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| | | | Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 43 Junior Member | | Junior Member Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 43 | Hello;
Had a flat tire yesterday on my 1954 half ton with the original wheels. When I took it off and dunked it, I discovered that the wheel had rusted out a few inches from the valve stem and was leaking there. Tubeless tires. I drilled the hole out to 3/8 inch and pluged it with a threaded brass plug and J D weld for a short term fix until I can get a new wheel. Now I wonder if I should replace all four wheels. Is this an anomaly or is this a common occurance? Those old wheels rust through on a regular basis?
Thanks.
Rich | | | | | Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: May 2006 Posts: 8,351 | That's not really that unusual. I've seen wheels newer than that rust through. Just had a set from a '69 3/4 ton in the shop that did the same thing. Even modern aluminum wheels aren't impervious to the corrosion monster. I've seen lots of modern aluminum wheels rot right through, especially if they were chrome plated.
Bill Burmeister
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 707 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jul 2006 Posts: 707 | Yep. Gotcher galvanic series of metals doing what they do. Same like steel hardware on stainless mirrors. Wheel weights can head off the problem.
1951 3800 Be the change you want to see. -hotshoe
| | | | | Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 43 Junior Member | | Junior Member Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 43 | Hi Guys;
Okay, I guess I need new wheels. Any suggestions on which of the various suppliers I should deal with for original looking wheels that aren't too expensive?
Rich | | | | | Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,832 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,832 | This is a common happening. If area is just around the valve stem hole and the rest is solid you can clean the rust off, weld the valve stem hole and any other holes up (might have to gas weld because metal is usually very thin), and coat with an epoxy like JB Weld. This will let you use tubeless tires. Lastly, drill a new valve stem hole 180 degrees from the old hole in nice virgin metal.
Evan
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