Help with my wheels 68 Dart

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nerftheherd

nerftheherd

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Hey all... so I need help figuring out what my wheels are exactly... I've never dealt with 13 inch wheels before, and wanted to know what it would take to get some 14 inch on there. The tires for the 13 are near impossible to find...
I currently have 185 / 80 R13.
I think they are on a 13 inch 5 x 4.25 wheel (steel)... this is the part i need some confirmation on... I believe the wheels are original, if so, can anyone confirm that a 1968 dodge dart GT (225) would have those wheel bolt pattern?

Next question, if those are in fact my wheels, can i straight swap to a 14 inch wheel with a 5 X 4.25 bolt pattern?? Any help would be appreciated, all my wheels before were 14 inch and a pretty standard bolt pattern, so these issues never came up.
 
Welcome to the site...Ventura, nice ! I surf there alot.
Your car should have come with a 14" x 4.5" steel wheel, with the 4" "small bolt" pattern. So if you have 13" wheels, thats odd.
Look for a set of 14" x 4.5" steel wheels or better yet, a set of 14"x 5.5" steelies that came on the 340 cars. Pair that up with a 205/70-14 or 215/70-14 tire and your good to go.
 
The 68 Dart would have a 5 on 4 inch pattern, not 4.5 unless someone has swapped to a large bolt pattern. Yes, you can swap to the 14 inch wheel with no issues. Visit the tire and wheel thread on here to see what sizes others are running.
 
Thanks for the replies guys, I thought the wheels were kinda small, but it really did have the 13's. I actually want to stick with a steel wheel and add some dog dishes, eventually paint match the wheels to the car when i get body paint done...

I will try and determine if it's 5 x 4.25. if so, I don't think 5 x 4.50 would bolt up without an adapter... Hopefully they are the 5 x 4.50, as i have seen far more aftermarket wheel options in that pattern.
 
There is no such thing as a 4.25" bolt pattern.
Unless someone changed to the big bolt pattern, you have the small bolt pattern,which Iis 4".
 
:glasses7:
 

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Thanks Johnny, that helps... not to amny options for 14 inch wheels in that bolt pattern though... :(
Hoping I can come up on some steel wheels at least... Vintiques had some nice "Chrysler" wheels, but not in my bolt pattern...
 
actually i recall a thread about a bastard 4.25 pattern. as stated its more than likely 4" which has lots of 14" but no 15" wheels
 
Thanks again for all the help. I will figure out exactly what my wheels are... need to educate myself... so far, all the info has been great. I may be confused on backspacing with these too... Anyway, hoping (fingers crossed) that its a more common bolt / backspace combo that i can easily throw some steel 14 inch on...
 
Lots of 13" rims on Abodies but the bolt circle should be 5x4"

And yes, here comes a whole bunch of generalizations but, almost any steel 14" rim you will come across with 5x4" will fit your dart. I'm sure you will have a 7 1/4 rear diff so you need to watch the back spacing. If you put a 7" rim back there you will need 4" or more back spacing. A 24" diameter tire in a 60 series is about all you will get on the front with those small drums. The 14" rallies fit nicely.
 
There has never been a 5.25" bolt pattern used on any Mopar A-body. The A-bodies used the same 4" bolt pattern through 1972. In 1973 they changed over to the 4.5" pattern. If your car hasn't been swapped to the later bolt pattern it will still have the 4" pattern.
 

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I'm sure it 5 on 4" bolt pattern. Probably just measuring wrong. Anyway... I bought a 68 notch used that had 13 inch wheels on the front. Huge and wide Cragars on the rear. I'm guessing the 13s were for the 70s styling / hotrod rake.
 
Oklacarcollecto said:
There has never been a 5.25" bolt pattern used on any Mopar A-body. The A-bodies used the same 4" bolt pattern through 1972. In 1973 they changed over to the 4.5" pattern. If your car hasn't been swapped to the later bolt pattern it will still have the 4" pattern.
Click to expand...

huh? those are wheel widths
 
Oklacarcollecto said:
Yes, that is how the Hollander interchange system works. They are for the interchange size for his 1968 Dart, not the bolt pattern. I posted that so he could see that 13s were available for his 1968 Dart.
Click to expand...

