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Wire Wheels-101

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10musketeer

10musketeer

Jedi Trainee
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OK, I apologize for the newbie question, but I'm new to wire wheels.

I have a '71 midget with wires and I need the basics. I'm sure there is a previous forum discussing this, but I can't seem to find anything when I do a search. I need a site, or a thread, or something that can tell me tips on how to remove them and what I'm looking for maint. wise. I'm mostly interested in what I need to grease and how I get at the wheel bearings and such.

Once again thanks and sorry if this is "old news". /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
Anything helps!
 
its fine to go over questions about a subject again, because as the forum grows there is alot more imput on the subject everytime it goes around....i was gonna start a thread stating this but there ya go ; )
sorry i dont know nuthin bout wire wheels, but if u have a midget you better start collecting all the info you can about it, including a few repair manuals, some of which are online......good luck on your work.....zimmmy
 
First: straight spokes - straight & tight...next: splines...grab the wheel & see if you can rock or shake it on the hub...if the splines are worn, toss it....third: you can bubble balance wires easier than trueing them - just have the shop put the weights on the back side...finally: tubes inside the tires & the "rubber bands" around the wheels where the spokes go through & could meet with the tubes.
 
I'm not familiar with bubble balancing- how do you do that?

Is there a manual out there that addresses wire wheels?
 
There's an old machine that uses a bubble to balance the wheel...an oldtime operator can tell by the location of the bubble where & how much weight needs to be added....he lays weights on that place on the wheel & other places until the bubble is level.....find the oldest tire shop in town & get them to pull a bubble balancer out of the back room.
 
hmm, interesting.

After removing the four bolts I've pulled as hard as I dare without knocking the car off the stands. Are the splines just stubborn, or am I missing something?
 
Place hands on opposing ends of tire and pull with each hand alternating them with very little time gap between.

If this doesn't work try from various positions on the wheel.

If this doesn't work, please let us know.
 
Wire wheels should have their splines lubed about every quarter...if they're hard on there, sometimes it takes heat to remove....try rocking them off like suggested above...if that doesn't work, spray some PB Blaster up inside the splines.

I've got one wire wheel on a parts car that I've done everything I know to remove...I'm now down to cutting it off.
 
Tony:

I have had that experience also /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif Hopefuly 10musketeer will not.

Patrick
 
I havn't had a chance to try yet. The wheel came off ok, but now it's the hub thats stuck. When I get home from taking the wife to dinner I'll try putting the wheel back on, then pulling.
 
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