Uhaul wheels alternative

[mmeyer]

Originally Posted by Thomas G.

I'm bumping this thread to add some information from the seemingly defunct uhaulcamper.com site.

Last July, a one time poster noted that a company called Demco makes car dollies and car trailers using a bearing hub similar to the UHaul camper. That provides possibilities for using these parts on the UHaul, as the axle attachment interface is the same.

The Demco uses the GM hub with the 4.5" (actually 115 mm) bolt circle Timken 513018 as opposed to the UHaul camper, which uses the 4.75" bolt circle hub Timken 513090.

Using the 115 mm bolt circle hub, one could possibly use the Demco wheels which are 14" and have a large positive offset, like the UHaul wheels.

Wheel 14x5.5-5 white 115MM, 09296, Demco - Ryder Fleet Products

Additionally there is a floating brake drum available for the Demco hub, which might possibly be used on VTs or even a CT is surge brakes were added.

10" Brake Drum For 115MM Wheel, SB40929, Demco - Ryder Fleet Products

I can't vouch for any of these parts working, but it provides an interesting alternative that should be thoroughly checked out before you buy.

I spent a couple of days last year researching Demco and the closest I could come was the rental tow dolly unit RentA Kaddy GT300SB which has torsion axles it is rated 3500GVWR. it also has surge brakes The torsion axles are separate parts that fit into a box axle that looks a lot like the same setup on my VT except everything is welded together.. I was not able to get measurements to see if if it was possible to modify but felt that the 3500# would be a lot stiffer than my current 2500# axle. So left it in my files incase I have to replace my axle. Looked like Ryder had parts but no picts of what you were getting. The 14" rim looks very similar to the 14" rims on the VT when I bought it.
Tom double check the call out on the hub.. the UHaul manual calls it a" wheel assembly 4.5 x 13"metric.
Michael J

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by mmeyer

........
Tom double check the call out on the hub.. the UHaul manual calls it a" wheel assembly 4.5 x 13"metric.
Michael J

Mike, I'm not getting your question. Are you talking about the wheel or the bearing hub?

I wasn't proposing using the Demco torsion axle, just maybe the wheels, hubs and brake drums.

[mmeyer]

I take it that you are indicating the hub is 4.75 in. While the UHaul manual indicated 4.5

Mike

[Kevin A]

Do you know if the rims are NOS (New Old Stock) with the tabs for hubcaps or are they the new smooth version?

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by mmeyer

I take it that you are indicating the hub is 4.75 in. While the UHaul manual indicated 4.5

Mike

The UHaul hubs are 4.75" bolt circle for the wheel lugs. I'm sure of that. Some people have replaced them with the similar hub that is 115mm (4.5").

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by Kevin A

Do you know if the rims are NOS (New Old Stock) with the tabs for hubcaps or are they the new smooth version?

Kevin, which rims are you talking about?

[Kevin A]

Oops! The question about the NOS rims was aimed at the posting from Quebec where a member was picking up some rims. Sorry. I was interrupted and didn't catch that it was an old thread. Just chalk it up to a busy Friday afternoon!

[Perk]

How many did you buy and do you know if any are still available? I am looking for one or two wheels/rims for my VT.

Thanks,

Originally Posted by theman

Just found 5 brand new rim in a uhaull store. Cost 106$ per unit. Itls this the right price?

Pretty expensif!

[theman]

I bought 2 but from a old uhaul dealer in Montreal. I have paid 100$ for both rims and one tire. It was not easy to find and they sold me the last one. I did call Uhaul head office first and they located a few rims around the USA but a bit pricy. You should call all your local dealer first because I went the way around to finally find them very close from home.

Good luck

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by mmeyer

Tom double check the call out on the hub.. the UHaul manual calls it a" wheel assembly 4.5 x 13"metric.

Originally Posted by mmeyer

I take it that you are indicating the hub is 4.75 in. While the UHaul manual indicated 4.5

Originally Posted by Thomas G.

The UHaul hubs are 4.75" bolt circle for the wheel lugs. I'm sure of that. Some people have replaced them with the similar hub that is 115mm (4.5").

Since this topic has been revived...
The manual reference to "4.5 x 13" was probably referring to the wheel width and diameter, not the bolt pattern.

I asked someone at Demco about these hubs when I was considering their dollies 3 or 4 years ago, and he confirmed that the hubs are from the rear of a GM front-drive car. These cars came with 14" and larger wheels (but perhaps notice not 13") so if one were to use this hub wheels should be readily available. He said that they previously used the similar GM hub with a 100 mm bolt circle, such as from a Cavalier or Sunbird; 13" wheels would be available for this, but the load capacity of the bearings is lower and I don't know if they would fit the same axles.

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by Perk

How many did you buy and do you know if any are still available? I am looking for one or two wheels/rims for my VT.

Thanks,

Perk, I got the impression (from Chris Jones, UHaul employee?) that these wheels are still used and available from UHaul. Maybe Chris can jump in if I'm wrong. In any case the 13" wheels seem to be out there in dusty UHaul parts distribution center bins.

Now, if you are looking for a different wheel, like a 14" or one with the more standard 4.5" stud circle, I don't know that one has been found with the right offset.

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Since this topic has been revived...
The manual reference to "4.5 x 13" was probably referring to the wheel width and diameter, not the bolt pattern. ..........

Good catch.

[mmeyer]

Originally Posted by Thomas G.

