454 width

Whiskers1949 · Jun 12, 2012

I have to haul a 454 diesel home in the next few weeks from 240 miles away. In standard configuration, the rear is about 4" too wide for my rail equipped trailer.

My question is: Are the rear wheels reversible, and how much offset is there on each side? IOW, can I get enough "narrowing" by just reversing one wheel?

Anybody know the size of the lug nuts? thanks

mkirsch · Jun 12, 2012

Do you know if the wheels are dished in or dished out now? If they're dished in already, flipping them over will only make the tractor wider.

Looking at pictures, it's the typical stamped steel wheel center and separate rim held on by several loops welded to the rim. You get different widths through combinations of flipping the wheel centers, mounting the rims on the inside or the outside of the dish, and swapping the rims from one side to the other.

If the tractor is set at the widest possible width, there probably isn't enough clearance to simply flip the dish over. It will likely rub on the fender. You would instead have to move the loops to the inside of the wheel center, or swap the rims side-to-side. Either will gain you 2" per side.

Hopefully the tires aren't loaded. The job won't be too bad if all you have to deal with are the tires and rims. Bring the whole socket set, 3/4" drive if you've got it for the center lugs, 1/2" to deal with the loop bolts.

Whiskers1949 · Jun 12, 2012

I think it is probably set to its widest... wheels concave looking from the outside. If I can gain 2" per side by moving the rims to the inside of the hubs, that would probably be my best option. I didn't even think of wheels rubbing the fenders if simply reversed... That's why I ask the experts!! Thanks for your advice. I will let you know what happens in a few weeks.

rustyfarmall · Jun 12, 2012

(quoted from post at 06:40:20 06/12/12) I think it is probably set to its widest... wheels concave looking from the outside. If I can gain 2" per side by moving the rims to the inside of the hubs, that would probably be my best option. I didn't even think of wheels rubbing the fenders if simply reversed... That's why I ask the experts!! Thanks for your advice. I will let you know what happens in a few weeks.

You might also want to find out how much that tractor weighs, and then determine if your trailer is capable of hauling it. Tractors will quite often weigh considerably more than it appears they would.

merlynr · Jun 12, 2012

I have a 454gas and the lug bolts are 1 1/8"(one and one eighth). My wheels are standard non power adjusting rims and are set at 72' and can be set narrower or wider than that. My gas model weighs under 4000 lbs with no wheel weights or fluid.

454 width

Whiskers1949

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mkirsch

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Whiskers1949

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rustyfarmall

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merlynr

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