M/T Rader/Radir wheel question.

[Nads]

I've got my Rader wheels at work and I've started polishing up the bastards, whew what a job! I discovered that 000 steel wool used with WD40 is a most effective method for removing major bloom and corrosion off aluminum. It's also a lot easier to hand polish the centers using Wenol than a buffing wheel. There are crevices galore in these things.
To do a proper job would require dismantling the wheels and having the centers polished and the rings rechromed.
Just in case I win the lottery this week I was wondering if anyone has a service to restore these crusty 38 year old things?
Does anyone know what kind of lug nuts I should use with them? I have 7/16" threads on my '54 Chevy studs.
Do the center bullets made my the new Radir company fit the old wheels?

I dig these wheels the most of any Kustom wheel ever produced.

Also I mounted the Astro chrome slots on the front of the '34. Man are they ever bitchin'. Plus because the wheels are narrower than the old hated chrome smoothies the tires don't rub my drag link on tight left turns. Also the sidewalls on my tires don't bulge like they used to.
I am running wheel adapters, I'm a little wary because I've never used them before. Do I have reason to be scared? The adapters seem to be of very high quality and appear unused.

I'll post some pics later.

[long island vic]

i have a line on 4 good ones if you want to go that route. mail me maybe a rumbler could bring them to the turkey run

[Antibilly]

No outta state Rumblers are allowed at the Turkey rod run!! Its bad enough they invade in Feb!!! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[porknbeaner]

Steel wool on aluminum, Baaaaad idea. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif The wool leaves behind remanants and then you get rust spots.

scotch brite pad, or 1500 wet or dry then a buffing wheel/pad Gooood idea. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

Eastwood sells a kit to clean em up cheap.

Just go to the local wheel stoor and match lug nuts to the wheels, measure the thickness of the flange, that's approx length of the shank on the bolt. Don't forget that you have a washer that goes between the head and the flange.

Wheel adapters, qquality adapters a must. Always make sure that you run everything good and tight. Shouldn't cause you a problem. Never as good as the correct wheel, but dooable. If you let 'em get loose you got a problem, give 'em the same care you normally give your wheels.

if it don't make ya dirty it aint yours http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[MrGasser]

Nads...
Are you talking about taking them apart to re-chrome the steel rims?...I just went through this with some Radars...I talked to 4 different wheel shops, including Eric Vaugn at Real Wheels,..everyone says there is NO WAY to re-assemble the wheels safely once you get rid of those rivets. I'm exploring other options...
long island vic...
Are the wheels you have a line on 15's? If so, I'm interested.

[ray]

being a machinist by trade, and otherwise just mechanically inclined, there has got to be a reasonable way to save the centers of these wheels, and fit them to new rims. maybe machine the centers for fastening with bolts or something. the processes are easy enough, its just a matter of one of one of the wheel repair shops setting up to do it, and make it cost effective by doing enough volume.

i don't know how they did it, but i have fenton wheels that have alum centers welded to steel rims. they have tires mounted so i don't know what the situation is where the rivits are but they are definately welded on the back side.

[porknbeaner]

The deal with the rivets on any old rim is that with time the hole becomes worn, from moisture, etc.

A reputable shop isn't going to take the liability of re-riveting an old wheel. if there is enough meat there you can drill 'em out and go with oversized rivets.

Your other option is as Ray said, machine 'em for bolts. Then again its a matter of how much meat is left to work with.

Basically you can't drill an old set of rivets out and go back with the same size rivet in a structural situation. Or as in the case of an older wheel even if you get the rivet out without disturbing the hole, you still have the problem of the hole being worn.That's why the old shcool guys when they reverse a rim drill the rivets out, then weld 'em back together.

The old Cragars and Rockets also had an aluminum center welded to a steel rim. I haven't a clue how they did that either. Probly a pretty expensive process to set up.

Here's an option that no one has thought of. Snag a cold forged rim from a company like Weld or Centerline. Disgaurd the original rim, and weld the center to the new rim.

if it don't make ya dirty it aint yours http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Plowboy]

I have a set with the same problem. I was just going to POR 15 the inside of the rim to try and keep the rivets sealed up and go for the "crusty" look. I figure that for what it would cost to have a machine shop fix up the old ones you could probably buy the new ones, even as expensive as they are (unless you are a machinist yourself or have a buddy that is that owes you a BIG favor).

