My Willys 3A and 3B Community

3A, 3B, DJ Technical Knowledge Base => "Original"-- Technical Questions, Answers, Observations => Topic started by: garage gnome on February 27, 2012, 01:25:32 PM

Title: 15" wheel option?
Post by: garage gnome on February 27, 2012, 01:25:32 PM: Hi guys, I thought I read somewhere that 3As could have optional 15" wheels. Reason why I'm asking is my '53 has 15" KH wheels and when I sandblasted them, I could see the original campus red color (everything else was that color) and pin strips. I believe they are originals. Are they indeed an option?
Title: Re: 15" wheel option?
Post by: athawk11 on February 27, 2012, 11:04:43 PM: 15" wheels were an option on the CJ3A.

I believe originals are fairly rare. I have 15s on mine, but they are not CJ wheels. I think they were from a Jeepster. Dated 1955 and they have the hub cap lips.

Tim
Title: Re: 15" wheel option?
Post by: calvinhunt on February 27, 2012, 11:52:49 PM: My 1949 CJ-3A was purchased new with 15 inch wheels. ï¿½They are shown as Part Number 642053 on page 94 of the Parts List manual for Jeep Models CJ-2A and CJ-3A Copyright 1949. ï¿½Bob W's book, THE CIVILIAN JEEP MODEL CJ3A also shows pics of both the standard 600 x 16 and the optional 700 x 15 wheels on page 26. ï¿½They are indeed an option.
Title: Re: 15" wheel option?
Post by: garage gnome on February 28, 2012, 09:51:46 PM: Ok, thanks guys. I thought they were.
Title: Re: 15" wheel option?
Post by: Bob W on February 29, 2012, 08:46:14 PM: The 15" wheel option used 7.00 x 15" tires. These tires were the same height as the standard 6.00 x 16" tires so the speedometer gear and axle ratios would work out the same. The 7.00 x 15" tires are wider and therefore provide more flotation than the 6.00 x 16"s.
Title: Re: 15" wheel option?
Post by: Jesse on March 01, 2012, 11:29:26 AM: Whoops, should not have sold my set of 3 a few years ago. (for thirty bucks) ::)

-Jesse