Didn’t realize this was a problem…. where would one find the “automotive grade insecticide” ? Next time I’m in Autozone or NAPA, I’ll ask for it.
Interesting. Seems driving would help them fly off anyway at least on spokes like in the ad? This may about the only car problem I haven’t experienced.
When you think about it, if a car with wire spokes sat unused for an extended time those ants could build a nest amongst the spokes with enough mass to throw the balance out. Who here hasn't driven down the road with a big clump of mud on their rims after being bogged and the car shakes and shimmies until the mud flies off?
As a side note, I recall some locals using these “automatic” wheel balancers. They were a large diameter hollow ring that kinda nestled into the wheel rim with some metal balls (or something) inside that tended to go where needed to dynamically balance the wheel/tire. Probably purchased through JC Whitney or similar. Anyone familiar with those and how they worked?
I had a problem with them a few years ago. An OT truck that didn’t get used every day. Drove it to work maybe twice a week. One morning. I noticed an ant on the dash board, then another and so on. When I got to work they were every where. Built a nest in the fuse box under the hood. Probably feeding on the mummified french fry’s that fell between the seats. Took forever to get rid of and clean out. To put a little more perspective on this. We have had an abundance of ants around the house for the last 5-6 years. Nest in the mail box, hanging plants, bird houses, sheds, BBQ you name it. Thanks to diligence on my part they are not in the house.
I had a buddy that had some massive tires on a 4x4 and the way they balanced them to put sand in them and the premise was that same thing that it would work itself out and ride smoothly. I rode in it in town and on the hwy and I couldn’t feel any vibrations from the tires so I say it does work
Looks like a Jaguar XK150. Romans brought the wheel to Britain a long time ago, so the wheel ants have had time to evolve.
Years ago coming back from the Colorado River I ran through a gazillion butterflies. Didn't think much of it but a couple of days later I noticed an ant infestation under the hood of my p/u. The ants were all over the air cleaner. Pulled off the top and the entire air cleaner was clogged with butterflies. How it ran I don't know.
I've driven a lot of fleet trucks that use them. They work well. Dynabeads https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=ebc7...y93d3cuaW5ub3ZhdGl2ZWJhbGFuY2luZy5jb20v&ntb=1
When i first saw this post i thought it was a reference to termites eating rubber tires, which was a problem in some tropical climates.
custom by @themoose Hello, I have been one of the first owners of a 1958 Impala with Buick Skyark Wire Wheels in 1962-63 in the So Cal area. It was the latest stage of modifications to our drag racing, Willys Coupe towing, parts moving, surfboard carrying beach custom car, and desert racing motorcycle trailer towing sedan. But, as a workhorse, the old saying of using what you have fits the situations in this case. No money for another truck or sedan that could bash into any environment, so it was used many times in many different ways. This last stage was fun. Through the many years of racing and cruising, this custom look was the most surprising phase for me. Who would have thought that a custom Impala had enough horsepower to be challenged from all sorts of other street hot rods for horsepower races in the late night adventures. I guess the Buick Skylark Wire Wheels told everyone that this custom look sedan was just that, a mild custom car with “no-go.” But, the modified 348 motor, the C&O Stick Hydro, 4:56 Positraction and other mods made it have the look and the power to get away from the starting line faster than normal stick shift hot rods/other sedans. So, that opened many eyes… Jnaki But, with wire wheels, I remember the maintenance of balancing, alignment and polishing that had to be done for smooth cruising and style. There were times of hanging around a drive in restaurant parking lots for the last go around as teenagers and not noticing cokes or some gooey stuff on the chrome wire wheels/tires until later in another parking lot down the street. Either I ran over an upturned Coke cup or as I backed up to park against the “wall” to face outward at the cruising by hot rods, somehow icky stuff got on the chrome wires. As all parking lots are for drive-in restaurants, left over or spills always attract ants and other things. No one notices them until it is already in place. The times anything got on the Buick Skylark Wire Wheels, normally, I caught it and wiped them off. But, as intricate as the wire spokes are and so many connecting parts, obviously, I could not get to all of the affected parts. So, it was difficult to get everything clean. As soon as we left the lot(s), the spinning wheel spun anything on the rims, off, as we drove away. Thanks, @themoose A power wash spray place that was near our house always did the job of getting salt water, dirt and other items off of our shiny black paint, but especially the Skylark Wire Wheels. Ants? Just a turn of the moving wheel usually did the visual trick. But the sticky stuff that attracted them in the first place, well, water with some spray power did the trick. YRMV I no longer had to worry about the Buick Skylark Wire Wheel maintenance. By the time I was ready to move away for college studies almost 400+ miles away, the Impala had Buick black steel rims and a new owner.
I had a severe infestation of “wheel ants” in an old tire and rim that was laying around the yard for a while. I took it to a local tire shop for them to dismount the tire, that’s when we discovered them by the hundreds! I felt bad for the guy doing the work. Fortunately they still do service for me.
The Jalopy Journal
