1928 Studebaker Dictator wheel and other questions..

[Punisher7]

This summer I picked up a 28 Studebaker Dictator. It currently has wood spike wheels/hubs. I am hoping to swap out to the wood spikes for wires. Anybody have any leads on a set of hubs that would allow this? 

 

I have yet yet to find any other Studebakers with a top like mine. Anybody have any info?

 

Thanks in advance. 

[dictator27]

You can't swap wire spokes for wood ones.  Wood spoke wheels have demountable rims, wire spoke wheels do not.

[Gary_Ash]

The 1928-40 6-cylinder parts catalog lists the various parts for wood wheels and wire wheels used on the 1928 GE model.  As the OP asked, if you can find the hubs and brake drums for a wire wheel car, you should be able to swap those onto the front spindles and rear axle you have.  The book lists the same brake backing plate, shoes, steering knuckles, bearing cups, and bearing cones as being used for both types of wheels.  Before car 1,437,601, Budd hubs and wheels were used and there is a part number for left and right with 9/16-18 studs (left and right-hand threads).  Later cars used Kelsey-Hayes hubs with 1/2-20 studs, same on each side, so you can't mix Budd and Kelsey-Hayes parts.  The later GJ and GL cars used different parts, so maybe only the GE parts will fit.

 

Happy hunting!

[keninman]

Were there not also solid steel wheels? I am not sure if they mounted the same as the wood using rims or not. Also has anyone ever heard of one of these wood wheels failing while driving. I have worried a bit of what would happen if one my nearly 90 year old wood spokes failed at say 35 or 40 mph. I am glad I put seat belts in the car as I suppose it would be a hell of a crash. 

[Gary_Ash]

Yes, there were stamped steel disk wheels that fit the Budd hubs/drums in 1928.  These were 20x4, as were the rims for wood wheels and wire wheels.  Part number is 150912.  Order from your local Studebaker dealer.

 

While it would not be a good idea to drive around on wheels with loose or rotten spokes, the wood wheels should be just fine for as fast as one would want to drive a Dictator GE.  When Peter Gillespie drove his well-prepped 1929 President in the Peking-to-Paris race a few years back, the biggest problem he had was continually breaking the wire spokes on the rough roads - or no roads - they encountered.  Try finding a guy to re-weld your Studebaker wire wheels in the outback of Mongolia!  I think those wood spoke wheels were pretty tough, made by a company that had built wagons and wood-wheeled cars for 75 years before the time of the Dictator GE.  

Edited December 6, 2017 by Gary_Ash (see edit history)

[Buffalowed Bill]

The roads, in most cases, were terrible in those days. There is a video around that shows the wooden wheels flexing, as they traveled on the rutted roads. The amount of flexing shown is amazing!

[Punisher7]

On 12/5/2017 at 6:32 PM, Gary_Ash said:

The 1928-40 6-cylinder parts catalog lists the various parts for wood wheels and wire wheels used on the 1928 GE model.  As the OP asked, if you can find the hubs and brake drums for a wire wheel car, you should be able to swap those onto the front spindles and rear axle you have.  The book lists the same brake backing plate, shoes, steering knuckles, bearing cups, and bearing cones as being used for both types of wheels.  Before car 1,437,601, Budd hubs and wheels were used and there is a part number for left and right with 9/16-18 studs (left and right-hand threads).  Later cars used Kelsey-Hayes hubs with 1/2-20 studs, same on each side, so you can't mix Budd and Kelsey-Hayes parts.  The later GJ and GL cars used different parts, so maybe only the GE parts will fit.

 

Happy hunting!

Thank you for all the information! What would be the chances you would know the part #s for the hubs/drums for the hubs and drums in the Kelsey and the Budd? Hoping ill be able to run down something. 

[Gary_Ash]

For the early GE cars, the Budd-style front hubs and drums were 127834 (right) and 127835 (left); the rear ones are 127840 (r) and 127841 (l).

The hubs/drums that fit the later Kelsey-Hayes wheels are 128830 in front (both sides) and 128231 in back (both sides).

 

Note that these are the Studebaker part numbers as Budd and Kelsey-Hayes probably supplied only the wheels.  I don't know if there are any stamped or cast numbers on the parts to confirm what you might be looking at when you find some.  Just remember that the Budd-style has 9/16-18 studs and the Kelsey-Hayes style has 1/2-20 studs. 

 

The drums used on the Budd-style hubs are the same front and rear, 127838.  For the Kelsey-Hayes style drums the fronts are 128400 and the rears are 128401 - probably different number/size of holes in drum.  The studs are probably swaged on to keep the drums firmly attached to the hubs, so a swage cutter has to be used to remove them from a hub without damaging things, if you need to swap a drum.

 

 

[Punisher7]

8 hours ago, Gary_Ash said:

For the early GE cars, the Budd-style front hubs and drums were 127834 (right) and 127835 (left); the rear ones are 127840 (r) and 127841 (l).

The hubs/drums that fit the later Kelsey-Hayes wheels are 128830 in front (both sides) and 128231 in back (both sides).

 

Note that these are the Studebaker part numbers as Budd and Kelsey-Hayes probably supplied only the wheels.  I don't know if there are any stamped or cast numbers on the parts to confirm what you might be looking at when you find some.  Just remember that the Budd-style has 9/16-18 studs and the Kelsey-Hayes style has 1/2-20 studs. 

 

The drums used on the Budd-style hubs are the same front and rear, 127838.  For the Kelsey-Hayes style drums the fronts are 128400 and the rears are 128401 - probably different number/size of holes in drum.  The studs are probably swaged on to keep the drums firmly attached to the hubs, so a swage cutter has to be used to remove them from a hub without damaging things, if you need to swap a drum.

 

 

Thank you!

[rbk]

Where are you located?

I stripped out a 1928 GE and have drums and brake shoes , engine parts etc.

I can not ship , so come over and look at what I have.

I am in Joliet ILLINOIS  , 60432

[Punisher7]

2 hours ago, rbk said:

Where are you located?

I stripped out a 1928 GE and have drums and brake shoes , engine parts etc.

I can not ship , so come over and look at what I have.

I am in Joliet ILLINOIS  , 60432

I am about 2 and a half hours north of you.  I’m going to see if I can figure out the messaging on the forum and shoot you a message. Thank you! 

[Punisher7]

Anybody able to point me in the direction of a site that sells points, cap and rotor for these cars? I had a site saved on my computer and I cant seem to find it again. I have a Delco-Remy 636Y distributor. 

 

Thanks

[Stude Light]

 

 

[Punisher7]

Thank you.  I sent him a message. 

[BobPilkie]

Hi punisher7 Bob here in Edmonton Alberta. Just going through all the adds here and saw yours about looking for wire wheels. Call me if you get this. 780 819 7404  thanks 

[rbk]

On 12/8/2017 at 11:26 AM, Punisher7 said:

I am about 2 and a half hours north of you.  I’m going to see if I can figure out the messaging on the forum and shoot you a message. Thank you! 

Do you still need the rims and brake parts for the 1928 GE?

I also have an engine and transmission for a 1929 GE.

[Scott D]

Punisher7,

         would you be interested in selling 2 wheels and rims?

I need them for my 1926 Studebaker big 6 for side mounts.

20" wheels, correct?

[nzcarnerd]

1 hour ago, Scott D said:

Punisher7,

         would you be interested in selling 2 wheels and rims?

I need them for my 1926 Studebaker big 6 for side mounts.

20" wheels, correct?

Your Big Six probably uses different, much heavier, wood wheels.