TonyL2 Posted January 1, 2021 Report Share Posted January 1, 2021 Moring all and Happy New Year I am looking for some opinion/wisdom Conversion kits and wire wheels are available from Moss and Rimmer - has anyone any feed back as to the product quality and/or differences? Or are there any other options I should be considering? I am considering a slightly wider tyre tread - 185/70 R15 tyres, not a massive choice but I've found OK priced options from Radar (Dimax Classic) and Black Circle appear to offer a similar own brand option - both around half the price of Vredestein. Anyone any feed back on the cheaper brands? The tyre/wheel calculators appear to confirm that these sized tyres can be run on 4.5 to 6 inch width wheels. Other considerations therefore are: 4.5 v 5.5 wheels - any thoughts on aesthetics, protrusion from wheel arch of 5.5, handling and ride difference, suspension issues? Spinners - eared v octagonal? Chrome v painted? Laced v non-laced? I know that the latter 3 are probably down to personal preference and mine is Octagonal, painted and non-laced but I'd be interested in knowing any pitfalls before finally deciding. Many thanks for any advice Cheers Tony Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John Morrison Posted January 1, 2021 Report Share Posted January 1, 2021 Hi Tony, Firstly my advice would be don't do it. I ran chrome and painted wires for nigh on thirty years on my TR4, the only good thing about wire wheels is how they look, as for everything else, they can be an expensive pain. If you are dead set on fitting them, then I would go with, two eared spinners, easier to keep the chrome nice, (Use a rolled up newspaper between mallet and spinner) compared to octagals, and painted, easily refurbished for a tenner a wheel at home, if and when chrome gets pitted, then its pitted end of. Finally, something I had not realised before going to steel wheels and chrome hudcaps, is the freedom this would give me, to take the car out in all weathers, cause the wheels are cleaned in 30 secs a wheel, refurbished for as I said a tenner, and if the worst comes to the worst a 'New' hubcap is only £20ish. John. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
trchris Posted January 1, 2021 Report Share Posted January 1, 2021 Hi Tony I agree with John Ive replaced my set of painted wires with a genuine set of minilites I managed to pick up second hand at a reasonable price have you considered a set of alloys? they do suit the 4s nicely. If you do decide on wires I would go for painted as the reasons John mentions easier to clean and refurbish if and when required Chris Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lee Dutton Posted January 1, 2021 Report Share Posted January 1, 2021 Hi I had a set of chrome wires on my 4a, they looked great but could never get them balanced 100%. cleaning was a nightmare. Now I have replaced them with minilites best change ever, and they rarely need topping up with air. regards Lee Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rcreweread Posted January 1, 2021 Report Share Posted January 1, 2021 Tony - if you are dead set on wires, I second all those opinions saying don't go for chrome - they are even more difficult to clean than painted ones and they rust very easily as the chrome plating appears to be very thin. All new wires are expensive, whether they be painted or chrome but there is a low cost alternative and that is pick up a set ( or two ) of used ones ( plenty about, often for very little money), and get then checked and refurbished by a company like Tudor Wheels in the New Forest for, I think, about £65 a wheel - they will repaint ( I think it's powder coat) in your choice of colours and if you like chrome, they do a chrome effect finish which is pretty good - you get the benefits of a longer lasting powder coat finish which looks close to chrome without the longevity issues of real chrome. If you are anywhere near me in Colchester Essex, you could come and have a look ( Covid Permitting) at the various differences as I have examples of real chrome, chrome effect powder coat and silver, all on 60 spoke wheels which are correct ones for the TR4/4A . As for spinners, I think on these models, two eared spinners look by far the best and as for tyres, check out previous threads where there has been some good feedback on some of the more budget orientated "classic" look tyres. Finally, the best value kits for the hubs, nuts and spinners have in the past been TR Shop at just under £200 for the whole kit for four wheels - if you have standard wheels to start with, get the spacers to go over the standard studs and then you can swap between wires and non wires very easily Cheers Rich Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rvwp Posted January 1, 2021 Report Share Posted January 1, 2021 I thought about a wire wheel conversion for my TR4A but decided to keep the steel wheels for all the above reasons. I'm about to have the steel wheels grit blasted and not sure whether to go the powder coating route,(easy route) or paint. I know that there has been comments before over a