Wood Wheels
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Topic author - Posts: 3284
- Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 10:43 am
- First Name: Larry
- Last Name: Smith
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 13 Touring, 13 Roadster, 17 Coupelet, 25 Roadster P/U
- Location: Lomita, California
- MTFCA Number: 121
- MTFCA Life Member: YES
- MTFCI Number: 16310
Wood Wheels
I recently had an accident which destroyed my left front wheel on my '13 touring. I have four excellent replacements for this car, all extremely tight and ready for restoration. I realize a brand new one would probably be a better choice, but all the wheels on this are originals, and have been getting me down the road for almost sixty years. Your thoughts?
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- Posts: 5412
- Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 4:56 pm
- First Name: Frank
- Last Name: Brandi
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: Speedster (1919 w 1926)
- Location: Moline IL
- Board Member Since: 2018
Re: Wood Wheels
If they are in excellent condition why not? Also you aren't going to be happy with something that's not "original" are you!
The past is a great place and I don't want to erase it or to regret it, but I don't want to be its prisoner either.
Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
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- Posts: 1245
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 12:16 pm
- First Name: Kim
- Last Name: Dobbins
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1909 touring, 1910 touring, 1913 touring, 1916 couplet, 1924 truck.
- Location: Southern California
- MTFCA Number: 8243
Re: Wood Wheels
Larry, you know my opinion on this. My 13 has new front wheels on it. After hearing what happened to you and Casey, id say you were pretty lucky. I wouldn't tempt fate again!
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- Posts: 273
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 12:18 pm
- First Name: Walter
- Last Name: Higgins
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1911 Open Runabout
- Location: Realville, PA
- MTFCA Number: 396
- MTFCA Life Member: YES
- MTFCI Number: 153
Re: Wood Wheels
My thoughts are that whatever broke your wheel -- the damage is not limited to the wheel. Check everything down the line for being bent, broken, or cracked.
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- Posts: 490
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:14 am
- First Name: Henry
- Last Name: Petrino
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1918 TT
- Location: Modesto, CA
Re: Wood Wheels
If your original wheels are tight and the spokes solid why would you spend the money for new ones? Based on what you've said above I'd use what I have and use the saved money for something I actually need.
My $0.02 worth….
My $0.02 worth….
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- Posts: 310
- Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 9:01 am
- First Name: Russ
- Last Name: Furstnow
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1909 Touring, 1913 Touring, 1914 Runabout, 1915 Coupelet, 1916 Coupelet
- Location: Flagstaff, AZ
- MTFCA Number: 28
- MTFCA Life Member: YES
- MTFCI Number: 10546
Re: Wood Wheels
Larry, Stutzman's Wheel Shop makes sound, safe wheels that are totally correct. I would replace all four wheels on your 1913 touring. Your safety is too important not to have sound wheels!!! Just my thoughts, Russ Furstnow
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- Posts: 273
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 12:18 pm
- First Name: Walter
- Last Name: Higgins
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1911 Open Runabout
- Location: Realville, PA
- MTFCA Number: 396
- MTFCA Life Member: YES
- MTFCI Number: 153
Re: Wood Wheels
Here's another one -- they were 47 year old wheels when you started and now they are 107 years old. 50 year old wood and 100 year old wood are two entirely different things. That's the window when wood looses it's hygroscopic properties and seemingly good wheels just don't stay tight naturally anymore.Original Smith wrote: ↑Sun Mar 15, 2020 12:07 pm....but all the wheels on this are originals, and have been getting me down the road for almost sixty years. Your thoughts?
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- Posts: 600
- Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2019 3:00 pm
- First Name: Gene
- Last Name: Carrothers
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1912 Torpedo Roadster
- Location: Huntington Beach, Ca
- MTFCA Number: 22905
- MTFCI Number: 23068
- Board Member Since: 1999
Re: Wood Wheels
Larry, Please tell us what happened to your wheel. You might just prevent someone else from the same or worse incident!
1912 Torpedo Roadster
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- Posts: 191
- Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 11:36 pm
- First Name: Bryan
- Last Name: Ostergren
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 cut-off touring/pickup: 1922 Touring car: 1921 TT Dump Truck
- Location: Prescott, AZ
- MTFCA Number: 8082
Re: Wood Wheels
Larry, I'm glad you weren't hurt. Did your wheel collapse and cause the accident or did the accident destroy the wheel? If the latter, for what my opinion is worth, have your original hub and rim re-wooded. Stay true to your name and keep things as original as possible. "Mostly Original Smith" just doesn't sound right.
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Topic author - Posts: 3284
- Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 10:43 am
- First Name: Larry
- Last Name: Smith
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 13 Touring, 13 Roadster, 17 Coupelet, 25 Roadster P/U
- Location: Lomita, California
- MTFCA Number: 121
- MTFCA Life Member: YES
- MTFCI Number: 16310
Re: Wood Wheels
I have selected a wheel with lots of paint on it that is tight and sound. I tried a hub in it and it a good fit. The scraping starts today!
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- Posts: 434
- Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 6:55 pm
- First Name: Ed
- Last Name: Archer
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1909 replica Transcontinental race car, 1915 2 man race car, 1918 American bodied speedster
- Location: 1807 East Ave. Hayward, CA 94541
- MTFCA Number: 19
- MTFCA Life Member: YES
- Board Member Since: 2009
Re: Wood Wheels
Well here I go again, reluctant to comment because a lot of you won't agree. I learned a few things at the time we collapsed the re spoked right rear wood spoke wheel when we ran the Baja 1000 off road race way back in 1972. Stupid as it may sound/be the wood spoke wheels on old #4 are 100 plus years old. Have never been re spoked. They are Perlman aftermarket demountable wheels and solid as a rock. The best re spoked wheels of today don't compare to an original solid, sound original wheel. I'm not a wood expert but the word I got 47 or 48 years ago was this; original wheels were made from virgin timber, aged dried for 2 plus years and then used. Today were dealing with 2nd or 3rd growth lumber age dried for a very short time, if at all and then used. Good quality but not as good as the originals. If given the opportunity, a newly spoked wheel by the best wheelwright or a good solid original I'd take the original, hands down.
Ed aka #4
Ed aka #4