Welded Wheel

[John F.]

I just found one on-line and it is the 15x5 welded (dogbone) wheel. There was a light green sticker on the inside of the wheel (tire side) with KH 48778 I think and 3724824. There is also a light stamping on the inside 15x5Y and KELSEY HAYES around a little circle MADE IN USA. Can anyone tell what year or where they all the same?
John F

[Joe L.]

Re: Welded Wheel

I just found one on-line and it is the 15x5 welded (dogbone) wheel. There was a light green sticker on the inside of the wheel (tire side) with KH 48778 I think and 3724824. There is also a light stamping on the inside 15x5Y and KELSEY HAYES around a little circle MADE IN USA. Can anyone tell what year or where they all the same?
John F

John-----

I can't find any record of the 3724824 part number. It may be a PRODUCTION-only part number, though. It dates from about 1956.

[Mike E.]

Re: Welded Wheel

It's a dogbone wheel, which were used on Corvettes from 55? through 59.

[Chris H.]

Re: Welded Wheel

My chart says 57-59 had dogbones for sure. Also late 56 (Pearman) and early 60 (hearsay) had dogbones.

Also late 56-62 were spot welded.

These same wheels should have a double hump on the disc face.

Is there a date code?

[Chris H.]

Re: Welded Wheel

I just noticed you said 15 x 5 Y.

Are you sure it is a Y? I see in my photo the K could be seen as a Y. All C1 wheels used K rim criteria. Not sure if/what Y rims are/used on.

Wish I would have kept my tire and wheel book from 20 years ago!! Then again I wish I would have snuck out the GM fastener book from 30 years ago!! Had every GM fastener from forever in it with all the specs.

[Edward M.]

Re: Welded Wheel

My chart says 57-59 had dogbones for sure. Also late 56 (Pearman) and early 60 (hearsay) had dogbones.

Also late 56-62 were spot welded.

These same wheels should have a double hump on the disc face.

Is there a date code?

My 3 owner, 72K mile 56 Chevy Belair still has it's original wheels. They are welded dogbone style. Car was built in August of 56.

[Chris H.]

Re: Welded Wheel

On the 56 chevy. It was built late in the 56 model year so it proves the late 56 notes I have from Pearman that the 57-62 wheel came early. That is if the chevy used the same wheels as vette.

Question. Is there any knowledge/proof that the 55/56 chevy shared Kelsey Hayes wheels with the Vette? In my chart I have a question mark.

I have not shared for 57 - 62. 57 Chevy had 14"

[John F.]

Re: Welded Wheel

Chris, After closer inspection with a magnifying glass my wheel looks just like yours. At first glance it looked like a tilted "Y", but I can see where that is a faint "K". That circle with the "8" on yours is different on mine. The point on the V on yours is pointing to the 6:00 position where mine is pointing to the 9:00 position.
John F

[Joe L.]

Re: Welded Wheel

All------


Does this 3724824 part number show up in any of the 56-59 Corvette AIM's?

[David L.]

Re: Welded Wheel

Does the hub hole diameter measure about 2 29/32"? I assume the bolt circle is 4.75". Is there a "15 X 5K" stamping, the Kelsey-Hayes logo, and a date code stamped on the rim part which would be covered with a tire on the wheel? Is there a "GM" stamping somewhere on the front face of the wheel?
Part number 3724824 does not appear in my 1957 or 1963 Chevrolet parts catalogs or in any of my Chevrolet truck parts catalogs (1957, 1960, and 1963).

[John F.]

Re: Welded Wheel

Yes 4 3/4 fits my 62.

[David L.]

Re: Welded Wheel

John,
I have a few more questions in my previous post (revised).
Dave

[John F.]

Re: Welded Wheel

The center hole is about 2 7/8" using a tape measure. The 15x5K, the KELSEY HAYES with MADE IN USA logo, and the Date stamp logo is there but very faint. The 1"x2" tag with KH 48773 (I think) and the part number 3724824 is there. The paint is a little flaky and I don't see a GM stamp. See pics.

[David L.]

