I want to install the 17" Ford wheels on my 1997 F-150, just like the ones 02XLT has pictures of. They are made for 14 mm studs, I think I have 12mm studs. What will I need to do to install these?

 

Nothing, but then again this advice was from Discount Tire Co. You may sue them accordingly if they're wrong.

 

I have information on spacers just for this issue. Let me know if you are interested.

 

The size of the stud doesn't mean anything and you don't need spacers. The guy is right, they will fit. these trucks have hub-centric centered wheels anyways so it doesn't matter. You just need the correct size lug nut. The ones on your truck right now will work with the new (those) wheels. I have a set of those wheels for sale BTW.

 

like they said, nothing is needed. The acorn style lug nuts might make for a notch tighter fit. I have 02 wheels on my 99, and no problems.

 

Galaxy and Philip SVT are both right: spacers are not required. However, if you check out my gallery, I made a sketch showing the large difference in size between the 14mm wheel stud holes and the 12mm studs. I wasn't comfortable with this excess space, so I made spacers to fill in the void. The wheels are hub centric, meaning that the center hole in the wheel is weight bearing to the hub on the truck. But, I have the flat rotating style lug nut, and wans't comfortable that the lug nuts would keep the wheel from rotating around the hub under hard acceleration or hard braking. So, I made some spacers, and I just want people to beware that they are available if you have the same concern. They are not required, just available.

 

Nothing is needed. I installed the 17" chrome wheels from a 2002 model on my 1998 f-150. My 98' has the 12mm studs and the 2002 has 14mm. No problems at all. The biggest issue was getting the centercaps 'adjusted' so that they will stay on the 12mm lug nuts....

I agree with Country, there will be a space and that did concern me a bit. It has not appeared to be an issue.

Good Luck.

 

Yea, they Discount Tire guy told me there chrome lug nuts wouldn't fit because I needed flat back or something?? I still need to get the chrome lugs eventually.



By the way I bought these from a guy in Katy.TX

-Brian

 

Very cool - thanks everyone. Country - I haven't seen the wheels in person, I just assumed that the lug nuts were conical and they would center the wheel on the stud.

The spacers would be nice to prevent damaged threads or bent studs. How much did these cost to make, and can they be bought anywhere?

BTW - nice truck, Brian. I was wondering what wheel to get, and your pictures did it for me

 

These spacers are not available anywhere to my knowledge. I figured out a way to make them, and decided to offer their availability to others. They are not that expensive as compared to purchasing the wheels. I don't want to post actual prices on the website, so contact me directly if interested. As far as the lug nuts, I don't have the acorn style. I have the flat rotating washer style. If you go my gallery, I have a sketch of the spacers, and also what I am talking about between the acorn style lug nut, and the flat rotating washer style lug nut. I personally don't like the acorn style lug nuts on aluminum wheels for fear of overtightening them and "smashing" away material on the wheel directly underneath the lug nut. For this reason, I prefer the flat washer lug nut and the spacer.

 

Country: If you are still out there, are the spacers still available? I have a 2000 Lariat with Steel/Chrome wheels and 12mm bolts. A friend of mine picked up a set of four aluminum wheels at a flea market off a 2002 F150. I am also not comfortable with the gap. In fact, none of the tire centers (Discount, NTB, etc.) will install new tires on the new wheels and then put them on my truck.

Thanks.

 

I have the 99-03 fx4 wheels on my 97 and it fits fine no spacer needed. The 97 lug though uses a flange while the fx4 style wheels has capped lugs with a 60* taper. Just go on eBay and order some M12x1.75 lugs 49mm in length. You can look at my pictures to see what they look like.

 

Retto4...those are the exact same wheel I picked up! When you say 60 degree taper, do you mean 'acorn' style?

Tim

 

Tim1217....it's known as a cone seat end. The taper is at the end of the lug nut. If you notice inside the fx4 wheels, you'll see how at the bottom it tapers 60* so the bottom of your lug needs to taper 60* as well to fit.
Here is a link to some on eBay: http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewi...d=300964712872. It does not give the overall mm length, but this is something similar to what you should be looking for. To get the right length, measure the depth of the hole in the wheel the lug would go in,
Convert it to mm then find one as close as possible to that. It took me a while to find the right ones but they are out there.