R Model Wheels

[stev]

when looking at 1980's vintage trucks, i notice that a lot of them have had the original spoke wheels replaced with Bud style wheels. interestingly, i notice that some have only had the front wheels replaced, leaving spokes on the rears, like this:

http://www.truckpaper.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=2164339

is this just an expense thing, or is there a reason to go for different wheels on the front while leaving spokes on the back?

about when did Mack change over to the Bud style of wheels?

thanx . . . . . . . .

[HK Trucking]

when looking at 1980's vintage trucks, i notice that a lot of them have had the original spoke wheels replaced with Bud style wheels. interestingly, i notice that some have only had the front wheels replaced, leaving spokes on the rears, like this:

http://www.truckpaper.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=2164339

is this just an expense thing, or is there a reason to go for different wheels on the front while leaving spokes on the back?

about when did Mack change over to the Bud style of wheels?

thanx . . . . . . . .

Budd wheels have always been available on Mack trucks, if the truck was spec'ed with Budd wheels, that's what you'd get, likewise for Dayton (spoke) type hubs & wheels.

Until recently Budds were more of a west coast thing, and Dayton spokes were an east coast thing, but since the introduction of Unimount wheels (which look identical to Budd wheels, it's just that they have a flanged single lug nut on each stud and are hub piloted instead of stud piloted), Unimounts have gained popularity nationwide.

To convert from Daytons to Budds you just need to get the proper hubs to fit the axle you have.

Personally I don't understand why anyone would want to convert an old Mack from Daytons to Budds, but that's just me.

.

[Rob]

when looking at 1980's vintage trucks, i notice that a lot of them have had the original spoke wheels replaced with Bud style wheels. interestingly, i notice that some have only had the front wheels replaced, leaving spokes on the rears, like this:

http://www.truckpape...px?OHID=2164339

is this just an expense thing, or is there a reason to go for different wheels on the front while leaving spokes on the back?

about when did Mack change over to the Bud style of wheels?

thanx . . . . . . . .

As Herb stated both sets of hub types were available as per customer request. I don't think a lot of the trucks with spokes on the rear, and Budd type on the front have been replaced. From what I've seen through the years that was a common type of setup. I have a couple of "Western" Macks that have this setup which was quite common a few years back. I think Dayton style hubs are stronger than their Budd counterpart, but a dummy can make a Budd wheel run true consistently. If the guy mounting the rims knows what he's doing, (and is worth his salt) a Dayton will also run true. Back to the original point that a truck with Budd front hubs typically had aluminum front rims which are much lighter than their steel counterpart, and spoke drives which are also much lighter than their steel Budd counterparts. Now remember this setup was popular when a "fleet driver" knew how, and was responsible to change his own flat tires as there was not central dispatch number to call and wait for road service.

Just my thoughts.

Rob

[David]

Another thing that has added to the switch over the last 20 years is the change in weight laws. There are very few places left where you can run 75,000 lbs on 3 axles. The buds would not hold up under those loads. With laws reducing weight per axle and more axles added, the strength of the Daytons is no longer needed and the budds (esp. alum.)have become more popular.

[Pete]

Both my R models ,85,86 came like that.Up here nearly all trailers except for a few fleets were spoke wheels, a lot of guys changed there own flats,so you carried one spare as we figured the chance of getting a flat on the steering was a lot less.They put discs on the steering so as they ran truer,so they said .Back then getting a Budd wheel flat changed was a bit of a hassle especially in smaller places.Alot of guys had to use those gear wrenches to change them .As hub pilots got more popular that all changed.They used to bring alot of them in with low profile radialls on the steering,standard on the rest.My 86 I told them I wanted standard all round ,we used to cap our tires an lo pro casings were useless to us and had not much resale value.

Pete

[b61fred]

I asked this question to several old truckers over the years, the only answers that had any logic to them were. a) the front budds were easier to balance the wheel and tire together, where as a daytons were balanced once on the truck with the spoke,hub,wheel,drum, and tire. the budds could be aluminium, thus lighter and pretty. c) as stated before the budds were more difficult to change on the rear duals than daytons, due to the lugs that hold the inside dual would corrode and turn out when tring to removed the nut for the outside wheel on. d) also said previously, daytons would hold more weight without added weight. e) trucks of the vintage sometimes were gliders or kits, If you had a old truck was daytons, and the new glider had budds on the front they were mismached, This is all heresay from guys that drove them back in the day... Take it for what it is worth.

Fred

[David]

Another thing that made Budds more popular is outboard mounted brake drums.