Register now to get rid of these ads!

17" Ford wire wheels on juice brake drums- anyone ever have this problem??

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Chris, Jan 31, 2013.

  1. On my old A roadster (which my Brother now owns) I had converted it to juice brakes. The car has 33-34 17" wire wheels, I bought the spacer rings and it was all set to go with new brakes, turned drums, etc. My Brother is finishing the chassis and last night went to bolt the wheels on the car. Problem is, the very outside of the wheel center hits a factory wheel weight... has anyone else ever had this problem?

    Can those weights be removed? Will he have to run different drums? I looked through all my drums and the only ones that do not have those weights are the 1940-1941 drums.

    Any help would be appreciated. I did a search, but they are all talking about the spacer rings...we have that covered so lets not get into that :D
     
  2. 3wLarry
    Joined: Mar 11, 2005
    Posts: 12,804

    3wLarry
    Member Emeritus
    from Owasso, Ok

    patiently waiting for a reply also...
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  3. shinysideup
    Joined: Sep 1, 2008
    Posts: 1,627

    shinysideup
    BANNED
    from ruskin, fl

    Could you move the weight inboard slightly to clear rim? Or grind to clear?
     
  4. Knock the weights off with a chisel and hammer? I did this to all my drums for my 19 wires. I was told to do this by a model a restorer who knows way more then I will in this lifetime about Early Ford iron.

    Now if there is a weight on the wire wheel like it seems upon re-reading your post I have never seen a weight welded to the wire wheel for balancing. Seems you could grind it off then have the wheels balanced like a modern wheel by having the lead balast weights added on the outer edge.
     
    Last edited: Jan 31, 2013

  5. chaddilac
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 14,021

    chaddilac
    Member

    I ran into the same problem on my 16" wheels on Juice drums... I was told to knock off the drum weights... I can't see how that would solve the issue but start a new problem of the drum not balancing. So I ended up with some 40 hub/drums from Larry!! :) They don't have the weights on them where they will hit the wheel.
     
  6. These weights are on the drum
     
  7. Another thought was to remove the weights then have the wheels balanced on the car.
     
  8. tommy
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 14,757

    tommy
    Member Emeritus

    BINGO!

    But I'd try it first.
     
  9. SUHRsc
    Joined: Sep 27, 2005
    Posts: 5,093

    SUHRsc
    Member

    You could possibly also knock the weight off and bubble balance the drum by drilling. (oppsite where the weight was likely)

    Just a thought, never done it...
     
  10. Just knock em off, had my coupe up to 75mph and its not too scary well for me anyway, passenger is a different story.
     


  11. That sounds like an idea, too. This is an A roadster on an A frame with a 21 stud in it. It won't be lightning fast and driving 85 MPH all day...but it's gotta be safe and ride decent. Also trying to avoid changing drums...these are turned, new races, painted and installed! I think we may try removing the weights and running it...if it vibrates, we can go from there.
     
  12. HotRodMicky
    Joined: Oct 14, 2001
    Posts: 1,783

    HotRodMicky
    Member

    Knock the weights off and run them on tire balancing machine
    And instead of add weight,remove it with drilling holes.
     
  13. 40FordGuy
    Joined: Mar 24, 2008
    Posts: 2,907

    40FordGuy
    Member

    Ditto, remove the weights and balance wheels / drums as an assembly. Either on, or off car is good.

    4TTRUK
     
  14. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    He beat me to it. If you have a friend in a driveshaft shop they might be able to spin them and balance them too.

    You could also knock the weight off and make a lower profile weight that was a bit longer but not as tall that weighed the same and tack it on in place of that weight or just mark the spot on the drum and add that amount of weight to the rim in the same relative spot when you bolt the wheel on the hub.
     
  15. NealinCA
    Joined: Dec 12, 2001
    Posts: 3,143

    NealinCA
    Member

    This is a common problem with wire wheels and late drums. Either knock the weights off or switch to 40-41 drums.

    Neal
     
  16. DICK SPADARO
    Joined: Jun 6, 2005
    Posts: 1,887

    DICK SPADARO
    Member Emeritus

    Most of the drums I have had the balance weights on the outer drum areas. I have one rear hub with the balance weight on the hub flange surface. The only way you can use this with a wire wheel is to possibly pop off the weight and re weld it or JB Weld glue it to the outer edge of the drum in the same area. Because these weights are heavy I dont think that you could drill enough material away in the offending area to get the hub to balance without creating a problem. Your best bet may be to just pop the weight off and have the drum and wheel balanced on a bubble balancer as a unit. This will mean that when the wheel is removed it must be reinstalled at the same index position on the drum.
     
  17. hotrod-40
    Joined: Mar 25, 2008
    Posts: 840

    hotrod-40
    Member

    I think I will just knock them off. If it vibrates, I'll just have the tire, wheel, and drum balanced on the car. Thanks for everyone's advise:D
     
  18. Tnomoldw
    Joined: Dec 5, 2012
    Posts: 1,563

    Tnomoldw
    Member

    :)75 year old drums ,prolly not in balance anyway....Bill aka Tnomoldw
    ''I wanna go where the lights are low where I can go'n spend my dough an dance with the dolly with the wooden leg'':eek:
     

    Attached Files:

  19. olskool34
    Joined: Jun 28, 2006
    Posts: 2,597

    olskool34
    Member

    As others have said, I had the same problem on my 36 pickup. I just knocked the weights off and had the tires balanced. Never noticed any vibration but I didn't ever really go over 70 in it.
     
  20. hotrod-40
    Joined: Mar 25, 2008
    Posts: 840

    hotrod-40
    Member

    So does anyone know the trick for getting the weights off? I figured a chisel, but that isn't working to good.
     


  21. Lenny knows a trick, he's done it :D
     
  22. Took mine off with a hammer and chisel, be a little aggressive. The drums are pretty strong, I had to break the rear drums off my model a rearend when i first rebuilt it because they were beyond rusted up and I beat the hell out of them to break them to get them off. I had another good set of drums turned and ready to replace em'.
     
  23. jrsiron
    Joined: Sep 10, 2006
    Posts: 120

    jrsiron
    Member

    I have always taken the weights off, but have used balancing beads in tubes and not had any issues
     
  24. hotrod-40
    Joined: Mar 25, 2008
    Posts: 840

    hotrod-40
    Member

    Ya. I think I just Lenny'd the drum
     
  25. Fred A
    Joined: May 3, 2005
    Posts: 290

    Fred A
    Member
    from Encino, CA
    1. Upholstery

     
  26. spooler41
    Joined: Feb 25, 2007
    Posts: 1,099

    spooler41
    Member

    Hotrod-40, You might try drilling the spot welds on the balance weights,then use the hammer and chisel to finish it off.

    ..................... Jack
     
  27. hotrod-40
    Joined: Mar 25, 2008
    Posts: 840

    hotrod-40
    Member

    So here is what I wound up doing. You would think it wouldn't work, but everything clears pretty well.

    This is what I started with
    ImageUploadedByTJJ1360355310.386038.jpg
    Drilled the spot welds
    ImageUploadedByTJJ1360355321.808529.jpg
    Welded them in the same spot, but inside the drum
    ImageUploadedByTJJ1360355442.611226.jpg


    Posted from the TJJ App for iPhone & iPad
     
  28. hotrod-40
    Joined: Mar 25, 2008
    Posts: 840

    hotrod-40
    Member

    The best thing to do is just to start with early (40) drums;)
     

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.