16.5" stock wheels with a bead seat..? Ever seen these?

[shady]

I got a set of steel wheels I thought were 16" because they have the bead seat ridge like a normal wheel of a different size would have.

First pic is what Im used to in a 16.5" wheel. Just tapered up to the bead.

Second pic is the ones I have. And I've never seen a wheel like it.

Are they a later model thing or something?

 

[shady]

Here's the inner bead of both.

 

[shady]

Eh... Maybe a switched those around, oh well. You can see it lol.

 

[GWeakland620]

Something like camper special wheels had a safety bead, but @82355 knows more.

 

[Blue85]

From what I understand, 16.5" wheels have a 16" diameter. The difference is in the angle of the bead seat. Otherwise, why would the tires even have to say "Do not install on 16" wheels"? There were some factory 16.5" wheels with the safety lip, but basically no aftermarket ones.

 

[shady]

I seen the wheels looked like they had a flat seat, like a normal 16- 17- 18 etc.
Then seen they had 16.5"s on them. Figured it was some old school farmer BS.
Then when I got the tires off I found this.
I was kind of excited because I figured I had a full set of 5 matching 16"s that I could sandblast and paint.
I have 3 matching ones like the one on the left, and 2 of the ones on the right, which are close, but slightly different.
Same size, same bead land, but about 3/16" different back space, and a slightly different center shape.

 

[ktmoutfront]

In he early 70s, my dad looked long and hard to find 16.5x10 wheels for his C20 with bead lip. He put a weld bead in them and machined the bead lip into them.

 

[82355]

I have been saying this for years. . . . . . . . . .

GM 16.5" steel wheels with tubeless tires had safety beads. They were available in 6.25" 6.5", or 6.75" widths (depending on which size of tire the truck was ordered with). I also have GM 16" steel wheels that came from early trucks with tube style factory tires. They have no safety bead, just like most 16.5" wheels.

Calling the 16.5"x8.25" OR 16.5"x9.75" steel wheels "Camper Special" is STUPID. They had NOTHING to do with the Camper Special package. They were only used with certain wider "offroad" tire options. If you look it up, they were actually restricted from being ordered with Camper Special.

Martin

 

[tRustyK5]

I had a full set of the 6.5" variety on my Jimmy back in the day. I used to air em down when we went wheeling and everyone would look at me like I was killing kittens, telling me I was gonna lose a tire off the rim etc etc. I never did, and they couldn't figure out why.

 

[shady]

I was hoping I had a full set of 16"s cause I was going to through em on eBay or something after sandblasting and paint.
Maybe I'll just throw em on CL as is or something now..

Kinda cool though. I never seen a 16.5 with the bead seat before. Then 5 fall in my lap in one day lol.
I got 2 of the normal angle bead ones at the same time too.
They're already in the scrap trailer lol.

 

[shady]

When I popped the old azz dry rotted tires off of these, all I did was take the valve stem out and let it fall sideways on the floor. The beads broke free instantly.
So, they have the seat, but are still 16.5"s at heart I guess lol.
I do think a set of swampers or something would probably lock in a lot better though.

 

[82355]

Odd. The first set I broke down, I was very confused why I could not break the bead.

I air down to single digits with these wheels, and have never lost a bead.

Martin

 

[82355]

These were at 8 psi.





Martin

 

[shady]

I think it was the chitty tires that were on them. Dry rotted to the scary level.
And an old highway type tire.
I know swampers have an extra thick bead area.