anybody know anything about using harley wheels on the front of light roadsters ? did they use stock hd hubs ? i'd think that you'ld need to convert to tapered bearings at least. also i've heard that they could fold up in cornering but that could be a urban myth.
You might try Hallcraft Wheels in Gainsville,Texas. Their the shizit when it comes to wire wheels for bikes & t-buckets.
Motorcycle wheels and motorcycle tires are made to work in a different world of stresses and dynamics than car wheels and tires. I think, for safety's sake, you should stick to wheels and tires made for automobiles.
The Halicraft is just a scooter wheel. 16" harley wheel, laced cross 4 (stock) and the stock hub/bearings adapted to a ford or anglia spindle. Was at one time a dragster trick, no front brakes but was outlawed by NHRA for whatever reason. Now you have to use a sfi rated wheel. Some of them saw the street, if properly maintained and not put under a motor its doable. not recomended these days but doable. I wouldn't think I would use it for a canyon racer and I would probably avoid things like bumping the curb or steering when it wasn't rolling.
Total Performance has 'em with hubs for early Ford/Chevy spindles I believe. Made by Dayton as I recall.
I drove a little modified with steeles and whitewall motorcycle tires and it seemed to be fine but the car weighs nothing. I think in a drag car sense your not turning much so it shouldn't be a problem but I don't think I would push it.
thanks for the replys. i've noticed in old car mags with features of wire wheel cars that they would mention halcrafters wheels. i have an old panhead wheel here that was on a roadster with a 5.00x16 car tire on it. but somebody cut the hub out of it so i don't know how the bearings were configured for car use. the reason i'm curious though is that one of my projects is a fenderless volksrod with an aluminum beam frontend and i have some extra old harley wheels to play with. i had planned on useing some 14" wire wheels and spindles from an mgb up front and 15" wire wheels from an xk140 jag on the rear but i think the 16" hd rims would look better up front. they wouldn't be holding much static weight either, i can just about pick up the front of the car by hand.
We used to take the old ball bearing and cage [harley]hubs and modify them for Timken bearings at a shop I worked in way back when. It was believe it or not cheaper than repairing or replaceing the original parts. With the taper bearing of your choice it shouldn't be that big a deal to adapt the hub to an old spindle. The Ol' Man's gas roadster/altered ran on MG wires up front then on 16" harley wheels before he laced 18x3s to the Harley hubs. granted he wasn't road raceing it, but it did take some verticle abuse. I wouldn't be in the least bit afraid to give it a whirl on a light bodied car. But as has been mentioned halcraft is also an option. I think there are some Halcraft wheels up for grabs in the classifieds right now. Thay got discs on 'em but I'm pretty sure that they unbolt.
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