Converting 1 ton 8 lug to 6 lug?

zukimaster · Jan 26, 2014

I have got a gm 60 front, and a 14 bolt rear, both have disc brakes, i already have a set of trail gear aluminum 6 lug beadlock wheels, is there a cheaper way to convert the axles to six lug, or just sell the wheels and go 8 lug? thanks

mikeyg79 · Jan 26, 2014

easiest way I've found
1. buy new wheels
2 buy solid hubs
3 machine and weld new flanges on machined stock hubs

paradisepwoffrd · Jan 26, 2014

Re:

You can machine and redrill the stock hubs. Then you'll haveta find the brakes for it.

grcthird · Jan 26, 2014

Price on wheels? ;D

TacomaJD · Jan 26, 2014

Need to sell yer wheels and tires and upgrade to 39's anyway!!! DIY beadlock steel wheels and some 39 reds would be cheaper than buying more TR wheels.

Neal3000 · Jan 27, 2014

Talk to Ryan at he-man machine, (Traveler on here.) He machined my 14b hubs and axle flanges to fit 6x5.5, and he tapped 6 of the old stud holes on the back of the hub and you just bolt your rotor to it. You can do the same on D60 hubs

bgredjeep · Jan 28, 2014

I just went through this same debate for my Jeep, switching to tons. If I was a machinist I could do it cheap, then just have to figure out brakes. I'm not and I kept running up about $1000 between hubs, brake parts, and machine work. Decided to buy new wheels instead and offset that expense by selling my current wheels. If I didn't get baller wheels I ended up with it wouldn't have been more than about $400 difference after selling the old wheels.

Neal3000 · Jan 30, 2014

it's really not that bad money-wise to get the hubs/flanges machined down. then you need new wheelstuds and mounting hardware for the 14 bolt axle-flanges and to bolt the rotors to the back of the hubs. Imo, the easiest thing to do with the brakes is use the same 1 ton or 3/4-ton brake components that you would if you were switching to 8 lug wheels anyway so moneywise that part is a wash.

zukimaster · Jan 30, 2014

Thanks for all the info, guess it would be a lot better to just sell my wheels, and but new ones instead of going thru all that B.S. and still being out about the same money!

GONOVRIT · Jan 30, 2014

I'm running 6 lug creepers on my 60's. A friend of mine did the work, I really don't think its a big job at all.

Blase · Jan 31, 2014

GONOVRIT said:
I'm running 6 lug creepers on my 60's. A friend of mine did the work, I really don't think its a big job at all.

Its not! Turn down one dia on the outside of the hub. Drill the 6 lug bolt pattern into the hub and rotor and your done!! Stock brakes work fine as long as you re-drill the rotor and run 17" wheels.