Tire wheel balancing: is it needed ?
 

Hi all

I have a 1929 Tudor and I am planning to replace a wheel that have a small crack in the Hub.

My question is do I have to balance it ?

It is one of the rear wheels.

I bought the car 2 months ago and I do not know if the previous owner have done any balancing at all. He told me the crack was there when he bought the car 5 years ago to the owner who did a full restoration. He did nothing to the wheels in those 5 years.

The car drives fine in the town streets at 30-35 miles per hour. I can't drive it in highways or didn't have the opportunity to drive it in a long flat route. Here in MA there are tons of slops and curves when you are driving through the towns streets.

Thank you
Forddan

Re: Tire wheel balancing: is it needed ?
 

I had mine balanced by a local tire shop. They put the stick on weights which arent real pretty but work well. Dyna beads are a good solution too.

Re: Tire wheel balancing: is it needed ?
 

In my 60 years of owning Model A’s, I have never balanced any of there tires.

Maybe I have just been lucky.

I just drive on local roads. I also stay under 50 mph. Enjoy.

Re: Tire wheel balancing: is it needed ?
 

I have just rotated the tire on the rim to get the weight close, much depends on how good the balance of the tire is, 3 out of 4 I got perfect without weight
If you have them balanced on a modern machine you have to find a shop with a plate that mounts by the lug holes not on cones ----on the model A the wheels are centered by the lugs

Re: Tire wheel balancing: is it needed ?
 

How about just welding up the crack rather than replacing the wheel?

Re: Tire wheel balancing: is it needed ?
 

Ditto what Katy said. Weld the crack. My 29 runs smooth with no balance attempted.

Re: Tire wheel balancing: is it needed ?
 

We use a 60 year old bubble balancer (similar style was available from Harbor Freight) with drive on weights collected over the years installed on the inside rim. We check the wheel on the balancer in 2 or 3 positions as a cross check. Almost every classic car wheel/tire combo's we find easily can be out a couple of ounces or more.

Re: Tire wheel balancing: is it needed ?
 

I balance the wheels and drums as a package. Aftermarket drums need to be balanced. I suspect that most ‘barn readers never give it a second thought. FYI, it took 12 ‘35 wire wheels to get 4 good ones.

Re: Tire wheel balancing: is it needed ?
 

Thank you all for your answers. I can't find anyone in my area that would like to weld the wheel. The answer is "we do not do that job on those wheels" or "it is a liability issue so we will not do it".

Re: Tire wheel balancing: is it needed ?
 

This one is in the front passenger side:

http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/...pskking0rf.jpg

This other one is the spare tire that has also some bent (slightly curved) wires:

http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/...psjumc2s5s.jpg

What do you think ?

Do I replace them ?

At Mac's primed the cost is $435 each
At Coker primed the cost is $465 each + 65 if I want them powder coated.

As I can't find a good, non-cracked wheel, I was thinking in buying 4 primed and spry paint them cream.

Or buy 2 and try to find a spry paint with a very similar color as the old OR also paint the old ones too.

Any suggestions....

Thank you !!!

Re: Tire wheel balancing: is it needed ?
 

NO.
I've driven over 50,000 highway miles in Model As without wheel balancing.
Just recently had new tires put on our 35 Chevy, asked the tire store if they recommended balancing, they said "save your money".

Re: Tire wheel balancing: is it needed ?
 

Forddan,

Someone near you may have some good original wheels to sell. I see your location says
'Westford' , but doesn't say what state. We also have had no problems with wheels not being balanced, but the fastest we go is 40 - 45 at most on country roads, and around small town streets. We're not adventurous enough to even think of hitting the highway.

Re: Tire wheel balancing: is it needed ?
 

Tire shops probably don't want the liability and they even get picky on using plugs to patch tire leaks these days. Your best bet is to find someone in a local club to either weld up the wheel or sell you some new (used) ones. A fellow club member in my club gladly welded a couple cracks in mine, and I was good to go. I did not balance mine and really, unless you have put radials on and plan on going fast, you probably won't need them balanced. That being said, you should really reach out and find a local club. Your bio doesn't say where you are except Westford. If that is Mass, then I would think there has to be a club somewhere within driving distance.

Re: Tire wheel balancing: is it needed ?
 

Hi all

Thank you for your time writing your suggestions !!!

Yes, it is Westford MA. I will correct that ASAP.

My local club is MINUTEMAN Model A Ford club of Massachusetts. They are all great guys. There is one member that can do the welding, he is retired but I am not... yet :-) and I was trying to find other ways before bothering him trying to find a day and time that is good for me in relation to my type of work and good for him too.

Now that is clear for me that there is no need to balance the wheels I can probably go this route.

Buy 2 primed new wheels. Spray paint them. Power wash the others used wheels. Hand sand them. Prime and then spray paint.

How do you see it ? Stupid, crazy ?

Thanks again !!!!
Forddan

Re: Tire wheel balancing: is it needed ?
 

Just weld them up and be done with it.

Re: Tire wheel balancing: is it needed ?
 

Those new wheels are so expensive. Really depends on your finances, and what makes you feel the best. I am the frugal type personally. I never give up on anything if i can fix it, and what I see there is easily fixed.

Re: Tire wheel balancing: is it needed ?
 

I've gas welded small cracks and broken spokes on model A wheels with good results . I have my wheels balanced with the weights on the back side of the wheel on 30-31 nineteen inch wheels .

Re: Tire wheel balancing: is it needed ?
 

When I replaced all four tires on my Car here locally, I got new tubes tires and was not aware but they also balanced the wheels with stick on weights! I did not notice them till I started doing a brake job on the front axle! All 4 wheels have the stick on weights stuck kind of hidden on the inside of the rim. I guess it can't hurt, but I notice no difference. My speeds are under 45mph!

Re: Tire wheel balancing: is it needed ?
 

One of our club memebers hought he was doing the right thing a couple of years ago when he bought a complete set of new wheels in preparation for a drive of about 2,000 miles to the national rally. They only just got him there but he had to put the car on the train toget it home. I'd go for decent original wheels every time.
As for balancing, the front of my Tudor used to bounce and vibrate at anything over 50 mph till I balanced the wheels. Smooth as silk now to over 60, whichis enough. I welded an old stub axle to a frame I made. I used second hand bearings (but no notches) set to turn freely. When I mount a wheel on it, the heavy spot goes to the bottom. I use stick-on weights to balance it.

Re: Tire wheel balancing: is it needed ?
 

Though I've never tried them , there is dyna beads that can be poured into the inner tube for balance .