1940 K5 wheel swap

I have several trucks running spokes, including a K-7. I know spokes inside out and even the -7 is limited to how wide a rim it will take, the -5 even more so. Spoke wheels can still be ordered new in 20" and 24", not sure if anyone still makes 22" spokes. Most of the modern hubs will take an 8" rim (tube type) or a 9" rim in tubeless, or one of the special rims for supersingles. I've never seen a rim narrower than 7.5 (tubeless) in any current rim catalog.

CB, why hasn't someone come up with a different ( much newer) hub assy that would go on those old spindles? They aren't so different from 1/2 ton spindles.
Is it just a matter of sitting down with the disc rotor book and the tapered bearing book after taking spindle measurements?
Thank you CB for sharing your commanding knowledge on rims! You've saved him so much time. I learned a lot.

There may be options, Start by taking the bearing numbers and bearing spacing and compare with whatever you have laying around. Once you have a hub that will fit on the spindle, something like WildmanBill's disk brakes could take care of the front.
Rear is not likely to be as easy, but if you aren't looking to keep the same weight cap, a rear swap wouldn't be difficult.
I some cases a bearing change can adapt a hub to a different spindle. For example only the inner cone needed changeing to adapt a spoke hub from a Ford 7000 to my Marmon or IHC 9600. The Marmon had an Eaton front axle and the 9600 had a Rockwell. Both are 12K axles but the Ford had a 10K.
I adapted rear spokes from 17K rear to a 34 K by makeing a 1/2" bearing spacer to move the bearings apart, the hub would accept either spacing. The drum had to be changed as the brake width was different.
The problem may lie in age of the K's. Now a lot is standardized, like the bearings on the rear hub I mentioned. The bearings were the same and only the spacing increased to handle the extra weight. The K stuff was less so and I'm not sure how hard it would be to find a hub that would work. If you had a junkyard or lots of old truck parts laying around that you could compare, I think you would have a good chance of success.
I does seam a lot carried over up thru the Loadstar vintage trucks. I think the track width on the K's may make it hard to find a modern truck axle that will "sit right" on the heavyer K's.
I's start by getting the bearing numbers and looking in a bearing book to find the ID and radius on the back of the inner bearing, and the ID of the outer. Then look for similer bearings (the OD will be hub spefic, so that doesn't matter) and hubs that will take that bearing.

Yes...I put 1977 Buick rotors on a Studebaker!
I wonder what would go on a K-5?

Nah, just measured it , there's light years of clearance both between the tierod end and the frame/fender. There's so much room I could put a 10 inch rim in there easily. I'd still like to take a look at these adapters you mentioned. Have you been able to dig them out yet?

Tonight...tonight...

Mm, I look forward to it! Cb, I'm swapping a dana70 into the rear to replace the monstrous 2 speed stock pumpkin, they have almost the same weight ratings, yet the Dana, we'll it's vastly superior, with modern hub setup. Same width perches, which doesn't really apply as I'm flipping it anyway. Bed's off, c-notch tmrw/Friday Dana in by the end of the weekend.

They're in the back of the van. Drums are still attached. Such a deal. Bearing races are still greasy-looking. Black Widows are FREE.
K series cabs are so handsome!

Nah, just measured it , there's light years of clearance both between the tierod end and the frame/fender. There's so much room I could put a 10 inch rim in there easily. I'd still like to take a look at these adapters you mentioned. Have you been able to dig them out yet?

Actually there isn't, buy one, used and mount it than turn lock to lock. You are also changing the geometry of where the KPA, bearing center relative to where tire footprint center is, That will effect steering. As spokes rims get wider, the offset increase, moving the tire in.
A wide rim will place the tie rod end inside the rim, which may clear straight ahead, but not in a turn, when the tire hits the tie rod.

???

If you look at you picture, you can see there is very little clearance between the tie rod end and rim right now, with wider rims moveing the offset further in, there would be less room.