Re: Welded Wheel

John,

The hub hole on your wheel is probably 2.91" (about 2 7/8" = 2.875", close enough). If you measure the gross wheel width it should be 6.00"+/-. The backspacing measurement should be about 3 9/16 (3.56"). This would make the offset 9/16" (3.56 - 6.00/2 = 0.56 or 9/16"). On a 1963 split window coupe (#1450) that I once owned in the late 1980's there was one NON-ORIGINAL wheel. This wheel (welded type) was stamped "GM" on the front face and stamped "15 X 5K", "54, and "8" (August 1954) on the rim part. The hub hole measured about 2 29/32" (2.91"). I do not believe that it had the Kelsey-Hayes logo stamping but I'm 100% sure. This wheel probably was original equipment on an early 1955 Chevrolet or early 1955 Corvette which would make it GM # 3714744 according to the 1957 Chevrolet parts catalog (March 1957). My 1953-1955 Corvette parts catalog (July 1955) shows 3714202 as the part number for the 55 Corvette wheel (15 X 5K). I do not have any Chevrolet parts history prior to 1960.

I have in my notes that the 3714744 wheel was supplied by Chevrolet and the 3723561 wheel was supplied by Kelsey-Hayes but I do not remember where I got this information.

My 1962 Corvette assembly manual lists 3714744 and 3723561 as the part numbers for the wheels (Sect. 10, Sheet 1.00).

Dave

[Chris H.]

Re: Welded Wheel

Jackpot! Lots of info below and a bit confusing but here goes.

I just remembered that John Neas sent me a parts list showing the production part numbers removed and then the special part numbers added for S.R. Options group 35 (no idea what group 35 means) dated 3-16-56 for group 10B (wheels, wheel trim, lug nuts) for the 56 Corvette.

There are 5 production wheels(15 x 5) that are available on the production 56 corvette that can be deducted and then replaced with the 3735702 15 x 5.5 S.R. wheel. It also list the individual parts (rim, disc, rivets) that each production wheel uses.

3714744, 3723561, "3724824", 3724830, 3733435 are the wheels that are released for the normal production 56 corvette per this document. Since this document is dated 3-16-56 it is a late document relative to 56 model year. This proves that the 57-62 wheels (3714744/3723561) were released on late 56 model vehicles.

It lists that "3724824" and 3724830 use rivets. This also shows that 3714744 and 3723561 do not use rivets(wheels used on 57-62 per AIM).

It shows that 3714744 and 3724830 use the same rim and 3723561 and "3724824" use the same other rim.

It shows that "3724824" does not use the disc from 3714744 or 3723561.

No mention if 3733435 is riveted or welded or individual parts.

I also have the wheel drawing for the 57-62 15 x 5" steel wheel 3723561 which I believe was a welded wheel when first drawn in 1955. Unfortunately it was redrawn in 62 and all previous revision notes were dropped off the drawing. From 62-67 it was a welded wheel. But it does show that "3724824"(riveted version) replaced 3723561(welded) in 1967 for service. Per my drawing the KH number is D-40591 "3724824" for black primered service use. This does not agree with the subject wheel.

In the revision column I see that D-48778 was removed in 67 and "3724824" replaced 3723561 when the wheel went from welded to riveted and it notes that D-48778 was a welded wheel. It does not list the wheel part number that was deleted with the D-48778.

So what have I found? A lot of confusion.

3724824 KH 40951 is a riveted wheel for service after 1967.

3724824 is a riveted wheel in 1956.

KH 48778 was removed from the drawing in 1967 and it was a welded wheel.

3724824 shares the rim from production wheel 3723561 (56-62 per AIM)

3724824 has a different disc than the production wheels. (could be center hole size which changed over the years [2.78 vs. 2.81])

We also have a part that is labeled KH 48778 and 3724824, welded and has dogbones that were used on late 56-60 corvettes.

I would say the subject wheel was produced after 1956 but before 1967 and most likely before 1960 (what is the date on it?) and that somehow, "3724824" changed from riveted to welded and then back to riveted in 1967 but got thru w/o a part number change??? That would not normally happen for a production wheel but I guess could happen for a service wheel.

OR KH made a mistake and put the wrong part number on it.

Bottom line is that is looks like this is not a correct wheel due to the disc difference. But the difference may be so small no one can tell. Can you tell the difference between a production wheel disc and this one? Does it have the double hump?


Wow, that was a lot of stuff to figure out. Good luck reading it.