At 10:57 AM -0500 6/1/98, Fred Krampits wrote:
>The next
> morning I woke to a flat on my right front wheel, no tire damage
> probably a pinched tube from the wire wheel spokes and nipples being put
> to the test. Anybody ever use the rim bands Moss sells?
I had this happen when I first bought my car and drove it 160 miles on the
expressway home. In my case, little bits of rust had worked their way
between the tube and tire. They wore a bazillion tiny, tiny pin holes into
the tubes, so that at one time I had four tubes with slow leaks. It seems
that the wire wheels rust more more than steel because water enters through
the spoke and air valve holes. Here is what I found and what I did to solve
the problem once I had the tires and tubes dismounted:
1. I found that all of the wheels had surface rust. However, the only bad
rust (with pitting) was under patches of duct tape that had been taped
around the air valve holes. I think that duct tape absorbs moisture and
that in combination with water coming in around the valve accelerated
corrosion. Some people say that wrapping the wheels in duct tape is a good
substitute for the rubber bands. I do not agree, but YMMV.
2. I jacked up the car, mounted a wheel to the right rear hub, and spun it
at idle in 4th gear while applying a wire brush. Took all the rust off, no
problem. Wear a dust mask, though.
3. I applied a phosphoric acid solution (sold as "extend" or somesuch -
it's an anti-rust spray).
4. Sprayed on epoxy primer (light gray).
5. Topcoated in silver. Be careful in spraying not to get the paint or
primer on the parts of the wheels that can be seen once the tires are
mounted.
6. Had the new Moss rubber bands and new, thick, top-quality tubes and the
old tires mounted and whole shebang dynamically balanced at a speed shop
(the only guys in Atlanta who know their way around a wire wheel - Gran
Turismo in Chamblee). I strongly suggest you have this last item done by
pros with pro equipment. You'll get the best ride and least wear out of
what ever level of tune you have left in the wheels.
I've driven the Sprite long and hard for a year since this operation and
the tubes hold air as well as any new car tires. BTW, I did the spare, too.
No use in having a flat on the way home from fixing a flat!
Jeff
Jeff Boatright '65 Sprite MkIII __o_\__
http://userwww.service.emory.edu/~jboatri/
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