As a new guy to the sport, I am seeking some advise. ..... I need to have new bias ply tires (with tubes) mounted to 35 Ford wire wheels. I have talked to my local tire shops and they all say that they can do it, but none of them are giving me that warm, fuzzy feeling. Can anyone recommend a tire shop in southern NH or Northern MA that might have at least a little experience with such a mission? ...... Or am I making a mountain out of a mole hill? Am I wrong to be hesitant to use just any tire shop? ...... Thank you!
No mountain and not wrong, it's just smart logic based on my experiences over the years. Be it work I've had to farm out or ordering parts, the more emphatic anyone is when they tell me they can handle everything and/or parts will fit just increases the odds and of less than desired results. Other than my old Massey yard tractor it's been quite awhile since I've messed with tubed tires. Do check the inside of the rims very carefully for any foreign objects, sharp edges, or rust before you or anyone else starts to mount tires with tubes on them. Anything that might chafe has a way of coming back to haunt on down the road eventually. Pete's Tire Barn based in Orange MA is a local company that's been around for quite a few years and still family owned and run. I've been very satisfied with the pricing and service that the Northampton MA branch has provided me for over 10 years now. It's all about the people, if there's a branch somewhere near you it might be worth a trip to check them out. https://www.petestire.com/locations/ Ed
Just ask them if they do "lug centric" balancing. If they know what it is and have the attachments, in most cases they are a serious tire shop...
You might give Joe a call at Joe's Antique Auto in Uxbridge, MA He is a wealth of info and a heck of a nice guy as well. JMO (508) 278-3980
If you don't already have them, you might want to get some liner bands to put on the wheel's drop center to protect the tube from chaffing on the interior ends of the welded spokes. It's best to mount the tires manually with the correct tire irons, or you stand a good chance of pinching or nicking the tube, which makes for an expensive and frustrating day. If you use a vendor, make sure they understand their responsibility with this. They pinch it, they buy it. I've done hundreds of tube type tires in my career, so if you decide to DIY, pm me and I'll walk you through it.
You are correct to be hesitant. The wire wheels are very easy to bend, especially with modern tire changing machines that are usually manned by people that are young, inexperienced and used to modern rims. You want to be sure the shop knows what they are doing. I would recommend making sure they do it with tire irons. Tire irons are available or use the ones in your car's tool kit. Any chance you could find someone in a local club that has done it before and can guide you to do it yourself? You would be more likely to find someone that uses tire irons in a shop that caters to trucks. Charlie Stephens
Another suggestion. Check the wheel runout both radially and laterally before you mount any tires. Bolt them to a hub that supports them correctly or use the rings that are sold. It's a pissah later to find anything wrong. It's hard enough to get round tires.
Excellent advice. I would like to take the liberty of expanding a little on your advice. If those '35 wire wheels are being run on later ('40-'48) drums hubs they need to have support rings (even though they appear to be be OK without them). Charlie Stephens
I've made them out of old tubes. They are also called belly bands. Anything on wire wheels I hand mount myself, really easy to do and all you need is a couple of simple tire irons and a heavy rubber hammer.
About 5 years ago, I bought a cheap (under $100) manual tire changer from Northern Tool (the same or similar unit is available at HF). Although I had to modify it to work properly, it is one of the best purchases I have made. In my neck of the woods, the only people that still have tire changers are the tire shops, and their main business is selling tires, not mounting tires on a walk-in basis. I had literally been ignored for hours waiting for them to get around to me. If you leave them and say you'll be back to pick them up tomorrow, chances are they won't be done then, either. And this is on top of all the other concerns that have been put forth. Then, of course, there is the cost; with disposal fees, shop supplies etc., it can run over $20 a tire. I can't tell you how much time and money I have saved over the last 10 years since I bought that machine. There is one caveat. Do not let it be common knowledge that you have a tire machine unless you want to make a bunch of new friends,
I could probably make some good coin with a used Coates 20-20 tire machine and a good bubble balancer. I'd also look into a hand-mount tire changer. I used to do truck tires many moons ago.
Just a thought, but maybe a motorcycle shop would be used to doing wire wheels. Their machines might be more friendly to a skinny wheel.
I've been calling them "flaps" since I was young... https://www.cokertire.com/accessories/tubes/tube-liners/flaps.html I second the suggestions to do it yourself...using tire irons. The cheap manual tire changer, when bolted to the floor, is great for holding the wheel still while you mount the tire. Most original owners or shop manuals showed how to manually change a tire on a wheel.
yup, get some irons and do it your self. sprinkle the tube with talcum powder (think baby) and use some tire lube stuff on the bead of the tire and they practically slip on by hand. mount from the back so you dont scratch the paint on the front. lay a piece of carpet in the floor. rim liners are made for real spoke wheels where the spoke ends show on the inside. ford welded wire wheels are smooth inside... no liner needed. flaps are made for split rims, like the 20's vintage stuff where the wheel has a slice thru it to allow it to collapse enough to get the tire on, pre drop center rim i'm talkin, so no flap needed with the ford wire either
This is correct. The tool that came with the changer was useless. I bought a set of tire irons from an outfit called "Ken Tool" that were light years better.
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