So the 13 inch wheels on the 68 notchback could have been OEM too.
Imagine that. Thanks
 
nerftheherd said:
Thanks Johnny, that helps... not to amny options for 14 inch wheels in that bolt pattern though... :(
Hoping I can come up on some steel wheels at least... Vintiques had some nice "Chrysler" wheels, but not in my bolt pattern...
Click to expand...

Wow....All kinds of miss information.
14x4.5 Chrysler factory steel wheels, are plentiful.Put an add in the parts wanted section.
14x5.5 Chrysler factory steel wheels. A little harder to find, but still out there. Again, add in parts wanted section.
Another option is factory Chrysler 14x5.5 Rallye wheels.

PS: Wheel Vintiques does carry small bolt pattern Chrysler 15"
steelies.
 
Alright... from what i read earlier, my pattern "should" be a 5 X 4.00 given my vehicle. If memory serves, I do have 5 lug... So that explains the 5 in the 5 X 4... I think there is some confusion on the 4.00 / 4.25 / 4.50 part of that.
Unfortunately the car is at the shop getting some shocks and minor bits, so i cant take a pic / do measurements. I think ideally, if I have read correct, i need a 14 inch, (whatever width i like that fits), 5 (lug) x 4.00 (?) wheel...
I think this is where my confusion came from... most wheels read like this:
Example only
Size: 15'' x 6''
Bolt Circle: 5 x 4-1/2" (4.50)
Rear Spacing: 3-3/4''

If my wheel is in fact a 5 x 4.25 bolt circle, I can swap my 13's to 14's as longs as the bolt cirlce numbers match without problem correct?
Unless I broke that down like a dummy... which i am fully capable of... haha

Again thanks for all the links and help...
 
13 inch wheels were standard on 9 inch brakes. they also were standard on ten inch brakes, with 14 optional. my 69' 273 GT had 13 inch rims, 14 was optional. if V8, (273-318-340) factory A/C then 14x5.5 was standard. There were also a bunch of 14x5 rims, and 14x 4.5 wide rims. They are all the 4'0 bolt pattern. I have a set of both. The narrow ones became common on Dusters and A body in general after 1970. I junked a 75' dart slant six, stick, nine inch brakes, 13 inch wheels. Pogostick wheels we called them, horrible. if you were closer, I would sell a set of four 14" wheels to you.
 
Maybe that's part of the issue to. I am pretty sure I have the 9 inch on my drum set up. Dunno if 14's will be too much for that... I know that eventually when i convert to disc front, it will require a wheel upgrade to 14 from 13, I just want to get wheels that fit both my current 9ich drum and my eventual 14 inch
 
It is true the bigger tire strains those dinky brakes, and reduces your stopping power. The skinny rim wouldn't be as bad. A 5.5 with a 70' series tire and a nine inch brake isn't a good combination. But a 4.5 with say a 185/75-14 would be a good compromise for now. Your ride and handling would also improve.
 
Yeah, i definitely dont want to go super wide right now... but my current tires are so skinny and just tiny... I figure a 14 inch / 4.5 or 5 might be safe, but we shall see...
 
215/70-14 BFG Tire Rack $538.00 for 4
Shipping $70.00
Total $538.00

Mopar 14" x5.5" (wide) Steel wheels. Came on 340 cars. Getting rare.
$50.00 each
Blacck gloss powder coat $50.00 each
Total $400.00

Mount an balance
$60.00

Total tire and wheel package $998.00
Adds up quick. :)
This isnt including shipment of wheels, time and travel.

Full set up as above...... $800.00
Delivered....No shipping !
Add a set of dog dishes, and your rolling.
Rims and tires are immaculate.
Let me know if your interested. Now hows that for help ?
 

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Interested, but let me confirm my bolt pattern...
My bolt circle will be either 5 x 4.00 or 5 x 4.50... Hoping for the latter as it seems there is more options... and according to a lengthy post over in the slantsix forums i stumbled across, the SBP 5 x 4's are hard to find... which means that will most likely be my wheel... haha
 
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