MTFCA Forum

Things were going so good.... After a long delay I finally got the wheels back on my 1917 T today (not the tires, they're next.) Spinning the wheels after I snugged the bearings, I noticed the left front had a little wobble. When measured with a ruler it varies about 1/4 inch. My car has 30 x 3.5 demountables with wooden spokes.

What I need to know is whether the T is safe to drive in this condition while I try to track down a replacement wheel? I really want to go on the Michigan Jamboree in early August and have a lot to do to finish putting the car back together. Any serious problems that crop up might put an end to that plan unless I can find a quick solution.

If the wheel is otherwise sound in all respects, I would not let 1/4" runout bother me. Run it and see.

Allan from down under.

I have been running my RPU with 1/4 runout for two years and doesnt botther a thing. Tires show no uneven wear. Bearings seem fine when I grease.

My left front has a GOOD 1/4"...I can feel a little wobble at slow speeds.
I plan on sorting through my stash this winter and finding a more better one.
It's been on there for many many moons !!

I agree with Allan. As long as all the bolts are tight and none of the wood is loose or rotten, ¼" runout isn't a serious problem. Other drivers will tell you, "Your wheel is wobbling!" and you'll say, "Yes, I know."

I don't think that 1/4" is bad and it's not a good reason to replace or junk a wheel.

If it bothers you, it is possible to fine tune a wheel so it is more true by moving the felloe in relation to the rim. See this thread:

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3900&p=29622#p29622

If the castle nut/bearing is snug...that's good.
If the bearing is snug...that's not good
There should be ever so little slack in the bearings to the point where the wheel wants to seek the heavy spot when up on a jack

And don't sweat 1/4" runout

Scott, I too picked up on the 'snug' bearing, and I agree there should be just a smidgeon of play once the castle nut is snugged.

Allan from down under.

I have had, driven, and seen, T wheels with a half inch wobble that seemed to be okay. Now, a half inch wobble IS excessive, and not recommended. A quarter inch? What wobble?

Set up an indicator along side of the wheel, and locate the high spot. Then tighten the corresponding lug nut to remove it.

Note that the advice I posted above is for wood felloe, non-demountalbe wheels.

You have a 1917 Ford so I presumed you have the correct wheels on the car. However, I remembered that you have demountables.

Thank you all. I feel better today based upon your replies and my own observations. I put an indicator on all the wheels and found the following:
Left front - 3/16 horizontal 1/8 vertical - Right front - 1/8 horizontal 1/16 vertical. The rears no more than 1/8 in any direction. As to snugging the bearings, I drew them snug and then backed them off a quarter turn. The wheels would rotate to seek the heavy spot which was exaggerated because I installed balance beads.

On a related matter, the T sat on it's own wheels and rolled outside today for the first time since last October. I turned it around and pushed it back into my pole barn in preparation for dropping the engine back in. Progress, finally!

Erik, someone in the past installed 30 x 3.5 demountables all around. Obviously they are not correct for a 1917 but a heck of a lot easier to change if I get a flat on a tour.

One of the '18's wheels here has a runout too but it lumps up and down and that's off-putting to me.
These wheels here were done 40 years ago and never driven on but yours are fresh and new.
If it lumps up and down at 1/8" and you can feel it, give the rebuilder a call.
I need to get back to Erik's post, pull a rivet, move a rim on one and re-rivet on these demountables here and try again.
There's an older thread too but I don't find some threads so easily anymore.

Actually, mine weren't re-done, at least by me. Who knows when they were last touched. The car sat for the last 30 years and saw little use before that. I don't know when the demountables were installed but that may be the last time the wheels were worked on.

Since I've owned it I've painted the rims and sanded and varnished the spokes. The spokes are tight but I'm sure a re-spoking will be in the picture sometime down the road. I'll have to see how the wheels hold up in use.