Wooden Wheel Advice Needed

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Model T Ford Forum: Forum 2013: Wooden Wheel Advice Needed
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Howard D. Dennis on Tuesday, October 15, 2013 - 03:21 pm:

Guys, I've worked on many antique cars but my 1917 Maxwell is my first wooden wheel car. It has 30 x 3 1/2 clinchers so it's just like a Model T. While trial fitting the bearings on my all original wheels I noticed that one wheel is REALLY warped badly. Is this normal for almost 100 year old wooden wheels to warp? It shows no accident damage and seems tight. If that's the problem I guess it's time to send the wheels to one of the wooden wheel shops mentioned on here? I welcome any advice or suggestions as to who to use.
If I do send them off, do I just send the entire wheel or is it my job to disassemble them and just send the metal parts?
Do they sandblast and paint the metal? Thanks for any help and advice,
Howard Dennis


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jerry VanOoteghem on Tuesday, October 15, 2013 - 05:06 pm:

Be sure the hub flange isn't bent, or even cracked. In other words, your warp may not be in the spokes.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Kerry van Ekeren (Australia) on Tuesday, October 15, 2013 - 08:08 pm:

Which are they, Non-demountable or demountable?


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Howard D. Dennis on Tuesday, October 15, 2013 - 08:08 pm:

Thanks Jerry, I hadn't thought of that. I just went out to the garage and put a magnetic pointer to the spindle and it runs nice and true but when I moved out about 2 inches to the speedometer gear attached to the wooden spokes I start to get a serious wobble. Leads me to ask could I loosen all the bolts and shim or adjust the wheel back into trueness?

Howard Dennis


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Howard D. Dennis on Tuesday, October 15, 2013 - 08:10 pm:

Kerry, they are demountable.

Howard Dennis


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Steve Jelf, Parkerfield KS on Tuesday, October 15, 2013 - 09:08 pm:

I don't know the reason for your wobble, but if it turns out you need to send them to a wheelwright Stutzman and Johnson will both do a good job. If they have wood felloes I'd send the entire wheel and let the experts do their thing. If they're steel felloes, you can use the Regan press and do them yourself.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Hal Davis-SE Georgia on Tuesday, October 15, 2013 - 09:12 pm:

How much wobble is 'serious' wobble? Wood wheels do run out some.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Howard D. Dennis on Tuesday, October 15, 2013 - 09:30 pm:

Hal,I didn't mike it but by eye at the rim edge we are talking an inch or better.

Howard Dennis


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Howard D. Dennis on Tuesday, October 15, 2013 - 09:54 pm:

Hal, I guess it looks worse than it is. I just locked a yardstick to the frame and the wheel edge wobbles back and forth over 1/4 inch on the yardstick, sure looks a lot worse by eye!

Howard Dennis


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By mike_black on Tuesday, October 15, 2013 - 10:13 pm:

I'd be happy with that if it's good and tight.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Donnie Brown on Wednesday, October 16, 2013 - 01:30 am:

Hi: I think I read somewhere that Fords tollerance for wheel runout was 3/8 inch or less at rim when the cars was new...


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Howard D. Dennis on Wednesday, October 16, 2013 - 09:50 am:

Thanks guys, I guess I'll just wobble on down the road.

Howard Dennis


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jack Arnold on Wednesday, October 16, 2013 - 10:50 am:

I put new spokes on my rear wheels using the press. Ended up with about 1/4 to 3/8 runout at the rim.I could not get them any better. They are nice and tight. I have put close to a 1000 miles since and have no tire wear or issues,so I say wobble away.


Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Adam Doleshal on Wednesday, October 16, 2013 - 04:12 pm:

At one point in the late teens, Ford issued a service bulletin that they would no longer supply, as parts stock, wheels without hubs due to the fact that wheels had a great tendency to warp if they were stored any length of time without hubs installed... Something for people to think about if you ever see wheels without hubs for sale. Total acceptable runout by some Ford blueprints is 1/8".


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