Now, if you are looking for a different wheel, like a 14" or one with the more standard 4.5" stud circle, I don't know that one has been found with the right offset.

Good catch.

dittos on the catch.
as for 14' rims, my VT had 15" rims with P205/60R15 tires on it when bought it, I replaced with 13" rims as the concensus was not to run auto tires on a trailer and trailer tires on a 15" rim I figured would not have enough clearance. I actually think it rode smoother with the 15" tires. The rim does have a good offset. i have enclosed picts. I have not taken the tire off to see if there is other info stamped on the inside. I use it for my spare and have abandoned the donut spare the P.O had bolted under the floor. He ran a garage for 40 years so I figure he knew how to swap rims and tires etc. which is why things were changed

[mary and bob]

I heard that for the CT Uhauls a late model Corvair rim would work. Late model being 1966 or so.

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by mary and bob

I heard that for the CT Uhauls a late model Corvair rim would work. Late model being 1966 or so.

I think that the Corvair is close but a little light on offset.

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...tml#post314546

[Chris Jones]

Originally Posted by Thomas G.

Perk, I got the impression (from Chris Jones, UHaul employee?) that these wheels are still used and available from UHaul. Maybe Chris can jump in if I'm wrong. In any case the 13" wheels seem to be out there in dusty UHaul parts distribution center bins.

Now, if you are looking for a different wheel, like a 14" or one with the more standard 4.5" stud circle, I don't know that one has been found with the right offset.

Good catch.

Wheels are available and the hubs in a standard lug pattern are too. The other hubs will bolt up and allow you to use a more common wheel.

[mmeyer]

I think we can solve this mystery if any one has a Wheel form A Uhaul trailer without a tire on it. (1)The measurement from the inside lip to inside lip is the width of the rim.
(2) if you lay the rim face down and place a straight edge across the top which is the back side of the wheel or rim and measure from the inside of the straight edge to the mounting pad(dimple between the holes) that will give us a number to calculate offset.
divide the wheel width by 2 to get center line of wheel(we Assume UHaul is 5 Inches) which is 2.5".
(3) we subtract the measured value in 2 from the measured value in 1 divided by 2(assumed to be 2.5") to get offset.
I believe that the value obtained in (3) is positive offset if (2) is greater than (1)/2 and negative if it is less.
Since we know the bolt pattern is 4.75" )and that has been confirmed by Tom and myself because I thought the UHaul manual was referring to it as 4.5 and didn't trust him (sorry Tom))once we know the offset we should be able to find a matching wheel. If someone wants to go to a larger rim the issue then becomes the OD of the Tire. For both my 13" and 15" diameter wheels it is approximately 25" It then also becomes a tire problem.
Now all this assumes that Offsets are the same for VTs and CTs. I do know that my VT does does not have the spacer plate noted in the manual so this may be an issue but I am running Wheels purchased from UHaul that were supposed to fit the Camper and i have had both sizes on my camper so we know it can be done at least on the VT.
Assuming we can find a match it leads to potential options such as Smokin Hot chromed wire wheels with 3 bar spinners or whatever else floats your boat.
Michael J

[Thomas G.]

Originally Posted by mmeyer

I think we can solve this mystery if any one has a Wheel from A UHaul trailer without a tire on it. .....

Something like this?

Mike, I think the CT spacer is used to make up for no brake drum.

[mmeyer]

oops I used the wrong measurement it should have been 4.5" and 2.25" That' s what I get for rushing things. at least i believe the concept is right .

[Brian B-P]

Tom's drawing and calculations look right on, if A and B are measured to the same point. Michael's description and logic look right, except that the reference points used for width and backspacing need to correspond.

The nominal width is the inside measurement between the bead seat areas, as Michael describes. This appears to be 4.5", as discussed earlier.
The "outside" (not an official term, just my description) width is what you would measure from lip-to-lip, such as by putting calipers across the whole wheel. This appears to be what Tom measured, and his measurement value of 5-1/8" seems plausible for a nominal 4.5" width (each lip adds 5/16" in this case).

Since the inboard and outboard lip thicknesses are likely the same, you can do offset calculations with either one, as long as you are consistent. Measure to the outside of the lip for both (so you get outside width and compare it to backspacing all the way to the lip) and you have Tom's measurements. If you use the nominal width you need to measure backspacing from the mounting face to the inside of the bead seat area, which is really tough to do from the outside of the wheel.

The easiest thing to do if you have a tire mounted on the wheel is to not measure the width at all.
W: width
B: backspacing
F: frontspacing
X: offset

X = B - W/2 (as Michael said and Tom shows)
but W = B + F, so
X = B - (B + F)/2
X = B/2 - F/2
X = (B - F)/2
(your free algebra refresher lesson for today)

So, measure to the mounting face from the backside (, and from the frontside (F), take the difference, divide by two, and you have offset.

I'll admit that with narrow wheels and big offset, the front side of the wheel sticks out and it gets hard to measure from the front side.

In Tom's drawing:
B is 4.5"
F would be 3/4"
X = (4.5" - 3/4")/2 = 3-3/4" / 2 = 1-7/8", as Tom said.

Man, I'm getting tired of fractional math... that's why I do this in millimetres!

[mmeyer]

If you measure inside to inside and subtract the 5/8 total 5/16 x2 from the 5 1/8 you get the 4.5 " so it looks like the 4.5 on the UHaul spec is reasonable. I think you have to measure inside to inside as that is the outside width of the tire to be consistent with tire mfg. data to match wheels and tires. Right Steve?