Changing Drum Brake Wheel Bolt Pattern

[RangerRat]

Hi All. Depending on what wheels I choose for my 72' XLT I may need to change the wheel bolt pattern. I have the rear figured out. That's easy enough. But I'm clueless on how to change the front bolt pattern with the drum brakes. Changing to disc is not an option right now. Hopefully later. Any suggestions?

[Busboy]

Yeah, my suggestion is don't reinvent the wheel. Rethink your first thought.

[Jacksdad]

I'd choose your wheels to suit your bolt pattern, rather than the other way around. You can do it, but it seems like a lot of work.

[RangerRat]

Well, my first wheel choice is Torque Thrust. Which I can get in a 5x5.5 bolt pattern. But I got to thinking a set of Keystone Klassic's would be cool. Something ya don't see everyday. But I don't believe they offer them in the 5x5.5 pattern. Either way I'll run 1.5 inch wheel spacers in the rear with 8 inch wheels. That will help with the weird looking narrow rearend. In the front I guess the hubs and drums could be redrilled if I wanted to try the Keystones. The only other problem I see is will the small car center on the Keystones fit the drums ok? Idk. I'll probably take the easy route and stick with the Torque Thrust.

[ultraranger]

I don't know if this is an F100 or, if you're referencing an F250 or F350?

On an F100, I don't know if it's possible to redrilled the front hubs and drums from a 5 x 5.5" lug pattern to a 5 x 4.5" lug pattern? The 5 x 5.5" lug pattern is very limited when it comes to choices for nice looking wheels.

If an F100, and if it was converted to Dentside F100/F150 front discs, it would be easy enough to have the hubs of the rotors turned down by a machine shop and to have the lug pattern redrilled to a 5 x 4.5" pattern. There's a vast amount of wheel choices for the 4.5" lug spacing.

For the rear on an F100, you would need to find an '80-'83 F100 that has the factory 9-inch rear with the 5 x 4.5" lug pattern (be aware some '80-'83 F100s also had a 9-inch rear end with the larger 5 x 5.5" lug pattern). Move the leaf perches/lower shock mounts in by 2" on each side and it will bolt right under a Bumpside F100.