Who Repairs Wire Wheels

rogeroadster

rogeroadster

Senior Member
Does anyone have a recommendation for wire wheel repair and straightening in the Los Angeles/So Cal area? I have several 16" Kelsey Hayes wire wheels that I would like to have straightened and trued before I have them powder coated or painted.
 
A while back I had wheels trued and powder coated by Stockton Wheel.
I realize that's abit north of LA.
When mine were done it was by the original family. I think the old employees took the buisness over after the tragedy. I am very pleased and I'm pretty sure they are still in buisness.
 
Give, Pico Wheel Service a call (818) 678-0375) They are located in North Hollywood Calif. (91605) (Google/Bing for web site)..I have not used their services, but have talked with folks that have (model A) and have spoken highly of them/service. Regards JR
 
For those who might be interested, here's a progress report on my Kelsey Hayes wire wheels. In late June I contacted Gary at Pico Wheel and they have moved to Chatsworth, Ca. Early in July I delivered 9 (sand blasted) wheels to him with instructions to straighten and true as many as he could and widen two of them from 4" to 5". Today I picked up 7 straightened and trued wheels, two of them were widened to 5". Two of the wheels I took him were not worth saving. He did a very nice job of straightening, truing and widening these wheels. I'm very happy with the job he did and Monday it's off to the powder coater.
 

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rogerroadster, glad you found someone to straighten your wheels. can you give us an idea how far off the were and how close to true are they now? i have three `35 ford wire wheels that are within .015" T.I.R., i had to purchased at least twenty five wheels to get three good ones. maybe i`ll have one of the better condition "bad" wheels straightened.
tom
 
rogeroadster said:
For those who might be interested, here's a progress report on my Kelsey Hayes wire wheels. In late June I contacted Gary at Pico Wheel and they have moved to Chatsworth, Ca. Early in July I delivered 9 (sand blasted) wheels to him with instructions to straighten and true as many as he could and widen two of them from 4" to 5". Today I picked up 7 straightened and trued wheels, two of them were widened to 5". Two of the wheels I took him were not worth saving. He did a very nice job of straightening, truing and widening these wheels. I'm very happy with the job he did and Monday it's off to the powder coater.
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I need to have 2 wide five wheels widened. Could you share what it roughly cost to have your KH's widened? Thanks.
 
51504bat said:
I need to have 2 wide five wheels widened. Could you share what it roughly cost to have your KH's widened? Thanks.
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It was $125 to straighten them plus $150 to widen them. Add that to the original (swap meet) cost of the wheel and then powder coating and you've got an expensive set of wheels.
 
hotcoupe said:
rogerroadster, glad you found someone to straighten your wheels. can you give us an idea how far off the were and how close to true are they now? i have three `35 ford wire wheels that are within .015" T.I.R., i had to purchased at least twenty five wheels to get three good ones. maybe i`ll have one of the better condition "bad" wheels straightened.
tom
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I don't really know how far off they were to start with. Some had hit so many curbs that some were damaged pretty badly. The two that were beyond repair had been run with a flat so long that lip of the rim was rolled over. .015 doesn't sound like much run out to me though. I will say that Gary did a nice job on these wheels and he applied heat where he needed to.
 
i bought a set from croker tires you can get any bolt patern you want any with. they will power coat them you pick the coller. they look as good as orignal. they take orignal hub caps. you can mount tubles tires. when you figer haveing your wheels sand blasted strigthen power coated shipping them back & forth the new ones are cheaper. plus there beter & on the car you cant tell there reppop. p.s sell your ori gnal ones for what the new ones will cost or close to it
 
richard crow said:
i bought a set from croker tires you can get any bolt patern you want any with. they will power coat them you pick the coller. they look as good as orignal. they take orignal hub caps. you can mount tubles tires. when you figer haveing your wheels sand blasted strigthen power coated shipping them back & forth the new ones are cheaper. plus there beter & on the car you cant tell there reppop. p.s sell your ori gnal ones for what the new ones will cost or close to it
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You are right, you can get new ones for what I've now got in these.
But I have yet to see an authentic looking reproduction bent spoke Kelsey Hayes wheel. So for me, it is worth the price and effort.
 
Don't declare a wire wheel bent if it was installed without a back up support ring. I would tack weld a ring in every wire wheel as the first thing done after cleaning. They will sure wobble without the support.
 
Andy said:
Don't declare a wire wheel bent if it was installed without a back up support ring. I would tack weld a ring in every wire wheel as the first thing done after cleaning. They will sure wobble without the support.
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A good idea except if someone later wants to use them on mechanical brake drums there will be a problem.

Charlie Stephens
 
rogeroadster said:
It was $125 to straighten them plus $150 to widen them. Add that to the original (swap meet) cost of the wheel and then powder coating and you've got an expensive set of wheels.
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After looking at my invoice, it was $125 each to straighten 5 wheels and $175 each to straighten and widen 2 wheels.
 
I had my original '35 Ford pickup wire wheels trued and straightened by RALLY AMERICA out of Fresno, Ca.

Their telephone number is (559) 322-2128 and their web-address is www.rallyamerica.com

Father is Gary McLean and son is Jimmy McLean

I hope this information helps.

Bruce Smith
Modesto, Ca.
 
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