Wheel Wobble

[Gerald L.]

I purchased a set of 8080 wheels for new radials on my 63 driver, finally putting my original 63 wheels and repo bias tires in storage ... after 17 years. I know!

Tire store says one is too wobbly to use, it is greater than 1/8-th inch out side to side. With the tire mounted it is noticeable not spinning in a single plane. First I will talk with the vendor, but is there a wobble spec I should suggest and this problem would seem to be an easy fix for the wheel repair companies out there. Any recommended companies in the Chicago area if it comes to that? Thank you.

[Harry S.]

Re: Wheel Wobble

I think the term is called run-out.

Anyway, I have it so bad on my 63 that the car shakes when driven. I found a place in Mass. that will fix the wheels and bring them back to zero run-out. There is a special machine to perform the work. The charge is between $75 and $100 a wheel depending on the damage.

I believe zero run-out is where it should be.

[Michael W.]

Re: Wheel Wobble

Gerald,

I was in the process of buying a full set of 1968 wheels several years ago and took them to a local tire shop to measure axial and lateral runout. Each of the five showed a measurable amount in one or both axis and I ended up passing on the set even though they were priced well below market value. The seller was surprised at my findings and posed the logical question of wondering how all five could be 'bent'- especially radially.

In attempting afterwards to find the factory spec, I was surprised myself to find that possibly all the wheels were 'as manufactured' and were within factory acceptance range.

Possibly we've become spoiled with today's ultra accurately cast and machined wheels and are now trying to fix what's not broken. I can't imagine how a wheel manufacturing plant that produced stamped and welded wheels in the volume required by GM in the 60s and 70s could afford to introduce a rework process to fix or reject a large number of wheels and still make money.

My 2 cents.

[Terry M.]

Re: Wheel Wobble

While not germane to the subject of this thread, Kelsey-Hayes produced wheels for the C3 Corvette (at least to 1972) which were measured and marked for the apogee or nadir of axial run out with a weld dot. Surely they had automated equipment for this task.

I would suggest they had some quality control measures to check these variables even in the C2 era. Of course one might need a print of the wheel to determine the true specification for run out. I recall there is a "rule of thumb" given in my textbooks, but I would have to look it up in order to put a number on it.

You are quite correct that we have become used to cast or forged and machined alloy wheels that are held to a much tighter specification by virtue of the manufacturing process than welded steel wheels. Given the speed potential of today's Corvette any wheel run out would create serious issues, so increased precision is a necessity.

[John H.]

Re: Wheel Wobble

The Kelsey-Hayes 1963 steel wheel drawings show a maximum of .045" total indicated lateral runout and .035" total indicated radial runout. The drawings for the aluminum KO wheels show .045"/.045".

[Robert K.]

Re: Wheel Wobble

In 1969, I stood in the local Chevy dealer's shop, having just bought a set of ally wheels from them, waiting to have my tires mounted. The tire guy was using the old style tire machine, were the wedge comes up from the bottom. This wedge caught the edge of the rim and lifted it up at least an inch and the machanic backed it off and readjusted the machine. When he wasn't around I told the customer that his wheel was bent by the machanic. I have no idea what the out come was other than the guy now had a bent wheel. I guess newer machines don't have this problem, but we could be talking about 40 year old wheels.

[Gerald L.]

Re: Wheel Wobble

I certainly appreciate the leanings from this discussion. Vendor was straight up about this and is shipping an alternate and I give him much credit for being so supportive. Interestingly he checks every wheel offered for sale by bolting tight to a hub and axle thou did not discuss his specs, just relayed that at times a wheel bolted down is totally different than what shows via hub and chuck on a Hunter machine. I could believe that too. Thanks all.