T-Series New Wire Wheels Mounting

[PAUL161]

My new wires are on their way, now I need to know if there is a tire service within 100 miles of Tulsa Ok that has the proper equipment to mount spline type wheels and balance them? I won't take them to just any tire shop. Too much money invested and I won't ship them. Any clues? PJ

 

[drooartz]

Don't know anyone in your area, but they are hard to find. I struggled with the wire wheels that came with my BGT and wound up just converting to disc wheels. Too many tube pinch flats over just a few weeks.

There is an adapter you can buy to bring in with you so they can balance the wheels -- so they will be properly centered on their balancing machine.

 

[PAUL161]

Thanks Drew, these new wheels are 15"" tubeless 4.5"" wide and naturally I don't want them scratched. I'll figure it out eventually. 5 new Vredistein Sprints go on the wheels. I might have to bubble balance them. Hendrix Wire Wheel in North Carolina has a special set up to mount and balance wires. They can't be the only shop in the country that does these. I wish I was within driving distance from them, but that's not to be. PJ

 

[DrEntropy]

Find and talk to a Tire Kingdom manager. Some get it, some don't. It's a hit-and-miss proposition. Are there any clubs in your area?

 

[PAUL161]

Find and talk to a Tire Kingdom manager. Some get it, some don't. It's a hit-and-miss proposition. Are there any clubs in your area?

Thanks Doc for the info on Tire Kingdom, I'll check that out. Clubs, yes there is a club in Tulsa and one in Oklahoma City. Dumb, but I never gave it a thought of contacting them. Not being a member, it just never came to mind. Thanks for waking up the old brain! PJ

 

[Rut]

Paul,
i just went thru this on my MGB and I finally decided to go to the tire shop I've used for 20 years even tho they were hesitant to mount/balance them. I took the sheet showing the correct way to do it and they did multiple mountings to get a correct fit using just the wheel. They sent someone to their warehouse to find the old mounting cones and must have spent a couple of hours on this project. The result? 6 wheels mounted with new tubes, balanced with a minimum of weight, not a single scratch, all for less than $100. I think most of the old time tire shops have the ability and equipment and if you give them the proper way to do it and they actually care you can get good results.
Rut

 

[PAUL161]

Thanks Rut, the more info the better. I just found out that a place in Oklahoma City does wire wheels. They are about 3 hrs from me, but that's no big deal as I've run to Dallas before, about the same distance and got a lot accomplished and returned home the same day. I will take your info and go to my local shop and talk to the owner where I get all my tire work done. Thanks, PJ

 

[WillR]

Hendrix just sound like a road trip to me Paul! If i remember right, they will even shave the tires to get them real balanced. Then tag them for front left front right rear left rear right and spare. In order of most balanced to least.

 

[PAUL161]

I could not believe this, but I went to my local tire guy and asked him who could do wire wheels, which I had an old one in the truck to show if needed. He told me that they could with the new computerized machines they have. They grip the wheel on the bottom with plastic dogs and with the new machines, they can control the pressure on the dogs, where the old machines used full pressure. The painted wheel I took had a flat tire on it, so it was a good test. He not only removed the tire, he repaired the tube, put the tire back on and balanced it to Zero on the new balancing machine! No damage to the wheel at all, not even a scratch! When the new tires come in, he's going to mount them for me. This is quite a relief that I don't have to make a 6 hr round trip to OKC to get it done. Here's the tires that I just ordered.
Coker-Firestone,
View attachment 34769

 

[Rut]

Paul,
thats great news!
Rut

 

[drooartz]

Excellent! That's a real find, most shops these days have no idea what a center lock wheel is, let alone a tube.

 

[WillR]

Thats very exciting!!! Balanced to zero to? Lucky man.