I seem to remember a thread on this years ago, but couldn't find it. Anyone had success with doing this?
Something like this seems to be a good idea, someone has placed an ad in my local T news letter here in Australia for RIM SAVERS kits.
Glue in rim edging.
That looks interesting. Is there more info on this available? Reminds me of the plastic that BMC Mini's had on their external body seams. Some of that went onto beaded edge (clincher) rims.
Yes, About 15 years back I acetylene brazed round metal rods around 4 rims with very sharp edges. The brazed spots were about 1" long and spaced every 2" inches or so around the rims. It was time consuming and bending the rods to fit the curvature of the bead and holding with small clamps was a learning process in its self. At the time I had looked for replacement rims but could not find any available. I do not know how safe this would be in the long run but the fellow I sold the T to is a avid driver and the units have held up well for 15 or so years at this point...
I remember a more recent discussion on sharp rim repair, sometime in the last five years or so. Somebody told how to make little clamps to hold welding rod to be welded in place with a MIG welder. I think there was a diagram or a picture.
Actually I had thought about doing what Kerry suggested on some old rims I have. I don't know of any product that's available over here but a search of Grangers or McMaster Carr catalogs might find something.
I have also seen, somewhere in the distant past some brass channel that might do the job - darned if I can remember where though.
If all else fails I may try to make something similar out of thin brass sheet and JB weld it to the rim.
Good luck!
Nevin
In South Africa my friends has done this. On one T 4mm wire was brazed onto the rims edge, with the bottom edge of the wire level with the bottom edged of the bead. It was then grinded smooth with a "flapper disk after brazing was done. This car has been running for the past 10 years without any problems. On the other T the wire was tick welded with great success.
Ockert
Here is a past thread:
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/118802/121079.html?1263802676
And a drawing of the set up:
Jim
Not sure if you can find it now but they used to make stainless steel door edge trim molding for cars and trucks. I think something like that would do the trick.
I have just replaced two Kelsey rims with new ones made here in New Zealand. They don't come with the rim lock, and that needs to be re-welded onto the new rim. No probs there, but they don't have the stamped 'notches' that the L clamps settle into.
For that reason, I would prefer to renovate older rims.
Nevin,
did you get your rims from Chch. I bought 5 from there, 2 or 3 years back, complete with driving lug and clamp notches.
I have a stack of sharp rims that I was going to build up the edges on but they are now all for sale (may end up as scrap) as you can't beat nice new rims at $250NZ each
I have repaired several clincher rims that had sharp edges. First clean the area to be repaired by sandblasting. Next, wrap 3/8" soft copper tubing around the inside clincher area and clamp in place. Using a Meg welder, make short skip welds (1/2" Long) along the outside edge using the copper tubing as a back up. Cool with air using a blow nozzle. The weld will not stick to the copper....overlap each weld until there is enough material to reshape with a disk grinder. Using a disk grinder, you can blend in the weld area without leaving gouges with high and low spots that you would get using a stone grinder. It's works great....if you have the skill and patience to get the job done.
I have saved several wire wheel rims using this method.
Have been doing body and fender work since age 16 yrs old.....it's no big thing for me provided the remainder of the rim is worth saving. If the rim is sharp and thin all the way around....forget trying to repair it and get another rim.
Les
Hi Gavin,
Yes, I got my rims out of Christchurch. They came without notches or the rim lock.
http://www.vintagerims.com/Beaded_Edge_Vintage_Rims.html
For $250 each all complete....that would be awesome.
Nevin,
I have just returned from a tour where a guy had what is a common fault with the Kelsey wheels you have. This is the 3rd Tour I have attended where this was a problem for someone.
Old rims besides maybe having poor beads which need to be rebuilt up also wear on the slots which the detachable clips fits. If such rims have these slots, welding them to build up the edge of the slot would be a good idea, it would also keep out water which gets in and makes these rims rust far more than other types.
This is what happened in this case, the punched out slot wears as does the clip especially if as often is the case old owners let the nuts get loose.
If they are too badly worn when the nut is tightened the lug bottoms out on the felloe before the rim is snug on the felloe. As the rim is still loose the nuts can become loose which is what happened. He lost 2 lugs and the nuts, a third one also came off but was found.
If you buy new rims why not fix them up by using the Hayes type lug which is welded to the rim. You can make up some lugs out of 1/4" steel drill the hole for the bolt and weld them to the rim. Just make sure the lug is away from the side of the felloe when the rim is hard up against the felloe as it should be.
Not only does this make it impossible to loose the lugs but the driving and braking is done by the lugs so the "U" shaped piece which goes over the bolt is not needed.
If your felloes have the slots they will be hidden, or you could go to extra trouble and close them up and weld them.
Here is a picture of rims I have. The nuts on these tapered so the lugs are countersunk.
Nevin,
mine were from Veteran Car Rims Ltd in Harmen Street
Why not just break the sharp edge with a file and pretty it up? You just want the tire to seat against the pocket rather than the inner edge of the rim.
Kerry, what is the price of the rim saver kit? KB
His email is dean026@hotmail.com
Australian dollar is about 92us cents at the moment so that's good. postage?
Thanks Kerry, looks like a good fix. KB
Ted, I think the edge has to be a certain distance away from the pocket, in order to hook the bead of the tire and keep it on the rim. Otherwise it could work its way loose somehow. These rimsavers do look kind of interesting too. Easier than welding wire.
Seems like the math isn't quite right on the rim savers. $20 for one and $100 for four? It's cheaper to buy four singles. ?????
Real good used rims can generally be had for $100 or less, but new tires are $150 & up... If the clincher bead is not perfect, you run the risk of destroying the tire.
On a tour several years ago a front wheel on one Model T kept loosing its tire, it would just roll off and head down the road.
The owner had reduced the bead back to solid metal but by doing that the bead was too small to do its job. Put in 60psi and the tire would pop off the rim, put in 40 and as soon as you turned the wheel the tire would peel off.
Good solid rims are necessary. If you are going at speed and you get a blow out ( with 60psi that's one option with the lousy tubes today) you immediately have no air in the tire. By the time you gain control and bring the car to a stop the tire could be cut by the rim, come off the rim and the rim will be running on the road surface. If the surface is rough your rim will get a hiding. This happened to me last weekend. Luckily I was 7 miles from home so I just got the trailer and loaded it up.
The next day I inspected the rim, no paint left on the rim edge and several spots the road surface had pounded the rim edge and produced sharp burs. The tire had suffered tearing nearly half way round in the bead groove and the bead had been cut through in 2 places. After dressing the rim with a file I was able to mount the tire and it will hold about 40psi but the tire was only of use to ride on the trailer and drive back into the garage.
I can see the glued on rim savers being totally trashed in such circumstances and if the rim is non demountable you are going to need a trailer to get home.