Re-spoking closed centre wheels

[Zetomagneto]

I have seen many ulster reps, and real Ulster’s used in competition with closed centre wheels.
Evidence of other users experience with them is here on the forum.Your father must have just been unlucky

[Chris KC]

It was once widely understood that closed centre wheels are not as strong as the later type. Personally I wouldn't use them on a sporting car without some extra measures. Come to that I use the later type with penny washers and self-locking nuts, having lost a wheel on one occasion and come close two or three other times. For a car that comes out for pub lunches and the odd rally then I'm sure closed centres are more than adequate.

[Malcolm Parker]

I have closed centre Austin script wheels on my Ulster, respoked by a professional wheel builder in Leeds. You need to start with good centres, I reckon 50% are only fit for scrap. If they ring like a bell when tapped with a small hammer and the wheel holes are sound with good wheel nut seatings, they can be respoked. My wheel builder found that many of the spoke holes at the hub end were slightly elongated due to having run with loose spokes, so he drilled them out and fitted 8G spokes. He also used new rims. The result are a set of very strong wheels which look good. I believe that Ulsters actually had stronger spokes fitted as standard. I don't race or trial my car and would recommend the later type of wheel for competition. I don't want to be the fastest Austin 7 driver in the world, just the oldest!

[Howard Wright]

Thanks Malcolm and others

I've demolished two wheels today, one with a good centre and poor rim and one with a good rim and poor centre. 

The good centre rings like a bell and has good wheel nut holes, the rim is ... well... good. So I'll have a go at lacing it in the near future.

Jon, all the spokes came undone very easily, in fact I started using heat but quickly found I didn't need to.

I'm hoping eventually to have a good set of closed centre wheel for show and road use and a set of open centres for trialing so hopefully that satisfies Roger's concerns.

Cheers

Howard

[Rogerfrench]

Zeto incognito, or whatever, if you choose to bury your head where the sun don't shine, that's your affair.
But the weakness of closed centre wheels was recognised by the 750MC in 1953.

Howard, I think your approach is eminently sensible.

[AustinWood]

Roger, I find that offensive.

[Zetomagneto]

Thank you Austin Wood

[Rogerfrench]

Roger, I find that offensive.

Well, I'm sorry about that. However, on my part I find the defense of something known and widely understood to be dangerous when stressed to be ridiculous. Austin closed centre wheels carry a risk not worth taking in competition, and to suggest that my father was unlucky when one collapsed on Simplicity is to ignore the other examples that emerged when people started racing, and frankly insulting. Or head in the sand.

[Ian Dunford]

Howard.
Earlier this year brand new Austin Script wheel centres were available from Richards Bros in Cardiff.
They may well still be.

[AustinWood]

Roger, It's not what you say, it's the way that you said it.
I think we al have many years and many miles of A7 experience and are able to reach our own decisions.