[Nads]

Hey Mike didn't you get a polishing tool or something? Can I borrow it.
The centers are riveted to the chrome outers on these, they're dated 1965 and have M/T stamped on them also.
They're turning out pretty good, but I reckon they'll take a lot of upkeep in our Florida humidity.
I suspect the rivets aren't really rivets but maybe they're studs that are frozen cold and allowed to expand to a tight fit when cooled.
I have no idea how it was done.

Mrgasser, I have no lines on any other Raders, the ones I have are 14x6s.

If I could only recall the numbers of sets and singles I passed up at swapmeets back when no one wanted these things?
porkbeaner, having had Cragars over the years I too can't figure out how in the heck they welded those aluminum centers to steel rims.
I appreciate everyone's help on this matter.

[MrGasser]

I was told that the pressure needed to install those rivets CORRECTLY, couldn't be duplicated by a typical wheel repair shop. And most of the welded steel rim/aluminum center mags, had a small steel "foot" that was cast into the centers, then welded to the steel rim.

[ChrisDP]

Nads, Maybe you can have the chrome stripped, the whole thing polished and then use a chemical mask on the center section to keep the chrome off the aluminum. I'll ask my brother if it's possible, he used to be plater/polisher.

I'm not sure how the Radirs centers attached to the rims, but this is how the Cragers were.

taken from "Roy Ritcher, Striving For Excellence" by Art Bagnall

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2003-9/389176/cragerss.jpg

[Nads]

Damn Chris you answered one of the great mysteries in life.
Do you own this book? I wanna see it.

PS, I'm gonna get that windshield you gave me chopped pretty soon. Wish me luck.

[BigJim394]

Have you thought about possibly having the rims coated with that HPC silver alumimum header coating. They have a bright version of that coating that you can actually polish a bit so that it is even brighter. It doesn't get that close to finely polished raw aluminum, but it's not bad and might compliment the center spokes part of the wheel. I don't know if masking off or somehow blocking off the spoke part during the HPC application, would be something that the HPC people go do, though...

[Tman]

Classic Wheel Works (I think) out in Califorina will split the centers from the rims and recrome. I have the addy at work.

[ray]

ah, yes a mystery explained, without having to cut apart a wheel.

thanks!

[ChrisDP]

Nads, yes I own the book. It is a biography of Roy Ritcher. It has chapters on Bell Auto Parts, Bell Helmets, Cragar, midget racing, and the founding of SEMA. It's over 350 pages, I'll let you borrow it sometime.

Good luck, you'll need it.

[mecutem]

Well at the risk of boosting the prices of the rusty radars heres the phone number of a shop that will disassemble your wheel...polish the center and install a new chrome bell(outer wheel) The coolest part is he can take a 14 inch wheel and make a 15 inch with it. He is located in Saskactewan (sorry on the spelling) Canada. Calvins Tire Phone 1 306 955 5552. Ask for Calvin He told me a little over a $100 each US money. Steve

[Nads]

Thanks a lot mecutem, that's a totally affordable price.
I paid so little for these wheels that it would be worthwhile to restore them. They're the real deal not repros, even though I really do dig the new all aluminum Radirs.

The things you discover on the HAMB are why I keep coming back to the only board I inhabit.

[ray]

[ QUOTE ]
I paid so little for these wheels that it would be worthwhile to restore them.


[/ QUOTE ]

hey you little fucker, how much did i tell you the price was? it just doubled! http://www.jalopyjournal.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

that is cool to find someone that rebuilds these things, fucking A. in a few minutes i'll post some wheels i would really like to save...

[ray]

damn if i cant get my photo program to work right, something changed, so i cant cut the resolution without shrinking it, so its small, but i got these 5 spoke wheels that i dig, but got rusty rims...

[Nads]

Ray, I bought two of 'em at The Rumbler's show in Brooklyn for $30. Then the guy who sold them to me said, "wait I found another, you can HAVE that one."
Roger Miret bought 'em down to me for free.
I got the one you sent me this morning, it's too late to raise the price bub.
I tried polishing the one you sent, man it's a goner, but not too bad, it'll go on the back half hidden in the wheelwell.
I really appreciate you sending me the wheel. I'm sending you a check plus our CD. Hopefully you can get past the first, er, song. The rest is less painful.

BTW, that smooth five spoker's really cool, what are you a wheel hoarder?