The Ford Barn - Ford "steel-spoke" wheels vs. regular wire wheels

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- - Ford "steel-spoke" wheels vs. regular wire wheels (https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=297412)

ericr

04-16-2021 07:15 PM

Ford "steel-spoke" wheels vs. regular wire wheels

at least some of youse guys have competing cars from the era like Chevrolet Dodge Brothers, maybe Essex.

is it your opinion that the Model "A" wheel is indeed superior? It certainly seems like the Model "A" wheel has survived in any event.....

700rpm

04-16-2021 10:42 PM

Re: Ford "steel-spoke" wheels vs. regular wire wheels

Everything about the Model A is superior. :)

Bob Bidonde

04-17-2021 08:39 AM

Re: Ford "steel-spoke" wheels vs. regular wire wheels

There are 2 types of wire wheels, those with welded spokes and those mechanically fastened.
On wheel with welded spokes, all of the spokes carry loads. On a wheel with mechanically fastened spokes, only about half of the spokes carry loads.
Because the alternating loads are much higher on a mechanically-spoked wheel, the fatigue life of the spokes is much less.
Mechanically spoked-wheels need periodic maintenance to adjust the spoke tension and straighten the rim.
There is one other wheel that enters into this discussion, and that is the cast iron artillery wheel which has a solid metal disk from the hub to its rim. In the early days of automobiles, engineers did not get the design right, so artillery wheels had a habit of short term fatigue cracking.

ericr

04-17-2021 11:05 AM

Re: Ford "steel-spoke" wheels vs. regular wire wheels

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Bidonde (Post 2008033)

There are 2 types of wire wheels, those with welded spokes and those mechanically fastened.
On wheel with welded spokes, all of the spokes carry loads. On a wheel with mechanically fastened spokes, only about half of the spokes carry loads.
Because the alternating loads are much higher on a mechanically-spoked wheel, the fatigue life of the spokes is much less.
Mechanically spoked-wheels need periodic maintenance to adjust the spoke tension and straighten the rim.
There is one other wheel that enters into this discussion, and that is the cast iron artillery wheel which has a solid metal disk from the hub to its rim. In the early days of automobiles, engineers did not get the design right, so artillery wheels had a habit of short term fatigue cracking.

wow, that's a lot of interesting info, thanks. I always thought old touring cars looked best with artillery wheels.

The Master Cylinder

04-18-2021 10:46 AM

Re: Ford "steel-spoke" wheels vs. regular wire wheels

Just curious. does anyone have the 19"/21" adjustable spoke wheels for the Model A? I can see good and bad sides of having them.

nkaminar

04-18-2021 07:36 PM

Re: Ford "steel-spoke" wheels vs. regular wire wheels

My MGA had wire wheels. They would pop (break) wires when cornering hard. It was a constant maintenance issue. The wire wheels were an option and disk wheels were standard. Sure looked good though.

RandyinUtah

04-18-2021 07:49 PM

Re: Ford "steel-spoke" wheels vs. regular wire wheels

I can't quite wrap my head around the statement that mechanical spoke wheels carry only half the load of welded spoke wheels.thus are prone to early fatigue.

DkFordor

04-19-2021 03:20 AM

Re: Ford "steel-spoke" wheels vs. regular wire wheels

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandyinUtah (Post 2008578)

I can't quite wrap my head around the statement that mechanical spoke wheels carry only half the load of welded spoke wheels.thus are prone to early fatigue.

Possibly because mechanically fastened spokes are only able to accomodate stretching forces - not compression forces - due to the way they are fastened to the rim. Thus only half the spokes contribute to carrying the load at any given time - and thus the wheel is carrying the weight on fewer spokes at any given time.

Bob please correct my if I'm mistaking :)

Will N

04-19-2021 07:50 AM

Re: Ford "steel-spoke" wheels vs. regular wire wheels

Quote:

Originally Posted by DkFordor (Post 2008658)

Interesting. So it would follow that with screw adjustable spokes, the ones that are carrying the load are the ones on the top of the wheel. The weight of the car is hanging from the spokes on the top, while those on the bottom are pushing through the rim and meeting no resistance.

DkFordor

04-19-2021 08:35 AM

Re: Ford "steel-spoke" wheels vs. regular wire wheels

Quote:

Originally Posted by Will N (Post 2008703)

Sort of. From Wikipedia:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

... Some authors conclude from this that the hub "stands" on those spokes immediately below it that experience a reduction in tension, even though the spokes below the hub exert no upward force on the hub and can be replaced by chains without much changing the physics of the wheel. Other authors conclude that the hub "hangs" from those spokes above it that exert an upward force on the hub, and that have higher tension than the spokes below the hub, which pull down on the hub. ...

I doubt any spokes are actually pushing through the rim - rather the tension is reduced somwhat in the lower half of the wheel. Thus also invalidating the idea with only half the spokes carrying... :confused:

But we're diverging from the topic now :p

redmodelt

04-19-2021 12:21 PM

Re: Ford "steel-spoke" wheels vs. regular wire wheels

So mechanical attached spokes, the upper carry the load like a suspension bridge and lower ones keep the hub centered by pulling against the load but don't carry the load.

ronn	04-19-2021 03:24 PM

Re: Ford "steel-spoke" wheels vs. regular wire wheels

regarding 1931, I would venture to say my chevy wires are "vastly superior" to the A wheels

just my opinion. The chevy was a heavier car.

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