Re: RE: Wire Wheel-splined hub ...loose fit

Roland Dudley (cobra(at)cdc.hp.com)
Thu, 20 Jun 96 16:09:28 PDT

>
> "OK, I have a question. Why do splines wear? If a wheel is kept tight
> and greased from the day it is new, why do the splines wear?"
>
> Well, you've got me. Maybe that's the point. If they are properly
> maintained maybe they don't wear. Or, maybe some metalurgy experts will
> tell us that the stress and vibration through the joint will somehow
> break down the metal. I also understand that the problem with putting
> too much power to wire wheels is not the hubs but the spokes. I wonder
> if anyone ever bothered to tell Ferrari or Maserati that?
>
> Jay

Jay,

Recall the recent posts on the Tiger list about what happened to the proto Tiger with wire wheels the first time it was driven.

BTW, the splines on my snake take a pretty good beating and they still look good. Nice flat-topped sawtooth shapes. I have bent (but never broken) a few spokes though.

The original owner apparently never grease the splines. Right after I bought the car I had a flat and ended up destroying a knock-off getting the wheel off. I didn't have any tools other than a knock-off hammer (one of my favorite tools) and had to use the Model A wheel puller method. This involved jacking up the opposite wheel, undoing the knock-off part way and whacking the hell out of it.

All of the splines have been kept well greased since.

Roland