MTFCA Forum

I just purchased a wire wheel from Facebook Marketplace. It has surface rust, nothing very deep. It would make a good wheel, expect for one little fact that the seller neglected to disclose. It has a huge crack all the way around, just inside the bolt holes!
So, now what do I do with it? I'm thinking it might make a decent spare wheel if fixed?

Is this a common failure point, and
has anyone attempted to repair a crack like this?

I would weld it if it was mine

I would look for another wire wheel. That thing doesn't look safe no matter what kind of repair you do to it.

Sand blast around the cracks, grind in the fractures, weld up and mark as spare!

Hank

A couple of my wire wheels have been welded. There were a few cracks, maybe 3/4" long. But, that wheel is way too far gone in my opinion. Especially considering that there are still a lot of nice ones out there. Even if you did weld it and was strong enough, I have a hard time believing that it would still run true.

I will be at the Marietta swap meet with some to sell....

Toss it and think of it as the price of experience.

Andy

Small cracks, yes. Big large cracks, no.

I am with Jerry V O, Andy C, and a couple others on this one!
I have welded or brazed a lot of things, over the years repaired many parts that other people considered unrepairable. But cracks like that in that area? NO WAY! At least not on something that better ones are available.
I would have a tough time justifying that even as a display only spare on a rare car for fear someone years from now would try to use it.

It could be welded, by an expert welder. Properly annealed, a few gussets carefully added so as not to interfere with mounting? But I think the cost unless you personally know someone that would do it for basically free? And frankly, any professional welder would be a fool to charge for a repair like that! Doing for free limits their liability. Why do you think Les Schwab does so many tire repairs for free?

You should be able to return it to the seller for a full refund since you were not made aware of what you were buying. You paid good money for something you were intending to use. In that condition, not only is it unusable, it is dangerous. Jim Patrick

Before you even consider fixing it I would start a dispute/claim with Facebook on the purchase from the seller.
https://m.facebook.com/help/1167434420087941 Don't waste anytime thinking about it.
Think of how much this wheel will cost you in the end . Purchase price + shipping + sand blasting + welding + time and then what do you have = a spare rim. You may have to pay return postage or the seller may just say scrap it.
You may also have a possibility to get your money back if you used PayPal if FaceBook fails

Follow Facebook Seller Policies and Commerce Policies.
Respond to all inquiries in 2 business days to prevent customer disputes. You can respond through your Inbox or the email you provided in Commerce Manager.
If you can't resolve an issue, the customer can create a claim within 45 days of the date of delivery (or estimated delivery) for Facebook to review. We'll email you if a claim is created.
How we review claims
When a claim is created, we review the following information:
The Protected Purchases in our Purchase Protection Policies
The order details
Communication between you and the customer
Any information you and the customer provide
The customer's past refund requests and purchase activity (for potential fraudulent behavior)

There aren’t many things on your car more safety critical than the wheels. A good one of these sells for about $100. They can be had brand new new for a bunch more than that but what price safety? I have welded up small cracks on them but examples like the one pictured I use for the base of fire pits made with washing machine tubs I sell at swap meets. T chiselers come by freaking out because I did that to a T wire wheel. I tell them I did it because the wheel wasn’t safe and even if it was they wouldn’t give me $40 for it so now it’s a BBQ pit base.

Heavily corroded, thoroughly crystalized.... Yard art ONLY.

Obviously the seller knew about the crack. He/she was intentionally dishonest with you. He/she had a piece of junk that was foisted off on you. I agree that you should file a dispute with Facebook Marketplace. Then recycle the piece of scrap metal.

I shouldn’t be flip with this, but I know there are some real fans of epoxy out there. Up in these parts, that wheel would be garden art. It’s certainly not for a 1908 Rolls Connardly !!

I’ll bet there are T’s out there that have similarly hairline crack wheels on them that haven’t been noticed. Same things for hairline cracked transmission drums. That wheel was run for a long time before anybody noticed it. It didn’t happen over night.
Is it repairable? For some it is and some it isn’t.

