MTFCA Forum

It is my understanding that 1926 wheels were made by Ford, Kelsey and Hayes for 30 x 3 1/2 tires. Can one mix and match between all three steel rims and all three wooden wheels? In other words can a Ford rim be put on a Kelsey wheel or Hayes wheel? The wheels seem to have a different prefix numbers so perhaps they may be different.

Hayes has it's own rim & wheel combo - Ford & Kelsey have different rim profiles but I believe can be interchanged - if I'm mistaken, you'll hear about it !

In 1926 the 21" 440-450 balloon tires were the typical tires and rims. The improved car for 26-27 was also available with 30x3.5 clincher tires in both non-demountable and demountable rims. Which clincher rims may be interchangeable I do not know, but clincher rims were unusual for 1926.

If your question is only on the '26 demountable in 30 x 31/2", then these were made by Haynes, and used the rims with the 4 lugs on the rim.

The Kelsey wheels use the rims with a central 'clip' or 'u' shaped abutment, and slots, using detachable lugs.

These brands do not interchange.

I would have expected all clincher rims would have fixed lugs by 1926. The Kelsey loose lug rims were used in the early 20's. Do your wheels have the depression in the inside diameter of the felloe, on which the loose lug rests? If not, Interchangeability then depends on the wheel manufacturer. Hayes rims had a foot on the lug which requires a depression in the felloe to accommodate the foot. Hayes rims will only fit Hayes wheels. Other brands of fixed lug rims did not have the foot on the lug. These will interchange between brands of wheels, including fitting Hayes wheels.
Hope this helps,
Allan from down under.