special disc brake wheels were only used in 1964 (did I even get that right?)

No, they were used for the 1963 model year (also).

[rkapteyn]

Disk brake wheel rims

Disk brakes were used on 1963-66 cars.
1963 wheels had the ridge to clear the calipers.
In 1964 -66 they used a rim that cleared the calipers(no ridge) on disk brake cars but were also used on drum brake cars.
All 64-66 wheels will fit the 1963 disk brake cars but will not be correct.
Only 1963 cars with disk brakes used the wheels with the ridge and on all 4 wheels and spare.

Late in 1966 production they started using 5" wide rims on all cars.
If you find a late 1966 . save the wheels , they wolrk better on the 205 tires.
Robert Kapteyn

[feralcat0_0]

Gentelmen: Since we're talking about wheels, can someone tell me EXACTLY what wheel I can get at the local wrecking yard,anywhere, that will fit my 58 Packard with disks all the way around. Would appreciate any help. Thank you, Bob Fish

[studefan]

rkapteyn,

Are you saying that no 1964 disc brake cars used the rims with the extra ridge? I have seen many 64s with these wheels. Are they all wrong?

Also, there are two different original disc brake rims. One slightly wider than the other.

[Bullet]

My original 64 Cruiser has the "ridged" rims on all 5 tires and I have drum brakes at all four tires.

Mark

[Scott]

I had a 1964 Daytona with discs and it also had the wheels with the extra ridge.

[studegary]

Gentelmen: Since we're talking about wheels, can someone tell me EXACTLY what wheel I can get at the local wrecking yard,anywhere, that will fit my 58 Packard with disks all the way around. Would appreciate any help. Thank you, Bob Fish

I think that first we would need to know what disc brake set-up you are using since no 1958 Studebakers or Packards came with disc brakes and no Studebaker or Packard came with four wheel disc brakes. For the correct size 14" rims you may have to try many to get a proper fit. I would start with 14" Chrysler product rims. Not an EXACT answer.