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Wire Wheels

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Frank C.

Frank C.

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After being looked at by a coulple of trustworthy LBC mechanics, I may be looking for new chrome wire wheels for my Healey. My question for the group is if I should stick with the 60 spoke that is on the car now or go to 72 spoke versions. What is the advantage, if any.

Thanks in advance ....
 
I bought 72 spokers for my 63 Healey for no other reason than I thought 12 more spokes couldn't hurt. mac
 
Frank: The 72 spoke wire wheels hold up better to stresses that the wheels are normally subjected to - such as rubbing against curbs, speed bumps, etc. The general concensus of opinion has been that the chrome hubs and rims are fine, but stainless steel spokes are preferable as they are not as brittle as chrome spokes. I put chrome 72 spoke wheels with s/s spokes on my BT-7 several years ago and have had very good service from them. Check with Hendricks Wire Wheel Co. in North Carolina. They sell Dayton Wheels, I think and are a reputable dealer. There are other suppliers also, I am sure. AL Bradley
 
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My question for the group is if I should stick with the 60 spoke that is on the car now or go to 72 spoke versions.

[/ QUOTE ]

What condition are your wheels now in? If they're okay there's no real reason to spend lots of money on new wheels. Personally I think that 72-spoke wheels look busy on 100's but good on convertibles. Then again, look at those Ben Hur spinners!
 
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My question for the group is if I should stick with the 60 spoke that is on the car now or go to 72 spoke versions. What is the advantage, if any.

[/ QUOTE ]

Certainly 72-spoke wire wheels are stronger, but unless you are vintage racing your Healey you shouldn't need that extra strength. I don't know of anyone who routinely drives their Healey so hard that 72-spoke wire wheels are really needed.

Really the choice comes down to personal taste. Since you asked, personally I think that 72-spoke wire wheels look wrong on the early cars, the 100, and I prefer the original 48-spoke wheels or perhaps 60-spoke wheels. I think that 72 spokes look questionable on the 6-cylinder roadsters, but I think they look fine on the 6-cylinder convertibles, although the originally supplied 60-spoke wheels probably look best, to me.

If you'd like to look at a bunch of photos of Healeys with different wheels, check out the Members' Cars page of the Austin-Healey Club USA website.
 
"if I should stick with the 60 spoke that is on the car now or go to 72 spoke versions"

Frank - I'll probably get in trouble for this but....

72 spoke wheels are probably an (expensive) overkill unless you plan to do a lot of racing or auto-xing.

I've got a '59 100-6 with a 300 HP Ford V8 and 4 speed Automatic. When I finished my "restoration",
I picked the best (true & tight) 4 of the 10 painted 60 spoke wires wheels that I had.

I am running 195-15 tires at 30 psi. With my automatic trans., my wheels do not see the same start-up
stresses as a clutch system, but they do get LOTS of sustained torque.

I have had the same 4 wheels on the ground (2 sets of rubber) for over 5 years

As you can see from the picture and video below, I haven't been easy on them.

Whatever you end up with, just make sure that the splined hubs are good and the spokes are tight.
My spokes still "ping" when struck.

If I can't break'em, you probably can't break'em.

19.JPG


Here's the video.

https://ntahc.org/modifiedhealeys/Photos/1Moran/MaxSound1.avi
 
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As you can see from the picture and video below, I haven't been easy on them.

Whatever you end up with, just make sure that the splined hubs are good and the spokes are tight.
My spokes still "ping" when struck.

If I can't break'em, you probably can't break'em.


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Tim,
I agree. In 1959 I had a BN2 with 327 small block that used the stock BN2 transmission, rear axle & 48 spoke wheels. In five years the wheels, splines & hubs showed no signs of failing. Neither did the transmission or axle. It's just a matter of feeling better with more spokes. But that is sometimes important.
D
 
Thanks for all the good information and links. As for the question of how bad my current wheels are ... after puting new tires on them this spring and trying to ballance them my mechanic said "I put the bad ones up front and the worse ones on the back!"

I think I'll go with the 60 spoke again.

Thanks again to all ...
 
I would also consider the difficulty of getting brush or fingers into the spaces of a 72 verses the 60 when cleaning the wheels. Tightening the spokes could also be more difficult.
 
Well, my two cents worth: I changed to 72 spoke painted wheels in the mid-seventies. I had broken a few spokes on the original 60 spokers while driving the roads in Yosemite and Sierra foothills. I haven't broken a spoke since changing. Now, the 60's may have been in terrible condition or something - I really didn't know that much about them then, but someone in the "healey club" said I could go to stronger 72 spoke wheels, so I did. They worked fine and in my opinion, looked great!
 
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