Problem with reproduction steel wheels

-
Dubob

Dubob

FABO Gold Member
FABO Gold Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2011
Messages
1,420
Reaction score
755
Location
Ohio
Anyone out there running reproduction steel wheels. I’ve got some 15x10 repros and having a problem with damaging lug nut/studs. Correct lug nuts torqued correctly. Oem drum brakes but later from Cordoba. Only thing I can figure is the design of them they have a “ring” on each side of lug nut land that prevents that area of rim from seating against drum or rotor allowing them to move when I put the hammer to it. I’ve got some older oem wheels sitting around and they sit flush in that area but they aren’t the style of what I’ve got. I’ve installed centerline convos which aren’t bad but really liked the dog dishes. Borrowed wheel pic from else where. I’m suspecting the metal gauge is different. Anyone else have this issue with reproductions?

IMG_4102.jpeg




IMG_7999.jpeg


IMG_4035.jpeg
 
Last edited:
would an aluminum or steel ring in the recessed area help take the stress off the lug nut mounting area? And yes, they should be made like OE wheels.
 
I thought of that, but I think the “spacer” would split because there’s not a lot of area between the lug hole and the raised rings. There is also some taper from the face of the ring to the lug land. I may just have to stick with the convos. I’ve had a few of the lugs damaged on the cone to where it seizes to the stud, and a wheel moving like that worries me. Thank you.
 
You are not getting tight as the metal around the lug nut area in bending in.
I have had problems with trailer wheels like that.
Who’s wheels?
Wheel Vintiques?
 
1) something is not right- measure the angles of the lug nuts vs the rim lug holes.
2) how does the hub fit in the rim. There should be no space. The center hole or hub is supposed to take the weight not the lugs. It is why uni- lug wheels seem to always open up and loosen up. The center hub hole is too big and puts too much on the lugs that are oval to begin with.
 
Yes, I can watch the area deflect while torquing. They are wheel vintique. They do come up to torque spec. I even tried going to higher spec as Strange recommends a higher torque than the factory spec would be. It was one of those things I didn’t pay attention to til I had an issue. The rear is a Strange S60 with screw in 1/2” studs. I’ve thought of having the area built up machined and redrilled but with the visible deflection under torque has me questioning the material gauge of the center section. The tires hook pretty well. That’s why I went with the convos with shank lug nuts believing they distribute the load better also. I believe the taper where the lug nut sits is deflecting enough to walk down the taper on the lug nut when they get loaded.
 
Last edited:
Syleng1. Correct the center bore does fit the hub of the axle, haven’t put a micrometer to it but installing the wheel it is not sloppy as in needing a spacer like a hub centric type of wheel would in a universal application. The lug nut taper fits the wheel. I even went so far as to make sure the lug nut wasn’t bottoming out against the drum face, which it doesn’t. The “rings” space the lug area a bit over .200” off the drum.
 
Last edited:
Wow, concerning for sure! I just ordered a set of sbp of them for our 67. Is it just the rears that are the problem?
 
I never paid attention to the fronts to be honest, to see if the lug nut area deflected while torquing the lug nuts. I never found any lug nuts loose retorquing them after driving the car. That’s why I question the material gauge. Behind the big block there’s a good bit going against them when I torque it up. My tire guy has been in the business for a long time told me to throw them in the scrap pile before something happened after I explained it to him. It may be just the wrong use of the wheel for my application. I don’t want to smear a company. There was a gentlemen I’d talked to years back that was taking old wheels and using the centers to weld into new barrels to make custom widths and off sets. If I remember correct he’d said he did that due to the repros being lighter gauge in the centers. I can’t remember his name but he was having trouble getting material that’s why I didn’t have him make them.
 
Last edited:
Chrysler wheels have been built like that since at least the 60s.
I would suspect your studs or nuts before the Wheels.

FYI; I have a pair of Wheel Vintiques 15 x 10, 4.5 bc, steel Rally wheels, with BFG 325/50-15 Drag Radials mounted on them. On the car are 1/2 inch screw-in, long studs, installed into shortened 8.75 Chrysler axles from a Monaco.
That set-up is never on the car for longer than a weekend, but I have not had any problems.
Just saying.

