54 spoke dayton pin drive wheel center

[clayton swanson]

very good hub, fits snug on the pins, holes not egg shaped like most. 54 spokers are less common than the 48's which I have mostly. I will be at chickasha, or can ship. 150.00 . 763 401 0065, thanks, clayton

[Layden Butler]

At 54 spoke this is probably a Houk wire wheel center. They are different length front to back ( as the axle goes).

[clayton swanson]

Here's a shot with 2 48 spoke Dayton's. 54 is in the center, identical to the 48's in all respects. Some of my Dayton stash came with hubs and lock caps so I'm fairly certain thats what they are. Didn't Houck's have a slash in the upset around the pins? Thanks for the comment.

[Layden Butler]

I shouldn't be surprised at a 54 spoke Dayton pin drive wheel as the dental drive wheel centers also had different spoke counts.
Pictures attached compare the shorter Houk pin drive with a longer Dayton pin drive. The Houk also has finer hubcap threads. The Houk #3 was discontinued after 1918 when the Wire Wheel Corporation of America was formed.
As for the upset around the pin holes of Houks, I am familiar with #4 and #5 sizes, there was no upset until about 1918. Full circle until early 1920s then 2 crescents.

[clayton swanson]

Well, the 3 I have inside here are all the longer 4 3/4" , so Daytons then. You have my curiosity going now, so tomorrow I will check the pile in the barn to see if any are short. I do have one pair that does not have the upset around the pin holes, only ones I have seen. so those are older ? Thanks, clayton

[clayton swanson]

My stash is all Dayton, thank goodness, as the ones in the new photo without the upset I bought a whole rear axle a few years ago strictly for the rear Dayton hubs I had been searching for for nearly 2 decades. Layden, if I understood you correctly, the centers with no upset around the pins are Houck, yet these measure to be Dayton, and also the Dayton nuts thread onto the hubs they came with. Thanks Layden for sharing this info, thoughts on the flat Daytons? I will bring these 2 wheels to chickasha, for the budget minded builder, 48's, one rim looks good enough to use, both centers need some work.

[Tourabout]

Pasco wheels are very similar to Dayton but the upsets are inside the wheel center instead of the outside.

[Layden Butler]

My info about upsets was for Houk.
Can assume that Daytons without an upset are earlier. The plain ones do not wear as well thus the change to an upset.

Suggestion on repairing the 6 pin drive holes. I cut sections of steel tubing that fit over my pins. Opened up the worn holes in the wheel centers for the tubing and reassembled the wheel hub and cap back together. Tack weld the tubing to the center just enough to hold in place, disassemble and weld all around each hole on the back side. See the last picture with the angle square on the gray primed wheel. Around each hole you can see the final weld holding the tubing in place. Didn't have to do any machining and repaired a center while still laced in the rim.

[clayton swanson]

Hub is sold, thanks