Technical Identify wooden spoked wheels

Heidi ho.

I'm thinking of getting these.
Word is, they're for a 1933 1934 Dodge (Plymouth?) mail truck.
20"dia. 5 x 4.5"dia. bolt circle.

18 spokes.
Nothing I can find has 18 spokes.

Anybody know?
Thank you!

 

Look like they're in decent shape. Spokes loose on the rim, or are there shrinkage-gaps? Otherwise, they should work out just fine, as long as reasonable limits are kept - like you aren't going auto-crossing, nor drifting. Similar restrictions would apply to hard cornering at hi(way) speeds. Problem is, you never can be sure of where the limit(s) is/are. But that said, considering all, I'd run 'em.
Marcus...

 

Thanks Marcus.

Seller says they're NOS never mounted and solid as a rock.
Askd him if there's any looseness at all. He said no absolutely not.
"Tight as a drum."

 

Definitely wouldn't be street brawling with 'em. LOL
Mostly for show. I've got early Ford steel wheels and a set of chrome steelies that'll handle more abuse.

 

VERY NICE! Rare to see a demountable wood wheel, also it looks like one piece drop center steel rim. Is there a removable lock ring that just doesn't show in the photo. There may be some value in the restoration world if they fit the right vehicle.

 

I dunno Ricky...I've seen the engine you are planning to use. Those wheels look a little weak.

 

Jack.
I'll be easy on the foot feed.
LOL

Kid. Yup...
I think these will be a little easier to work with than most other wood spoked wheels. One piece rim. Standard lug attachment as opposed to spindle mount. No weird adapters needed.

 

The guy did say they're rare.

 

Just noticed the angled valve stem hole, odd for a wood wheel. Spokes do have a Dodge look to them.

Bob

 

I think antique automotive wooden wheels might have the least amount of information of anything I've ever researched on the internet.

Lost knowledge, I think. Information of which there may not have been a lot of in the first place.

If these are rare even among other wooden wheels, I (or we) might never figure out what they are. That's okay, as long as they work.

Still, it would be nice to know. Especially if they're DB, which adds to the theme of the build.

Has Rickybop stumped the HAMB?
Well jeez... I didn't want to.
Makes me feel weird... like I just punched my dad or something.

 

Don't see a place for a lockring.

Spokes loosen up, due to wood drying out & shrinking from changes in humidity, getting soaked & drying out repeatedly, etc(The paint/varnish/etc helps slow that down). Which is why guys would run them in a creek periodically when they got wobbly, squeaked, etc. Course, by then, damage has already occurred. Would show up mostly at rim/edge, & probably at the wedge near center of wheel. I'm pretty sure you'll want a metal plate on the backside to protect the wood(abrasion from rubbing at the brakedrum) & keep it in compression, also would help keep spoke inners from moving around, which would lead to loosening. Some of the wood wheels had a metal rod going down the center of the spokes, both for strength, reinforcement, & locating. The early wheels had a 2-piece split rim, some were called "clinchers" due to the way they were mounted onto the spoke-set-&-inner-rim-band. Tire mounted on that rim, which was then mounted on the spoke-set. IIRC, those wheels usually didn't dismount easily from the axle(s) easily. These are a lot less hassle.

They could also be aftermarket, would've been easier for Dodge than tooling-up for a very small run. 20" does sound like spl/aftermarket for that time period.
A friend ended up finding a book, like 2' thick, of aftermarket things/accessories(not replacement parts) for car & trucks, from the teens to late 20's period. No, I couldn't talk him out of it. .

If they're not stupid $$$, I think I'd grab them.

Marcus...

 

I’m not sure they are Dodge. I have a few sets of 4 wood spoked DB wheels, all are spindle mount only.
I was (maybe wrongly) under the impression that only steel wheels were 5 on 5.5.
You could check with the DBC and maybe they’d let you know for sure if Dodge or not.

 

The wooden wheels on my 1926 Dodge are spindle mount.

Wooden spoked wheels were produced and available even as an option or by the aftermarket for a while after spindle mounting was no longer used.

The lug bolt pattern on these wheels is 5 x 4.5"

 

Oversized wheels aren’t HAMB friendly. No special pass just because they’re wood.

 

Yeah... gotta get me some
"Cragar SS 5-spokes"

 

Hey... easy on the wheels!

 

There's a fellow near Lancaster,PA that restores lots of wooden car and wagon wheels who might be able to help you. Pretty well known. Maybe in Hemming's? I've got his contact---somewhere.

 

Just slightly a bit off topic, but back in the day, this is a perfect example of just how stout, wooden spoke wheels could be. This unit was used for dragging logs out of the forest after cutting. I shot these photo's while visiting in the San Joaquin Valley years ago.

​

 

Holy cow.
Look how big of a log it could carry!
Some will say that wooden wheels on a car are subjected to more torque and side loads. Probably true. But there'd be so much weight on this thing as to pretty much eclipse any other stresses.
Excellent illustration of the potential strength of wooden spoked wheels.

 

Thanks fellas.

 

Ricky, this is not going to help with your wheels, but I've read the 1940 Plymouths had a 20" steel wheel option, also mentioned as used for US mail and rural routes.

A quick search found this post, talking about truck wheels.
https://www.plymouthowners.club/talk/index.php?topic=2901.0

 

'34 Dodge still had wood spoke wheels available but like their wire and solid steel wheels, they were all 16". The wood 16" wood spokes were VERY short. Was there 20" wood spoke available? I have no idea.

Dave

 

Google Guernsey Wagon Ruts to see how the wagon trains to Oregon carved through stone.

 

Done deal. I'm gettin' 'em.

 

I step up if and when and as much as I have to.
But you can almost guarantee...
If Rickybop is buyin', the prices are quite reasonable.

Except for sometimes...
when they're not. LOL

 

.
Referencing all those cheap-giveaway mopar cross-rams? .
Marcus...

 

Haven't found his info yet,still trying. Sorry.

 

Here's the back side of an Auburn wheel- not the same but some similarities. 18 spoke demountable is a new one on me- maybe check on AACA???

 

Lots of big cars (Pakard, Pierce Arrow, Marmon, Cadillac) in the late 20's & early 30's had them, but usually only 14 spokes.