I am sure you have given this topic lots of thought, but for what it's
worth, in my experience:
* most wire wheels are very difficult to keep true.
* with all new wheels you might be good for a while. (although I know
a number of people who have had duff new wheels).
* if you don't do much highway speed mileage their wonkiness will not
be so apparent.
* under hard cornering, they have a habit of popping spokes.
* they don't weather particularly well, with rust appearing around the
spokes on the rim and grease around the spokes on the hub.
Stephen
> ----------
> From: Malaboge@aol.com[SMTP:Malaboge@aol.com]
> Reply To: Malaboge@aol.com
> Sent: Thursday, November 26, 1998 12:12 PM
> To: zehrinwa@umdnj.edu; TVR@Autox.Team.Net
> Subject: Re: ww conversion
>
> In a message dated 98-11-23 10:38:30 EST, you write:
>
> >
> >True/false:
> >conversion of a disk wheel'd 1971 Vixen 2500 to wire wheels is an easy
> >operation, because the hubs are 'bolt on' and do not require other more
> >elaborate conversions. Is this true?
> >
> >cheers,
> >Will Zehring
> >
> >
>
> Will-
> True/False...yes
>
> There are 2 ways to do the conversion. The easy way, and the original way.
> If
> you go for orinality, you will have to change (or cut off) the original
> wheel
> studs. The fronts are a piece-o-cake as they are just a press fit. The
> rears
> on the other hand are a bear to change. The studs screw in and are then
> severly peened over on the back side. Much careful grinding/chipping of
> stud
> material is needed before you can unscrew the studs.
> Now for the easy way. Make up some 1/4"(or thereabouts...you'll need to
> measure to be exact) spacers to go over the studs so that the splined
> adapters
> do not bottom out on the studs (the reason why they used shorter studs in
> the
> original.)
> The stock TVR wheel has a much larger offset (to the outside) than most
> any
> other stock wheel of that vintage (I assume you are gonna use TR wheels or
> the
> like), and the slight increase in track provided by the spacers will
> actually
> help maintain the original TVR track width. Additionally, with the spacer
> setup, you can always go back to original (or otherwise) wheels. If you
> cut
> off the studs you'll hate yourself later.
> Don't forget that you will have to use the correct wire wheel lug nuts
> also,
> the ones you have will not fit.
> If you are buying some older wire wheels, a few quick tips. The splined
> adapters usually wear more than the wheels, but either/both will wear out.
> The
> original splines are a sort of truncated peak, and as they wear they
> become
> more pointed, so the more pointed the tops of the splines, the more worn
> out
> they are. As they continue to wear, one side of the peak will tend to
> "lean"
> over more than the other. At this point the adapters are about junk.
> Inspect
> them carefully. Also try to put the adapters and their respective wheels
> on
> the same side, and front rear location, of the car they came from. (The
> wear
> will be opposite side to side on the rear and opposite side to side on the
> front, and front opposite to rear! Confused? Remember that the rears will
> wear
> more from acceleration and the fronts from braking.)
>
> Never wanted to be "Wired" myself...
> Nick in Nor Cal
>
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