Straighting a 30U Wood Spoked Wheel

[CHALTEN]

PS?? I couldn?t find a lot of info on the type of wood you mentioned.? The reason Hickory is used is because it is as strong as Oak but flexible and will not crack across the grain like oak will.? It would be good to understand the properties of the wood you are using.? ?Taking a tight turn at 35 to 40 mph puts a lot of strain on those wood spokes, especially the front wheels.? If the wood is brittle by nature a front wheel could collapse on itself and possibly flip your car.? Just a word of caution.

Hello Chet, thanks for your advice. Guatambu is a hard and flexible wood too. I gave a lot of thought about having this done in the US, but just the thought of the post and our customs prevented me from doing it. Last time I bought some spare parts in the US and brought with me home, I had a discussion about 4 spark plugs I had bought. This is a 6 dollar product and wanted to fine me because it is forbidden in Argentina to import car spare parts... well enough of this rumblings.

have a nice weekend

[Jim Benjaminson]

Several years ago a friend of mine and I attended a small threshing show just across the border in Canada.  When we got there, we heard this awful screeching sound and after investigating, it turns out they had a man there who was making wood spokes and wood wheels.  The screeching was from a device he had made that would copy the shape of any wheel spoke.  And it wook no time at all the "carve" each spoke.  He made the felloes (the half round parts of the outer rim) in a steam cylinder.  If I hadn't seen it myself, I wouldn't have believed you could make wood as pliable as a rubber band.  He had a form made that allowed him to make a half felloe with each application.  He also had a wooden wagon wheel inserted into the metal outer rim (we didn't see that part, got there too late for that....) but that wood was "screaming" as the metal cooled and shrunk around the wheel.  Anyway - to make a short story even longer, he said he could copy any wheel.  Several months later some friends of mine we restoring a Model TT Ford C-cab truck.  All wheels were good except one.  I gave them this man's address, they called and took the wheel up to him and I believe it was just a day before they took delivery of a new wood wheel for the TT.  Anyway, he's located near Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba.  I have his name & phone number is anyone needs it.....

[chetbrz]

Hello everyone,

I am also having the spokes and the rim rebuild here in Argentina and hope to get then finished by September. As you may imagine hickory for us down here is non existant. So we use guatambu (Balfourodendron riedelianum - check wikipedia in spanish to find a photo http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balfourodendron_riedelianum). To give you an idea, just the spokes for each wheel are about 400 dollars. What's the current price up there?

regards,

martin

Martin,

Check the price list link from Calimers Wheelshop

http://www.calimerswheelshop.com/index.html

Without shipping it would be $250 USD to re-spoke the whole wheel.?

What are they charging for the whole wheel re-done if the wood is $400.? I am not sure what the Postage and customs fees would be to send the wheels to PA for repair.? Might cost less then your local rebuild.

Chet...

PS?? I couldn?t find a lot of info on the type of wood you mentioned.? The reason Hickory is used is because it is as strong as Oak but flexible and will not crack across the grain like oak will.? It would be good to understand the properties of the wood you are using.? ?Taking a tight turn at 35 to 40 mph puts a lot of strain on those wood spokes, especially the front wheels.? If the wood is brittle by nature a front wheel could collapse on itself and possibly flip your car.? Just a word of caution.

[30U sedan]

A lot of very good information here.
Didn't think about loosening the bolts on the hub when I go to straighten the metal ring, but that makes alot of sense to me.

It looks to me like someone in the past tightened the lugs before aligning the wheel correctly.

[CHALTEN]

Hello everyone,

I am also having the spokes and the rim rebuild here in Argentina and hope to get then finished by September. As you may imagine hickory for us down here is non existant. So we use guatambu (Balfourodendron riedelianum - check wikipedia in spanish to find a photo http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balfourodendron_riedelianum). To give you an idea, just the spokes for each wheel are about 400 dollars. What's the current price up there?

regards,

martin

[Bob]

Chet,

Thanks for giving him the information.  I had read it in one of my "Vintage Truck" magazines.  I have looked all day for that issue, couldn't find it.

My Grandmother and Grandfather Drown were both born in 1889,  Gramma lived until 1984 and Grandpa until 1973. They owned a dairy farm, got their milk straight from the cow, which we did also until the late '60's when they stopped farminig.

I can remember them talking about the Civil War veterans in the area, plus the day that McKinley was shot.

Again, thanks,
Bob

[chetbrz]

My grandfather was born in the horse-and-buggy era, and lived to see early space shots in the '60s.

Pat,

My wife?s grandmother was also born in the horse & buggy days and also live long enough to see a man walk on the moon via a BW - TV.  That however was the last draw for her.  She never believed it really happened and thought it was a made up TV story right up to the day she passed away.

I guess when you grew up with kerosene lights, milk delivered to the door by a horse that new the route better then the driver.  Walking on the moon has got to be way out there.  A great 100 years of progress.

Chet?

[36 Ply]

Chet,

I laughed out loud when I read the advice about parking a wood-spoked-wheel auto overnight in a shallow stream.

I shouldn't have laughed, because that's typical of the advice given in my late grandfather's (1896-1971) old mechanic books from the teens and early '20s.

I believe that is similar to advice on how to tighten a wooden hammer handle; soak it in a pail of water for half an hour.

My grandfather was born in the horse-and-buggy era, and lived to see early space shots in the '60s.

No disrespect meant at all, and I'm sure that the advice would work today, as well as when the car was new.

Regards,

Pat O'Connor

[chetbrz]

Here is the link to the Guy in PA?

http://www.calimerswheelshop.com/index.html

Calimers Wheelshop

I am pretty sure he won?t repair the wheel.? I believe he will only do a complete rebuild.

If the spokes are tight on your wheel and it is wobbling due to the steel rim.? You may be able to straighten the rim.? You might have to loosen the drum screws.?

If your spokes are loose then you probably should get it redone.? ?The wood used is kiln dried hickory.? The spokes are cut and fitted to the rim then the center hole is drilled and the hub is pressed in using a hydraulic press.? ?As the wood absorbs moisture the spokes swell and tighten the wheel even more.? This is the spec for Artillery Grade.

I have read some old literature that suggests that during warm dry weather that you should wash the wheels often.? Also to tighten the wheels it is advised to park the car over night in a shallow stream.

Good Luck,? Chet?

[30U sedan]

Thanks John & Bob.....I didn't think about the Amish there are some not far from here.
Maybe I can find out something there.
My wheel has a slight warp in it (about 1" wobble) and I was thinking about using a press to straighten it.
I think if I straighten the metal rim it should work.
Just thought I'll check to see if anyone had a better idea before I started.

[Bob]

There is a place in PA that does wooden spoked wheels, but I don't remember their name

[John Hendricks]

U might check the ads in Hemmings to see if anyone offers that service.   Is there anyone in your area that has horse drawn wooden wheeled vehicles?  Or an Amish carriage builder?  They might offer some help.

[30U sedan]

I have a wood spoked wheel that is warped :(.
Does anyone have any ideas on how to straighen it ????

Dale