possible problem with wheel nuts becoming loose as a result of powder coating. Any hard evidence of this? As my order of Vredestien tyres was cancelled by Deman Tweeks as apparently Vdedestien have dropped the 15 inch dia from their range, I ordered a set of 5 Hankook tyres ,15 165 80 profile, from Camskill on the 24th Dec, delivered on the 30th Dec. total price £202 delivered! Rich Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ianc Posted January 1, 2021 Report Share Posted January 1, 2021 My TR2, which I purchased in 1963 and ran for more than 5 years, had wire wheels - what a pain for the reasons John has enumerated. When I purchased 4VC in 1969, it, too, had wire wheels - still a pain as it ate 60 spoke wheels as fast as the TR2 ate 48 spoke! I purchased a set of TR6 steel 5.5J wheels in 1970 and have never looked back. They don't fall to pieces, are so easy to clean and simple to remove/refit (no mallet-wielding). I run them without hubcaps - something unnecessary (just my opinion). Ian Cornish Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John Morrison Posted January 1, 2021 Report Share Posted January 1, 2021 I'm about to have the steel wheels grit blasted and not sure whether to go the powder coating route,(easy route) or paint. I know that there has been comments before over a possible problem with wheel nuts becoming loose as a result of powder coating. Any hard evidence of this? Yes much, including on here, but I well remember being at Spa, when a TR4 lost a wheel climbing Eau Rouge, it tumbled back and a marshal, (you had the impression he had done this before) nonchalontly kicked the wheel back into the pits. So it beat the car back to the pit, that was powder coating under the nuts, that had chattered off, leaving loose nuts, THE SAME CAN HAPPEN WITH THICK PAINT! John. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BRENDA1 Posted January 1, 2021 Report Share Posted January 1, 2021 I do everything I should not do with my chrome wire wheels, I have had them on the car for 12 years and they we’re perched before that, my car is used in all weathers, rain,snow, and sunshine. The wheels get cleaned as the car with the power washer. Then I dry them off with the air compressor, then the car sits under the car port to air dry before being put in the garage. I probably take them off 3 times a year to clean and polish properly. Mike Redrose Group Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nigel C Posted January 1, 2021 Report Share Posted January 1, 2021 just spray them with Mr Muscle and jet wash, simples... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TonyL2 Posted January 1, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2021 Great advice guys and many thanks Are there any pro-wire members out there? Rich - how do I find the threads for the wheels/tyre size query? I have found some but they seem to date from a number of years ago - and all mention the difficulty/expense of 185/70's Has anyone used the Radar brand? Do the eared spinners on a 5.5 inch wheel stick out beyond the wheel arch - when a conversion kit has been used? Many thanks once again for all your help Cheers Tony Quote Link to post Share on other sites
John Morrison Posted January 1, 2021 Report Share Posted January 1, 2021 Two eared spinners will stick out past the bodyline with 5.5 but so will the octagonal nuts. John. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
rcreweread Posted January 1, 2021 Report Share Posted January 1, 2021 Tony I think wires look great and really set the car off, but these. like all opinions, are subjective - if you like them, go for them - you are doing the right thing by asking so you can decide with good knowledge which way to go - couple of photos below of my car with 60 spoke silver powder coated wires fitted in 2012 . These don't have spacers fitted, but I don't think eared spinners on 5.5Js even with spacers will noticeably stick out These are some fairly recent post/threads: Also this one started in 2019: Hope these help Cheers Rich Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Drewmotty Posted January 1, 2021 Report Share Posted January 1, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, TonyL2 said: Do the eared spinners on a 5.5 inch wheel stick out beyond the wheel arch These are 5 1/2" wires fitted on my TR4 with 6mm spacers behind the adaptors and 1.5 degrees negative camber. Edited January 1, 2021 by Drewmotty Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TonyL2 Posted January 2, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 2, 2021 Many thanks to all for your advice and guidance Very much appreciated Cheers Tony Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ocheye Posted January 4, 2021 Report Share Posted January 4, 2021 On 1/1/2021 at 7:06 PM, John Morrison said: Two eared spinners will stick out past the bodyline with 5.5 but so will the octagonal nuts. John. and if your workspace is narrow you will end up with spinner indentations on your shins! Andy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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