Bill Bourne Posted February 12, 2015 Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 (edited) Hi all Does anyone know who might still have the expertise to do the above ? I have and want to use the original steel wheels for a TR5. They are in pretty good shape, but before I have them shot blasted and painted I would like to have them checked and if necessary straightened. Maidenhead area would be great, but I will travel.. Tks Bill Edited February 12, 2015 by Bill Bourne Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Motorsport Mickey Posted February 12, 2015 Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 Bill, I should "tip" your local tyre fitting station a fiver and ask them to spin them up on their balancing machine looking for buckles and out of roundness. If any is found the straightening that should be applied is straight into the scrap stillage. Back in the 60s and 70s there were firms which would widen steels for you and adjust any misshapen rims but today I wouldn't like to mess with steel wheels when you can buy reasonable price alloy alternatives. I understand that you wish to use standard steels but I search for better ones if you own are so bad. Mick Richards Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest ntc Posted February 12, 2015 Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 Bill Mick is spot on if they are bent skip fodder. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CONCRETE24 Posted February 12, 2015 Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 Bill, I should "tip" your local tyre fitting station a fiver and ask them to spin them up on their balancing machine looking for buckles and out of roundness. If any is found the straightening that should be applied is straight into the scrap stillage. Back in the 60s and 70s there were firms which would widen steels for you and adjust any misshapen rims but today I wouldn't like to mess with steel wheels when you can buy reasonable price alloy alternatives. I understand that you wish to use standard steels but I search for better ones if you own are so bad. Mick Richards Hi Bill, for getting them checked over, have you tried Maidenhead Tyres? 59 Grenfell Road Maidenhead, West Berkshire SL6 1ES, United Kingdom 01628 507440 maidenheadtyres.co.uk My next door neighbour uses them for his various bikes and cars and swears by them - haven't tried them myself yet - but am planning to in the next few months! I took my TR6 wheels to Kwik-fit in Windsor to get them checked out - but they were very dismissive and didn't want to know "because they sell tyres not wheel checking services" . I walked away - I need four new tyres too but they didn't give me the chance to discuss that - but I guess they will never know! Interested to hear your experiences if you do use the above or anyone local! Regards, Michael. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bill Bourne Posted February 12, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 Hi Michael Thank you - yes I'll certainly contact them and let you know. Neil / Mick - Yes I agree, that if, they are well bent, but I've spun them up on the axles of the chassis and I think they are in very good shape. Maybe one of them might need a small tweek, but other than that, pretty good. I just want to be sure, so yep I'll take them to a local tyre co, and see what happens. Rest assured if they are rubbish, yes then in the skip they go. Best Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
McMuttley Posted February 12, 2015 Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 I find that if a wheel needs a dink here or there, its best just to give the car to the wife for a few hours - #jobsagudden Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted February 12, 2015 Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 (edited) Hi Bill, if you need to get new wheels then Moss still do something http://www.moss-europe.co.uk/shop-by-model/triumph/tr5-6/road-wheels-tyres-roadside-equipment/road-wheels-tyres-fittings/road-wheels-4e1356.html Roger Edited February 13, 2015 by RogerH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted February 12, 2015 Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 (edited) There's a difference between being bent and being slightly out of true . . . . . all a question of degree. Some, by no means all, tyre balancing machines are able to offer a good indication of wheel trueness - a competent fitter will know the capabilities of his machine. If the wheel is slightly off flunter, as opposed to having been well walloped, then a competent wheel repair and refurbishment specialist should be able to put it back to rights - but that will mean stripping and inspecting properly, then being squeezed in a big press, as it were, and repainting. Success is not guaranteed, and it isn't cheap to have it done properly. A local specialist offered the simple definition of repairability to me years ago - if it needs a balancing machine to see that it's out of flunter, then it can probably be banged to rights . . . . . whereas if the Mk 1 eyeball at 2 paces tells you something is amiss, the scrap stillage is in the corner . . . . Cheers Alec Edited February 12, 2015 by Alec Pringle Quote Link to post Share on other sites
boxofbits Posted February 12, 2015 Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 Usually steel wheels suffer more from bends and scuffs to the outer rims from granite kerbstones more than serious bending. I agree that it would be good to fit an original set of steels, as alloys tend to look a bit 'blingy' and out of place on older classics. I certainly wouldn't consign them to the skip. Original Cooper S steel rims are fetching a fortune now, as pattern ones either don't fit or you can't get the hub caps on or off! So don't chuck them! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john.r.davies Posted February 12, 2015 Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 Another new word! Or new usage, at least to me - thank you! "Stillage" I knew, in terms of handling beer or wine to allow settling of deposits before use, and that a rack of barrels etc might be in stillage, or on one. But not that a stillage could be a container or pallet used for transporting goods, and by extension, for collecting scrap to be taken away. I've always referred to it as the scrap bin. Ain't English wonderful!? John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted February 12, 2015 Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 Here you go John http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stillage first paragraph says it all. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cew Posted February 12, 2015 Report Share Posted February 12, 2015 I had a bent steel wheel on my "6" and it showed up just by being balanced at a local tyre firm, It wasn't that bad but I had a vibration, not unlike a tyre needing balancing,which was what I was having done when it came to light,so a local tyre company(smallish) will probably be able to tell you what you need to know. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
