B rear valve stem/axle interferance

Hi All!

I have a particularly perplexing problem to publicly ponder.

My '48 B had tires set to not the outermost, but quite-a-ways-out position with hub flare turned inward (meaning, if I flipped the hubs, they'd be WAY WAY out... but they were about out as far as they can get without flipping the centers....

Anyway, the valve stems were facing out.  To get to the INNER positions, the valve stem has'ta face in, which is the way my '39 B is.

Well, the rear track is substantially wider than the front, and while I like the stability, I certainly never needed it, and it's always been a problem getting it in and out of it's 'spot' in the barn, because it was about a foot-and-a-half wider track in the rear.

So John and I jacked and blocked it, flipped the wheels (and swapped sides, so they're facing the right direction).... and it was almost same track as front tires...

But when I spun the wheels, the @@#%%^ valve stem contacted the axle tube!!!

Now, this has tubes with large cores, where you thread the adapter in to use a Schrader type chuck.  Fortunately, it just broke the end off the adapter, and the valve in there was stuck anyway, so no loss of fluid or air.

Had 'ta do something, so I unscrewed both adapters, sawed 'em off, and filled the hole through with epoxy, and threaded 'em back in.  Yep, lost air pressure and fluid, but only so much.  Obviously, I can't pump 'em back up now, but I could at least drive it back into the barn.

But WTH do I have this interference problem?  Seems to me, there'd be plenty of clearance... unless of course, the thing was never intended to have the fat core tubes, and the original stems were supposed to be turned...

But I look at my '39, and there's much more stem clearance.  Now, I haven't gone out to look at tire size... but they don't LOOK any different in diameter... and obviously someone didn't 'substitute' different wheels, 'cause there really ISN"T a compatible substitute... so what in the wide world'a sports is 'a goin' on here???


Edited by DaveKamp - 12 Jun 2011 at 9:54pm

Do you have the C style rear wheel castings? Those have more adjustment than a B can handle. Those cannot be set as far in as they allow.  If you got the regular one nut wheel castings I would wonder it your eccentrics are right.

I must be drinkin' too much calcium-chloride water... perhaps I should clarify-

This doesn't have 'spin out' rims... it has bolt-on rims, where the the 2-petal wheel centers (5-bolt flange) with four 'loops' on each rim.  You can mount the rim with loops either facing in, or out... and you can mount the wheel center to the inside, or outside of the wheel center... and you can flip the wheel center so that the offset faces in, or out.

When using the rim flipped to put the loops facing outward, this puts the valve stem  facing towards the inside... such that when the wheel turns, the stem strikes the axle tube.  This interferance is possible on the second-to-closest setting, and closest setting.

I looked at my '39, which has different centers (tapered shaft, non-reversable), but already has stems facing inward... and there's plenty of room... like the rim is larger diameter than the '48...  baffling.

thats because it never came with loop wheels. the valve stemm hole on a original wheel is on the hump side of the rim. this is to prevent the problem you are having. When the wheels are in the narrowest position the valve stem should be on the outside of the rim. take them off redrill the rim on the correct side. or live with what youve got.  make sure the new hole is located between the loops so it lines up with the notch in the wheel center.

Dakota Dave wrote: thats because it never came with loop wheels.

Here it is-  this one is on a C... this is what's on my B...  if the axle housings are same, though... how did they make this wheel clear when flipped IN?









Edited by DaveKamp - 13 Jun 2011 at 10:09pm

I may have to go look at my B. I have one of those loop rims on it and it is set in. There might be different manufacturers that made these a little different??????  I think the little Farmall's used a rim like that and Ford N's used a similar 6 loop I believe.

I believe Allis used the five bolt flange and wheel center on some B's but that 4 loop rim is after market. A rim like in Bee's picture will work on your wheel centers with the proper wedges and eccentric bolts and that is what would have came on your tractor.

Dave, That aftermarket rim comes in different widths. It looks by your picture you have a wider rim than would have been for a B. It comes down to the same mounting problem and having to buy different rims but I think the narrower four loop rim would clear the final drives. I mounted the C cast centers on my 9523 same as 5020 and used looped rims.  I have changed one to the B/C type clamps on one side and will do the same on the other side.