KH wheel identify please

What vintage are these KH 15 x 4.5 wheels. No bumps for hub caps.

 

That's not one that I'm looking at is it? I need 16"x4.5".

But I'd guess same era, '55-'56 vintage or thereabouts. Not sure what 15's were used on.

 

No Ron. This is a totally different set.

 

OK. See the little flat areas where the hub meets the rim? That's the same feature that I'm looking for and why I want those other wheels. It's my understanding those are '55-'56 era, but it seems ID'ing early Jeep wheels is kind of a crap shoot, then there's pickups, wagons, M38's, M38A1's, jeeze......

 

They look exactly like the ones on my '57 CJ5 and are the same size.....

 

If those rims had tires on them and were mounted on the MB or 2A, they SHOULD fit on top of railroad tracks. Kind of centered on 42 and 1/2 inches wide on the vehicle equals the track width.

 

Looks like the factory option of 15" wheels that my 3A has. For 3As, you could get 6.00x16s or 7.50x15s for better floatation in the fields. That style of 15" wheel is kinda hard to find.

EDIT: Nope, mine don't have that flat spot.

 

The wheel mainly consists of two parts, those parts being the rim and the disk.
Those particular wheels have the flattened area near the perimeter of the disk.
This particular size and design of KH wheels were a factory option for the CJ's from 1953 to 1963.
They are near identicle to the optional wheels of 1945-1953 CJ's except for the flat area at the outer disk.

 

That's a good explanation.....you say optional, huh? As in, a 1956 CJ5 could have had 15" or 16" wheels, with either the fully dished disk or the disk with the flattened areas? Four choices?

I'd be interested in any documentation of this. Ain't a big deal, I have enough 16" wheels for two complete sets, but I'd like to put on the "correct" ones. I don't want to sandblast and powdercoat the wrong ones.

 

I can not provide you with pics of documentation because I have zero access to upload them onto a library computer.
That said I do myself posses documentation and /or have first hand knowledge to back up my posted specifications and data.
I own every Universal Service Manual, Universal Parts List and Universal Catalog ever produced by Willys Overland Incorporated, Willys Motors Incorporated Kaiser Jeep Corporation and Americam Motors Jeep Corporation that's ever been published concerning the CJ / Universal Series of Jeeps from 1945 through 1973.
My stack of original CJ publications is well over 2 feet tall and is mainly specific to Universal CJ's.

There were 4 different wheel sizes available for use on Willys universal CJ's of that general era.
The other 3 were considered as Jeep Approved Special Equipment.
Obviously most CJ's came equipped with the stock standard wheels.

The stock standard wheel for a 1953-1965 vintage CJ-3B, CJ5 or CJ6 was the Kelsey Hayes 4.5 X 16" with flats around the outer rim.
4.5" wide designates the bead width.
Note that this wheel actually measures 5.5" outside diameter (O.D.) at the rim lip.

Willys part # 640800 Rim and Disc 16" X 4.5" E for use with 6.00" X 16" tires was standard on models
CJ-2A, CJ-3A, CJ-3B, CJ-5 and CJ-6 through 1965.
This does not include 1965 models CJ-5A and CJ-6A.
Even though this part number is correct for both; the CJ-2A and CJ-3B wheels were built with a different discs.
The discs built after 1952 have a notable flat crease near the perimeter whereas the 1945 CJ-2A disc is not creased.
From what I have seen all CJ-3A's seem to also be creaseless like the CJ-2A disc.
More research needs to be looked into here.

Willys part # 642053 Rim and Disc 15" X 4.5" E. for use with 7.00 x 15" tires was optional on models
CJ-2A, CJ-3A, CJ-3B, CJ-5, CJ-6, 4 X 4 SW and 4X2 SW with 226.
This wheel was standard equipment only on model FC -150.

Willys part # 648914 Rim and Disc 13" X 5.5" (split rim) for use with 9.00 X 13" tires became optional in 1958
on models CJ-3B CJ-5 and CJ-6 only.

Willys part # 643665 Rim and Disc 16" x 5.0" for use with 7.00" X 16" tires was standard equipment on Willys
pick ups and FC-170 trucks.
This wheel became a heavy duty option for models CJ-3B, CJ-5 and CJ-6 around 1960 ( ?)
This HD wheel option is the same wheel as the standard military wheel of that era.

Other KH wheels became available in 1963.

 

Awesome! That's EXACTLY what I wanted to hear! If those were so standard and common, I wonder why they're so danged hard to find.

Of course, once I get a full set all restored, I'll stumble on a pile of cherry ones someplace locally for $5 each.....

 

An awful lot of the original KH wheels were scrapped back when the aftermarket white spoke wagon wheels became popular in the 1970's.
Back then I already began saving the originals when others started scrapping them for the then new "WELD" wheels.

 

Great stuff Ken. Thanks for all the info. I have pics of several different styles of wheel in my photobucket. If it will help, I can put them here, or send them to you, and put a picture with your descriptions.

 

If you can upload pics on here or send to my email I can likely identify them if you supply required information.
There were dozens of KH wheels used for different Jeep applications.
Some wheels were the same from one jeep model and vintage to another jeep model and vintage while other wheels were not the same.
It all depends on the Jeep model, the vintage and whether it was standard or optional.