i have a 90 f150 and i want to put some 97-03 wheels on the truck. i have seen this on other trucks the same years as mine. I know that the 97 on wheels are 5 -135mm and my truck takes 5-5.5in. a difference of 4.7 mm. is there anything special these people are doing to fit these wheels on the older trucks? or has the 5-5.5in always been 5-135mm and in 97 they just went metric?

 

The wheels are incompatible. Not only is the bolt circle different but the 97 up wheels are hubcentric and mount using a locating ring. The only way to fit them to an alder truck is with a adapter which is inherently a weaker arrangement and effectively changes the backspacing.

 

'87-up 8.8" axles and all 4WD fronts are also hubcentric with factory rims. I'm not sure about 2WD fronts.

I don't see a spacer as an inherent weak spot. If it's well-made (meaning NOT the cheapest ones you can find) & installed correctly (which usually doesn't happen), a thick spacer can be as strong as the hub flange it's mounted to. Of course, a thick spacer DOES change the backspacing & lose the hubcentric stickout, but I needed less backspacing to fix mine.

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