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TR2/3/3A Recondition old wire wheels or buy new?

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Daves1957TR-3

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I think I know the answer here but wanted to be sure. It appears my stepson will finally be in a position to take the TR-3 to his place in Texas towards the end of the year. I have been rounding up my cache of old parts and shipping them down. I have a set of 4 wire wheels in very bad shape. I assume that it would be cheaper for him just to buy new if he wants wires later on. True? Also, are they just junk, should I just throw them away? I imagine with shipping anyone wanting these would lose money.

Cheers, Dave
 
Dave, it's not just the spokes that get loose, the splines get sharp and only a complete rebuild with new center hubs can make them safe and that's if you know what you are doing. Check the price of short and long spokes, multiply by 60 or 72, new center hub. No way can you do it as cheap as buying new.
So you answered your own question, into the metal bin.
 
Though occasionally you might find a set worth saving. I mean just needs to be stripped and painted.

Dad found a set at the TRF summer bash last year that a club member replaced instead of finishing. True and serviceable but crappy chrome.

I blasted them and painted them. They fit well on new splines with no slop or shimmy.

Is this the norm? No. But it happens.
 
trrdster2000 said:
Dave, it's not just the spokes that get loose, the splines get sharp and only a complete rebuild with new center hubs can make them safe and that's if you know what you are doing. Check the price of short and long spokes, multiply by 60 or 72, new center hub. No way can you do it as cheap as buying new.
So you answered your own question, into the metal bin.
Click to expand...

May also be 48 spoke and upgrading to 60 would be a big improvement. (Rimmer has a decent price depending on shipping from England)
Tom
 
I just went thru this process on my TR4A and the topic is ‘MWS wire wheels’. The last comment is from Andy about buying direct from MWS and the savings are there for both wheels and hubs.
Rut
 
I tossed 3 sets that looked good, but the splines were too far gone. 2 sets were purchased and shipped from Ebay. No more messing around with used wires for me!! I did keep the best of the lot for my spare tire.
 
If you are going to junk them (and that makes sense) you might remove a few of the best spokes of each size and send those along with your other spare parts. Broken spokes are a rare occurrence but do happen and require prompt replacement.
 
IMHO..They may look pretty, but.....I would not put wire wheels, even new ones on my car, as there is always an element of risk/failure, that may cause injury or worse.
Keep with good steel rims or buy minilites.
 
I dunno. The stock steel discs don’t have a sterling rep either. But I hear what your saying. The 48 spokers are not that strong. The 64’s are a better choice...and the word is the 64’s were available in the Triumph option catalog from the very beginning of the TR2.
 
When I got my new MWS wire wheels from Hendrix Wire Wheel last year, Allen said I would be fine with the 48 spokes, unless I plan to do some heavy duty racing. Wire wheels were the choice of racers early on and I don't think there were a rash of failures. Lots of folks have them on their LBCs with no problems.
 
Moss has the tubeless MWS wheels on sale and mine just arrived. They look so good that I may have to buy more.
Rut
 
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