Hi John, The reason that I wouldn't repair that wheel by any means is that 10 years from now, someone could find it and attempt to use it. There are already enough ways to get killed in a Model T without adding another one. If I was going to use that wheel as "yard art," I would do something to prevent it from ever being used - perhaps weld up one of the wheel attaching holes.

EVERYTHING is repairable. BUT, I’ve been on the receiving end of way too much crap like this to be quiet. This one isn’t even a close call. Again, JMHO and a pet peeve, in case anybody wondering.

That wheel looks to me like it was mounted on the wrong type of hub and then run to death. It's got a lot of deep corrosion, too.

John kuehn wrote: ↑

Thu Feb 24, 2022 12:51 pm

I’ll bet there are T’s out there that have similarly hairline crack wheels on them that haven’t been noticed.

There is no similarity between hairline cracks and the cracks in that wheel.

Whether it’s hairline or not there are wheels out there with “cracks” in them. After years and years things begin to happen.

I thought the original question was is this repairable for a “spare”? OK…. To get you home and out of the rain.., yes! Where you live vs freight and availability is the key plus how much money you have. How these threads turn it a war of words is beyond me! stayin’ on the mountain!

Is it repairable?
If it was mine, I would weld it. I have a rim worse than that one that got fixed.
But the very fact that you asked a question tells me "No." Don't fix it.
Mute point anyway since you will probably get your money back.

Look at it this way- WHAT IF the welded wheel were to fail and someone were to get injured or worse, would a billboard lawyer have a good case where he/she could prove neglect against you? Especially if you weld it yourself? I have nothing against lawyers- we need them, but the billboard lawyers are out for a bounty.

You call that "surface rust"??? Looks like deep pitting to me, maybe out here in Callifunny we have a different description of Surface Rust.

Update:
I did get all my money back, but still have the silly thing! Now I need to think of a good way to incorporate it into a purely decorative purpose. (Table?, clock?, part of a giant Rube Goldberg machine?)
Any suggestions on this direction would be most appreciated.
As for the surface rust: I grew up in Western PA, if you can't see thru it, it's good to go. You all in CA don't know how good you have it (with respect to rust).

One or two last technical question: So I take it this is rare? must have been because it wasn't used with the correct hub?

Thanks all.

While I am not a dare devil, if the wheel were mine, and if the wheel was great in all other aspects (rims not run flat; no deep rust pits in center between rims; spokes straight and not bent or broken), I wouldn't throw it away in the scrap pile. One man's trash is another man's treasure. Several very well respected members have said the wheel is repairable, but with the caveat that it be used as a spare, only to which I agree. If you are not a professional welder, I would certainly have on do the repair. First sandblast the entire rim. Second, the pictures seem to indicate the the cracked center may have moved as the mating surfaces seem to be at different angles and levels. Before welding the hub of the wheel must be perfectly fitted to its original position.Even before welding and after making sure the two broken surfaces are mated properly, the wheel can be bolted to a front hub and spun and checked for straightness. If its off a lot, it might be worthwhile to reconsider welding it. If the wheel has no, or only a small amount of wobble, it can be addressed and straightened after welding. Just mt 2 cents on the matter.

70boss2wv wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 25, 2022 9:09 am

One or two last technical question: So I take it this is rare? must have been because it wasn't used with the correct hub?

Thanks all.

No. It's not rare. What is rare is the extent of the crack. Cracks in wire wheel hubs are always something to look out for.

You could make it a base for a garden hose stand, or a stand for an air hose, extension cords, etc, or maybe use it as a base for a small grinder or a shop light or shop fan. Put an old tire on it and fill it with expanding foam for more stability.

Dave Hanlon had several just west of you in Ohio. Might check with him. They were pitted a bit more than I would care for, so really didn’t look closely for cracks at the time. They aren’t rare, look for ones not cracked or rims rotted out. Be sure to check bolt pattern, very early model A look the same but will not work.
If not there, I’ll bet some are available in Marietta next week. A want ad here does wonders, too.

I doubt a professional welder would touch that job. Now if it was the last wire wheel in the world that would be different. It could hold the car up while your wood wheels were being built.

Andy