littlejim Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 Another new word! Or new usage, at least to me - thank you! "Stillage" I knew, in terms of handling beer or wine to allow settling of deposits before use, and that a rack of barrels etc might be in stillage, or on one. But not that a stillage could be a container or pallet used for transporting goods, and by extension, for collecting scrap to be taken away. I've always referred to it as the scrap bin. Ain't English wonderful!? John Up until today I would have assumed it meant the absence of motion. All set now for when it appears in the cryptic crossword. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bill Bourne Posted February 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 Hi all I took the wheels to a local tyre company - very helpful. 3 of the wheels are very good, 1 was a bit iffy and the 5th was bad. So I'm now on a mission to find 2 good wheels. - Failing that, then it's new wheels which would be a disappointment, as we want to keep the originals with the rostyle wheel caps. Michael - I was going to Maidenhead tyres, but a good friend of mine (another TR owner) recommended I try "Tyre Fit" in Taplow, which I did yesterday. Small independent outfit, but with very good equipment, professional and very helpful. The contacts Mark, Jack and Stuart. They are in Old Station Yard, Station Road , Taplow. Tel: 01628-665778. Thank you Best Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CONCRETE24 Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 Hi Bill, Thanks for the contacts - I shall give them a go when I get myself organised! Regards, Michael. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spit_2.5PI Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 Bill, Motor Wheel Services down the road in Slough straightened mine. Blasted & powder coated at the same time - so I can't tell you how much the checking/straightening was. Richard Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bill Bourne Posted February 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 Hi Richard - thank you and yes I tried them, and the 1st call response was "well we don't do steel wheels" So after seeing your comment and reading their website again, they do do them, well they think they do. You're getting the drift. Anyway they might be an option. It takes 3 days for them to do an assessment and then provide a quote. In the meantime I've found "Autowerks" in Slough, who seem a lot more responsive and if the wheels fit on their straightening machine, then yes they can do them. So I'll take the wheels along early next week and see what happens best Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BrianC Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 I've been following this thread with interest and whilst it would seem that 5.5" and 6" steel wheels are available new (any comments on quality would be of interest), it has been a constant annoyance to me for many years that nothing has been done to produce a batch of steel wheels for the earlier TRs, despite the fact that the stock of usable or recoverable wheels is virtually extinct. We don't all need or want wider wheels, so alloys are a non-starter. Indeed, whilst they may be good for the track, wider wheels do not necessarily improve the handling or road-holding of TR2-4A for general or spirited road use and many have actually found them to have the reverse effect. Why is it seemingly beyond the remit of the New Spares (Spares Development) Fund to source and underwrite production of quality steel wheels with 4.5" (OK, I realise a few TR2 owners may still prefer 4") rims? Surely this was one of the prime reasons for the formation of the TR Register - "to preserve the marque"? I'm sure many of us would commit cash in advance to buying a set to get such a project running. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted February 13, 2015 Report Share Posted February 13, 2015 Hi Brian, have you asked the SDF to consider the project. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bill Bourne Posted February 14, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2015 (edited) Hi Brian I agree and I would buy a new set of wheels if I could find them. Sadly all of the well known suppliers here just don't have them. I'm not sure yet if I could get them from the states ?? So your comment about buying some over there, even if it's 5 or 5.5's with the pegs ? then I would seriously consider getting them. If you know if where I might go, that would be interesting. My main objective is to at least get some some wheels that are straight. I don't really want to go the alloy or wire wheel route, but if that becomes the only choice, then that's what I will have to do. Best Bill Edited February 14, 2015 by Bill Bourne Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted February 14, 2015 Report Share Posted February 14, 2015 Big problem with producing wheels for earlier cars is the production quantity required . . . . BIG investment. Plus it's easier to straighten 4.5" width rims than it is 5.5" - repeating the point I've made previously, that I'm talking here of wheels that are mildly out of true, as opposed to bent to blazes. If more folks had made the efforts to get such wheels straightened in years gone by, there wouldn't now be such a shortage . . . . Bear in mind also that repro steel wheels have to be made to current safety standards, EU regs, which means thicker steel and a TR6 wheel getting on for double the weight of the original . . . . Cheers Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
graeme Posted February 14, 2015 Report Share Posted February 14, 2015 Somebody may be interested in these. http://vancouver.craigslist.ca/rds/pts/4810057806.html Cheers Graeme Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bill Bourne Posted February 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2015 Thanks Graeme Yes I would, but I believe they have been sold as I can't get any details of the seller . Best Bill Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted February 15, 2015 Report Share Posted February 15, 2015 (edited) "Bear in mind also that repro steel wheels have to be made to current safety standards, EU regs, which means thicker steel and a TR6 wheel getting on for double the weight of the original . . . ." Are you sure about that? I have some modern steel wheels with winter tyres on my daily driver. They are considerably thinner gauge steel than the original TR wheels so maybe its not a problem ? Rob Edited February 15, 2015 by RobH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lebro Posted February 16, 2015 Report Share Posted February 16, 2015 Set of 5 off 4.5" rims for sale in the latest TRaction £85 in Cumbria Bob. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.