If I had to guess, maybe the screw-in studs are not properly seated in the back of the axles, and/or not installed at 90* to the flanges.
Or maybe; by any chance are you running a manual trans and/or a high-compression engine? and/or Cal-Tracs? and/or Zero Brake proportioning on the back? All these things can wreak havoc on the design.
IMO, The design is good for a street driven car; but you-know, those wheels were designed for a street car, with mostly 275 hp or less.
 
Here is a link to some factory 15x8 Recharger and 15x7 steel wheels I posted a link of last week for reference
I know every one does it so figured I would to
They have the ring as it beefs the wheels up at the hub. It is common to have the ring
Maybe the hubs on the axles are slightly larger than on stock ones.
 
Mine are 15x7s I got them used idk what or where they came from but they have little recesses between the lugs im assuming they are to stiffen up the metal around the lug holes and to provide a "biting" surface against the drum/rotor. My original 14s did not have them. Ill dig around as see if i can find a picture
 
Aj, nothing radical. 440 thru a 727 with m/t sportsman s/r’s 28x12.5-15 with Mopar ss springs. It’s stout but nothing crazy. Just a fun driver that stays cool and fairly reliable. The axles are strange engineering’s that came in the S60. The studs are all torqued to spec with the washers between the stud head and axle flange. The problem is not axle or stud specific either. Can be lh or rh. And you hit the key of what I’m thinking with the 275 or less hp and if the material is lighter gauge than oem. I’m not going to lie it’s a street car but I put miles on it and they’re not all easy.

Rusty, wheels are about 8 -9 years old. So they’re out of warranty.


Dartfreak, those are I believe maybe truck wheels from what I’ve searched.

I need to get to the shop. I’d like to mic the thickness of the center section to see just what’s there. For now it’s going to keep the centerlines on. But I’m going to keep pondering. You’ve all given me some things to mull over. Just was wondering if anyone else had run in to a similar issue.
 
Following. I'm getting ready to buy some repro wheels and plan on running alot of power through a four speed with sticky tires.
 
Dubob said:
Anyone out there running reproduction steel wheels. I’ve got some 15x10 repros and having a problem with damaging lug nut/studs. Correct lug nuts torqued correctly. Oem drum brakes but later from Cordoba. Only thing I can figure is the design of them they have a “ring” on each side of lug nut land that prevents that area of rim from seating against drum or rotor allowing them to move when I put the hammer to it. I’ve got some older oem wheels sitting around and they sit flush in that area but they aren’t the style of what I’ve got. I’ve installed centerline convos which aren’t bad but really liked the dog dishes. Borrowed wheel pic from else where. I’m suspecting the metal gauge is different. Anyone else have this issue with reproductions?

View attachment 1716262528



View attachment 1716262530

View attachment 1716262534
Click to expand...
Those wheels don't look right but they have been used so they must be ok.
 
It’s got me stumped too. Next time I’ve got the car on the rack I’ll pull off one of the convos and slide on a steelie. I went to wheel vintiques web site and they don’t offer a 15x10 any more. Could be due to people getting away from 15’s. As I said I’m not smearing the company just have had issues on my usage. Wheels have never been loose as far as lug nuts go. I wonder what is being used in the FAST series as far as “stock” type wheels.
 
OP: re the first photo in your first post.

Every rallye wheel produced by Chrysler has this inner and outer ring mounting arrangement. Its been working fine since 1970...
 
I've been using 15x7 Wheel Vintiques for years with no problems, just put them on torque them down. Never really thought about it.
 
I bought 15X8's from Classic Industries about 3 years ago and no issues so far
 
Jeff Seighman said:
I've been using 15x7 Wheel Vintiques for years with no problems, just put them on torque them down. Never really thought about it.
Click to expand...
it's been a long time since I had any, but I'm 90% sure 5th avenue wheels are the same way, they have the cavity there to fit the heads of the little bolts used to hold on the hubcap retainers...

if it's flexing, then maybe the wheel vintiques wheels use a thinner gage steel for the center part of the rim? you could measure the depth of that channel (guessing somewhere around 3/16"?) and get some small OD washers to put on the stud before putting the wheel on to take up the gap....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top