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re: Loose wheels

To: british-cars@Alliant.COM
Subject: re: Loose wheels
From: uunet!hcxio!andyh@EDDIE.MIT.EDU (Andy Haber)
Date: Fri, 15 Dec 89 16:40:53 EST
 > >>>I know I need new splines, and I should probably replace that wheel
 > >
 > >>[Story of car and wheel going their own ways deleted]
 > >
 > >I remember reading in the "Healey Highlights" back a few years a ago about
 > >a guy on tour with the San Jose club.  Seems that the group made a pitstop
 > >on the way home (home being something like 2-4hrs away) and when our hero
 > >attempted to proceed again, the splines on one of the rear wheels let go.
 > >This apparently had the same effect as having one wheel stuck in mud or
 > >snow, lots of show and no go.  While our hero was trying to decide what to
 > >do, someone else told him to jack the car up and remove the free-wheeling
 > >wheel.  This fellow cut the ends off of the aluminum pop can he had just
 > >finished and put it over the ruined splines then they jammed the wheel
 > >on over the can and put the knock-off back on.  This got him back home.
 > >
 > >robb ("Healeys Forever") pryor
 >

 I read somewhere that one of the things to look for when examining an
 old car with wire wheels, is to pull the wheels and make sure the splines
 have not been "shimmed" with aluminum foil to compenstate for wear.

 > Another solution to the problem would have been to swap the wheel
 > and hub that was slipping with a good set from the front of the car.
 > (That is assuming the hub on the front of the Healey is the same
 > as the one on the rear.  On Triumphs, they are the same.)
 >
 > Having done that, (The swap that is), you would still need to
 > drive in a most cautious fashion, esopecially while braking because
 > if the wheel begins to slip under braking, it could back off the
 > knockoff and result in a lost wheel.
 >
 Having done a swap also leaves you with a worn wheel on a good spline
 and a good wheel on a worn spline, which might be kinda rough on the
 remaining good parts.  I wouldn't want to start with one bad wheel and
 one bad spline, and wind up with two bad wheels and two bad splines.
 
> Huh?  The knockoff caps are threaded opposite on each side of the car,
> as are the threads on the hubs, obviously.  The spline itself is
> identical regardless of position. You will note that the caps are
> marked "right" or "left", and when you are installing halfshafts or
> front hubs you are well advised to pay attention.  But I have never
> seen a wire wheel marked "right" or "left".  Any wheel should mount on
> any corner of the car.  God knows I mixed and matched my 6 Spridget
> and 2 MGB wheels like crazy before I converted to disk wheels.
> --
> Login name: phile        In real life: Philip J Ethier
 
Wheels gota be interchangeable, otherwise you would have to carry two
spairs!

Boy, my original posting sure has generated a lot of stories about
loose wheels!  It's kinda nice to know that I'm not the only one
whose ever had this problem!
-- 
Andy Haber    (andyh@HWD.csd.harris.com)
Harris Computer Systems Division, Ft Lauderdale, FL       


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