Over-torquing wide fives

To All:

The 'wide-five' rims originally used by Ford, VW, Saab and others, uses a sophisticated bit of engineering to ensure the lug bolts will not come loose. This consists of a taper on the head of the bolt AND a sprung collar stamped into the rim around the hole for the bolt. When torqued to spec, the spring of the rim provides several hundred pounds of tension that prevents the bolt from coming loose.

But when the lug bolt is over-torqued the sprung area gets flattened out, distorting the rim. Once distorted, there's no practical way to correct it because the metal has been stretched. All efforts to eliminate the distortion simply moves it from place to place around the rim. Which is why Ford abandoned such rims in 1937.

Odds are, if you have wide fives and have let the local tire 'expert' go at them with his air wrench, you've got distorted rims, meaning your tires are moving a considerable distance SIDEWAYS for every mile. Plus, it beats the hell out of your suspension components.

Just another of those 'unimportant' details the instant experts like to ignore :-)

-Bob Hoover

PS -- Good tire shops follow the factory spec, install early VW & Porsche wheels by hand using a torque wrench.

Reply to
veeduber
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Which brings me to my next question.... I've been meaning to replace the rims on my '70 bus for quite awhile, as they don't appear to be in very good shape. Stock is where I'd like to stay.

Does anybody know where one can purchase 14" rimmed wide five wheels for buses new?

Thanks, John

Reply to
John Tracy

Sir, you never fail to amaze me. I leave the group for 5 years, and when I return, there you are, with your encyclopedic wisdom, offering your knowledge to all who will listen (and no doubt often cringing from the responses of some who "know better".

One sometimes would think you were on Ferdinand's design team.

I know you get a great deal of respect and recognition here, but I just felt the need to send my personal thanks. I've gained a great deal from reading your posts over the years. Thank you.

Chris (now in Brazil)

Reply to
Chris Klinger

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