Steel wheel repair

[motionwear]

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Not a TABC item, but the folks in the Hillman cars world have been of no help. I have a 1950 Hillman Minx Mk IV convertible with a seriously cracked steel road wheel - not fixable according to the shops I've shown it to.  Center section is cracked - around lug openings and radiating outwards. It's just a 3 x 15" steel wheel, but has a 3 hole lug pattern.  Nobody seems to have a replacement (or used), nor will they make this odd size. Wheel size: 3 x 15 2 offset 3 lug hole pattern, 4 lug circle diameter. 2 center hub opening Brake adj hole dia, centered 3 from wheel center 3 hubcap posts, in a 10 3/16 outside edge diameter. I know the 2CV and Smart Car have 3 hole lug patterns, but not in the same size and lug hole diameter. I'm willing to have all new wheels made, have this wheel repaired, or put on replacements if all else fails.  I've even looked into replacing the car's hubs with something that will adapt (TD maybe) and use period wheels from another car. Got any suggestions? Tom Wilson

[Frank Graham]

#ygrps-yiv-951539571 P {margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;} Tom,  Here is an eBay listing for a set of four 4 1/2 J  x 16"  3 stud Hillman Minx wheels for sale in Australia. Ebay item #163506089288  you may have to beg to get them shipped overseas or find an Aussie MG club member in NSW to collect them then ship to you, there is always a way to get it done. Sounds like whatever it takes would still be cheaper than changing over the suspension to 4 or 5 stud hubs. I don't know what year Minx they are from but hopefully the larger size would still work and at least there are four. You could even run 16" rears and 15" front if your other rims are OK. Have you checked your other wheels for any sign of cracks? You might want to have the centers magnifluxed. Frank [b]From:[/b] mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com> on behalf of twilson@indy.rr.com [mg-tabc] mg-tabc-noreply@yahoogroups.com> [b]Sent:[/b] Thursday, February 21, 2019 10:44 AM [b]To:[/b] mg-tabc@yahoogroups.com [b]Subject:[/b] [mg-tabc] Steel wheel repair    

Not a TABC item, but the folks in the Hillman cars world have been of no help. I have a 1950 Hillman Minx Mk IV convertible with a seriously cracked steel road wheel - not fixable according to the shops I've shown it to.  Center section is cracked - around lug openings and radiating outwards. It's just a 3 x 15" steel wheel, but has a 3 hole lug pattern.  Nobody seems to have a replacement (or used), nor will they make this odd size.

Wheel size:

3 x 15

2 offset

3 lug hole pattern, 4 lug circle diameter.

2 center hub opening

Brake adj hole dia, centered 3 from wheel center

3 hubcap posts, in a 10 3/16 outside edge diameter. I know the 2CV and Smart Car have 3 hole lug patterns, but not in the same size and lug hole diameter. I'm willing to have all new wheels made, have this wheel repaired, or put on replacements if all else fails.  I've even looked into replacing the car's hubs with something that will adapt (TD maybe) and use period wheels from another car. Got any suggestions? Tom Wilson

[Steve S]

Hi Tom, I have two suggestions here in California... Pico Wheel and Tire has been a one-family (now 3rd generation) wheel shop since they opened in 1920. If he can't fix it, no one can. Last time I was in there getting a TC rim straightened, he was working on a set of rare brass era disc fire truck wheels for Jay Leno. 165 North Avaidor St. Unit E, Camarillo, CA 93010 818-421-6102 The other is Stockton Wheel Service. In business since 1883 (they started out making wagon wheels), they do all kinds of wheel repair and customizing also. Instead of a one-man show, they are a larger shop. 648 W Fremont St. Stockton, CA 800-395-9433 I'm sure there are other good shops out there but these are the two I know. Good luck! - Steve Simmons On 2/21/2019 7:44 AM, twilson@indy.rr.com [mg-tabc] wrote:

Not a TABC item, but the folks in the Hillman cars world have been of no help. I have a 1950 Hillman Minx Mk IV convertible with a seriously cracked steel road wheel - not fixable according to the shops I've shown it to. Center section is cracked - around lug openings and radiating outwards. It's just a 3 x 15" steel wheel, but has a 3 hole lug pattern. Nobody seems to have a replacement (or used), nor will they make this odd size. Wheel size: 3 x 15 2 offset 3 lug hole pattern, 4 lug circle diameter. 2 center hub opening Brake adj hole dia, centered 3 from wheel center 3 hubcap posts, in a 10 3/16 outside edge diameter. I know the 2CV and Smart Car have 3 hole lug patterns, but not in the same size and lug hole diameter. I'm willing to have all new wheels made, have this wheel repaired, or put on replacements if all else fails. I've even looked into replacing the car's hubs with something that will adapt (TD maybe) and use period wheels from another car. Got any suggestions? Tom Wilson

[motionwear]

Everyone - I found a set of 4 used wheels in the UK - almost between Eric Worpe and Peter Cole's homes.  Inexpensive and next week they will ship to me.

I will strip those wheels - along with the 3 "good" ones still on the car, then check for cracks.  The best 5 I'll paint and use on the car. I think the reason for the cracks is the swaged holes for the lug nuts pushed the metal around the holes out past the flat back of the wheel center.  That left more metal unsupported and created an opportunity for the metal to flex.  Over time it just cracked.  Probably been that way since new.  The car has only been driven about 16,000 miles since new (10% of that in the past 18 months). If only Rootes/Hillman had the same high quality metal in 1950 that Nuffield/MG did! Tom Wilson