Balancing New Bias Ply Tires

G

GDORNFELD

Junior Member
I am about to purchase a set of new 6.00x16 bias ply tires for my 1939 Ford. I know I am going to have a problem balancing these tires on the 1939 style wheels. I have seen a sketch of an adapter plate in the Early Ford V8 Times. Is there anyone making this plate, or do I have to seek out a machine shop to have one made?

Alternatively, is any shop balancing these wheels on the car? I have not had a lot of success locating a shop that does this anymore.
 
Speedway Motors has a wide five adapter in their catalog.

You may have some luck finding a shop that can balance your tires on the car if you look for a shop that does truck tire work.
 
Speedway Motors sells a bolt pattern adapter for around $49.Then you need 3 ,5/8 lug nuts that they sell also.
 
deuce lover said:
Speedway Motors sells a bolt pattern adapter for around $49.Then you need 3 ,5/8 lug nuts that they sell also.
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3 lugs won't do it. You'll need all 5.
It's a good idea to mount each wheel without tires to find the heavy side of the wheel before mounting the tire for balancing.
Also, you should know that there have been some new 6:00 16"s that were seriously out of balance from the manufacturer. These, when discovered, are replaced under guarantee without question. I won't mention the name of the manufacturer, as it could happen to any.
 
There was a guy either here or on the HAMB that was making the wide 5 adapters. Don't know if he is still producing them or not. As I understand they didn't have the 5/8" studs like the roundy round racer adapters that Speedway and others sell. His name was James Ford if I remember correctly. I might have his email somewhere if anyone is interested send me a PM.
 
51504bat said:
There was a guy either here or on the HAMB that was making the wide 5 adapters. Don't know if he is still producing them or not. As I understand they didn't have the 5/8" studs like the roundy round racer adapters that Speedway and others sell. His name was James Ford if I remember correctly. I might have his email somewhere if anyone is interested send me a PM.
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I think his where similar or the same as Dick Spardos.
I use an extra front drum to do mine. Seems to work great.
 
I used the speedway adaptor. The place I used had a mounting machine that had steel fingers that expand and grip the wheel from the inside, from the center outwards. The tires had been installed for decades and the guy using the machine had no finesse so while he was trying to break the bead he gouged the crap out of the steel wheels. I made the mistake of not paying enough attention to what he was doing, don't make that mistake.
 
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