Wheels / Tires: Rim specs for Flight Hawk

[K Russell]

I know this info must be somewhere in the forum but darned if I can find it. I'm looking for wheel specs for my Flight Hawk as far as width, which I think is 4 1/2", but also offset and backspacing. I have a bit of runout in 1 spot on one of my wheels which is causing symptoms similar to an out of balance situation. Tires were rechecked for balance and a small bit of runout was found, about 3/16", all in one spot. Unless I can find someone around here who does rim repair I'll need to find a replacement but 4 1/2" width is darn hard to find. I think I've seen something about some Chrysler rims from the 80's being recommended? I'd actually like to go to a custom rim on all 4 some day but can't find anything less than 6" and that would require also a tire change. With only 1500 miles on the current ones, that's not gonna happen.

[RadioRoy]

The wheel is 5" wide. Studebaker didn't go to 4.5" until 1959.

Your car should be a 56, since that is the only year they made flight Hawks.

[StudeRich]

What Roy says is correct. So that means that there are a lot of Studes. out there that ARE using or used to be using this 5 on 4 1/2" Pattern 5X15" wheel with the 3 rectangular holes for the small Hub Cap CLIPS.
That is; ALL '51 to '57 Studebakers.

[55 56 PREZ 4D]

1955-1958 Chassis Parts Catalog
1402 Wheels, Hubs and Drums
Illust # 1402-1
Wheel size, 15"x4.50
57G [after serial #1,388,191]
57B [after serial #8,464,827]
57H [after serial #7,200,122]
58G, 58B, 58H
Canada used them in 57 and 58.

[RadioRoy]

Interesting. I did not know that 4.5" wheels started in late 57. Should have looked in the book.

[K Russell]

Thanks for the help!