Wheels wanted

[crashkrud]

Hey everybody,
I,m new to this so feel free to correct me. I've got a 1929 Model AA, & its in need of wheels & locking rings to say the least. When i do think i find a set, their either on hold or they just sold. The style that is on the truck are 20" "disk style 6hole", or I've heard the term "bud style". Will any other wheel work or am i limited to the one style. I would like to keep the original appearance.
Thanks crashkrud

[spectria]

Welcome CrashKrud!

I am still getting the hang of it also. but since I've been locked up inside my house all day with computer stuff to do, let me be the first to welcome you.

I don't fully know the wheel situation. If you have 6 slots in your Budd style wheels, then that's it for wheels in that style. I know they fit the early AA (not sure again of the cutoff, but Neil does...)

The later Budd wheels had 5 slots and a different size center hole, so I don't think they fit.

Either way, you're in the same fix as pretty much everybody, the wheels sat in the dirt, filled with water and mud and rusted from the inside out, so now you need new ones...

Someone on here has something, or a suggestion...

[bud valerius]

I have 5 of the 29 six hole wheels @ $150.00 each if you want all 5 . If you want less than 5 wheels they will be $175.00 each . plus shipping. Bud Valerius , Manhattan Kansas

[Jared275]

Crashkrud,
Here are a couple that are on ebay....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1928-29- ... ccessories

Regards,
Jared

[Neil Wilson]

The '28/'29 AA's can all use the '28 steel spoke wheels or the '29 six spoke disk wheels. Starting January '30, Ford changed the front/rear hubs and the wheels are the five spoke disk style. These later wheels can not be used on the '28/'29 hubs.

[rollingsculpture]

Hey crashkrud , dont know where your located but if your out in california you should contact katman in bakersfield he has some of the wheels you need

[Neil Wilson]

Regarding the Ebay rear axle mentioned above - If you can't actually look at the wheels, you can't determine if they are worth removing the tires. If they look good with tires, then figure that about 60% of the time, the wheels will still not be usable once the tire is removed.

I will not buy an AA wheel with a tire because of the above. It is just too much work to remove the tire to find out the wheel condition.

Just my opinion

[Jared275]

Neil,
What would make a wheel bad besides of course rotting through. On my 29 the split ring started to spread because of rust underneath the ring, do you think I should be concerned? What should I be looking for to indicate a bad wheel?
Best Regards,
Jared

[Neil Wilson]

Yes, rust out and/or extreme rust pitting makes a wheel unsafe. If there is no tire on an AA wheel, then the condition of the rim (tire side) can be checked. I have seen wheels with tires which look very usable but after the tire is removed, the rim is so rusted that there is little metal left. The '29 - '33 wheels are assemblies with rivets holding the center and rim together. On the tire side of the rim, these rivets are countersunk into the rim. When the tire side of the rim is rusted away too much, the countersink section of the rivet is basically gone.

If there is a tire on an AA wheel, then the tube valve stem hole can reveal a thin rim. On '29-'33 wheels, the inside of the rim can be checked to see if the center is tight against the rim between rivets. Also check the wheel bolt holes to make sure they are not enlarged.

There should not be rust build up under the split ring or on the rear flange. Once the tire is removed, all rust build up should be removed and then the wheel checked to metal thickness. I have seen wheel very thin at the rear flange due to rust pitting even though the outside of the wheel looks okay.

The outside of the wheel can be checked for rust pitting and hammer marks (along the edge where the removable flange in installed plus elsewhere). To restore a wheel, pitting and hammer marks need to be removed. This restoration work is done to make the wheel look like new. This condition should affect the selling/buying price. I would give much more for a NOS or excellent wheel. Wheels which are too pitted on the outside just require too much work.