working on a Frankenstein super M

odffirefighter · Dec 5, 2013

Hi i am trying to get a 1953 Super M running. This is no ordinary Super M it has some old Ford truck front end. Like an F4 maybe F5 front end someone modified to give it a wide front. The front tires are shot. Easy fix right? The problem is it has split rims and of course they are the widow maker ones and no one (including me) will touch them. So i had a crazy idea this morning. If I took 1" steel plate and drill the 5x8 bolt pattern and then inside I drill a more common wheel pattern say 8x6.5" do you guys think that would hold up to normal use on a tractor? Thanks for your help, Nick

mkirsch · Dec 5, 2013

1" is overkill.

You could also cut the wheel center out of the old split rims and weld it into whatever rim size you choose.

sflem849 · Dec 5, 2013

Sounds like a lot of work. I would buy a $40 narrow front and be done. You could probably get a complete one for less than $150.

gab · Dec 5, 2013

Junk yard narrow front would make more sense to me.

rustred · Dec 5, 2013

don't really know what all the fuss is about splits rims now. just because it is a thing of the past and the young people go by hearsay. run into this same thing also. if the rings and grooves are clean and inflated properly with safety precautions, all is well.
but yes 1" is over kill.

DeltaRed · Dec 5, 2013

1/2" is plenty for what you are trying to d

r you could weld your centers into another wheel.Or just find a 'normal' split rim from an old truck.Been theredone that.Several times,all three ways.Word of caution! Dismount tires BEFORE any welding!!Even if you're not welding on the rim,the thing can still blow up.See the Utube videos on that very subject.Scare the snot right out of you!Please post some pics,I's love to see it! Steve

W.Brehm · Dec 5, 2013

(quoted from post at 20:10:50 12/05/13) Junk yard narrow front would make more sense to me.

I have a narrow front from a Farmall 450 that would work.

odffirefighter · Dec 5, 2013

Im not with it right now and if you see this thing everything on it is overkill lol.

I hadn"t thought about welding the rims as an adaptor.

I got the starter back from he shop today and i rebuilt the carb last night removed about 10 gallons of dried gas crusties from it (in the kitchen sink which my wife was super excited about) so hope tomorrow brings some pictures of it running.
Whoever they were put a lot of work into making this front end on it like it has a buick power steering pump and some kind of power steer box mounted. And ill save the custom three point discussion for another day
Its an ugly little tractor but think that is the reason I bought it. A face only a mother could love lol

BigMarv1085 · Dec 5, 2013

measure your rims and try to find a matching set from a junkyard that aren't split

rustyfarmall · Dec 5, 2013

(quoted from post at 14:44:11 12/05/13) Im not with it right now and if you see this thing everything on it is overkill lol.

I hadn"t thought about welding the rims as an adaptor.

I got the starter back from he shop today and i rebuilt the carb last night removed about 10 gallons of dried gas crusties from it (in the kitchen sink which my wife was super excited about) so hope tomorrow brings some pictures of it running.
Whoever they were put a lot of work into making this front end on it like it has a buick power steering pump and some kind of power steer box mounted. And ill save the custom three point discussion for another day
Its an ugly little tractor but think that is the reason I bought it. A face only a mother could love lol

I would really like to see some pictures of that truck front axle under the M. I've been entertaining thoughts of doing that to my M.

odffirefighter · Dec 5, 2013

yeah im guessing they were using a loader on it at
one time as it was at a dairy and still has some of
the loader frame on it. I'm getting pictures so i
can brag about this beast lol

rustyfarmall · Dec 5, 2013

(quoted from post at 15:29:57 12/05/13) yeah im guessing they were using a loader on it at
one time as it was at a dairy and still has some of
the loader frame on it. I'm getting pictures so i
can brag about this beast lol

I see you are a new poster, so you may not be able to upload photos right away, but you could email them to one of us and we will post them.

Anonymous-0 · Dec 5, 2013

delta red is right on the mark 1/2 is perfect i have done this to lots of irrigation wheels so many that i consider myself an expert

notjustair · Dec 5, 2013

I just put new duals on my grain truck with widow makers. Had no trouble finding someone to do it. Find a small town tire shop (or the Coop). They are used to dealing with our old trucks.

fixerupper · Dec 5, 2013

When you get it running and cleaned up a bit take it to a tractor show. It'll draw a crowd. People will be standing around your tractor pointing at things on it while the shiny tractors beside won't be noticed. It'll drive the 'correct police' wild. Jim

David G · Dec 5, 2013

I have a frankenstein MH44 with EFI

Hayfarmer · Dec 5, 2013

I saw one of those with a truck front end here a long time ago. In my country we have corrigations in the fields and the farmall wide fronts with a heavy loader didn't hold up real well, especially loading hay

2 pipe · Dec 5, 2013

I have a silage dump wagon with 11.00x20 truck tires on it that sees a LOT of abuse. I was having problems with the wheel centers breaking out on it so I took it to a local machine shop and they welded a 1/2" steel plate in them and made the holes match my bolt pattern. It works great now and they haven't broken out for three years now, they even got them to run straight as an arrow. You could get some used or blank rims to match your tire size and have the centers made the way I did. Good luck, looking forward to pics.

Robert Major · Dec 8, 2013

Hi
Ive done many split rims here on the farm or where i worked as nobody else would
As you say just make sure all the parts are clean and fit right. I always put the parts together, used plenty of tire soap, then put a piece of rail tie across the rim, then put a backhoe boom or the front end loader bucket on top with full weight on, to catch the parts if anything came off while seating the beads.
Also doing this you are away from the tire when letting the loader pressure off and well away if anything lets go with the weight of.
I know this might not be the right way but it"s the best method to be safer that I could think of with the circumstances involved.
Regards Robert

working on a Frankenstein super M

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