Blew a tire (right front) driving out to the Bonneville flats at 95 mph
in the Doretti 2 summers ago. Aluminum fender OK Borrani wire wheel OK.
Now you know what I was thinking about when it went...
Only have 4 of the wires. Any spares out there????
T.R.
Jeff McNeal wrote:
>
> Tom,
>
> Your splines wore down on your wheel and/or hub. Your experience nearly
> mirrors mine identically over 20 years ago, except I was coming down an
> offramp at about 60 MPH.
>
> Glad you weren't killed, or that your wheel didn't kill someone else.
> Dangerous business.
>
> Wire wheels are really only good for about 70,000 miles. Beyond that,
> you're asking for trouble, especially if you don't keep them greased and
> check them often.
>
> Sorry to hear about your experience. I know firsthand how frightening it
> can be -- as do many others on the list, I expect.
>
> So what do you make of my decision to get rid of the steel wheels on my
> latest Spitfire and replace them with wires? Death wish? Ha ha. I'm
> livin' on the edge, baby!
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Jeff in San Diego
> '67 RHD Spitfire Mk3 aka "Mrs. Jones"
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Tom Winslow <tom_winslow@email.msn.com>
> To: Triumph Mailing List <triumphs@autox.team.net>
> Sent: Saturday, January 22, 2000 7:07 PM
> Subject: Ever lost a wire wheel? At 65 mph?
>
> >
> > I have been unsubscribed from the list for a while but have decided that I
> > need to get back on the list . . . to gain some wisdom and maybe an
> answer.
> >
> > Some of you have seem my 1965 Triumph TR4A IRS. If not, it can be seen at:
> > http://www.iredell.com/triumph.html
> >
> > Last Tuesday I drove the TR to work. When I left around 4 PM I headed east
> > on I-40 toward Statesville, NC. The top was up and the windows down. As I
> > approached an exit, I headed a 'jingling' sound - as if something fell off
> > of the car. I went up the exit ramp and stopped. I shut the car off and
> got
> > out - made a complete inspection of the wheels. Nothing wrong?
> >
> > Well, I got back into the car, headed down the entrance ramp on the other
> > side and back on to I-40. I entered the right lane at about 65 mph. After
> > about 100 ft, the right front wheel came off! I saw the wire wheel bounce
> > much higher than the car and go ahead of me down the right lane for about
> > 150 yards where it hit the end of a guardrail, bounced high into the air
> and
> > came to rest.
> >
> > In the mean time, I slid, ground, sparked to a stop in the grass on the
> > right side of the highway.
> >
> > Now, how does the wire wheel 'knockoff' come loose? That is the only
> > explanation. Could it have split? Could it have backed off? I thought that
> I
> > saw it when I did my inspection - maybe not. Usually they are very
> difficult
> > to remove because they are TIGHT!
> >
> > Anyone else ever had such a happening?
> >
> > Anyway, my mechanic (International Auto, Statesville), waited until the
> > rollback could deliver my TR before leaving. It cost about $400 to get
> back
> > on the road. I am keeping the ground flat (on one side) break rotor as a
> > reminder. Next week the TR goes to the restoration shop to fix the minor
> > body damage.
> >
> > Any ideas out there?
> >
> > tw
> >
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