Balancing Truespoke Wire Wheels

[MikeLawson]

I am currently in a frustrating situation trying to get the wheels balanced on my recently purchased 1967 Deville convertible. The previous owner had installed a beautiful set of Truespoke wire wheels and American Classic radials. As I started driving the car, I noticed that it seemed "jittery" as if the wheels were out of balance. When I removed the wheels, I found that there were no balancing weights at all or any evidence that there ever had been.  I've been trying to find someone in my area to balance the wheels  according to the instructions provided by Truespoke. The wheel are lug-centric and proper balancing requires the use of an adapter that fits the lug stud holes.  Truespoke also states that stick-on weights should be used only in the back face of the rim. I've spoken to over a dozen tire shops and nobody has the proper equipment or wants to deal with these wheels.
Has anyone else managed to get a set of Truespoke Cadillac wire wheels successfully balanced? If so, how was it done? I'm about ready to give up and use the original rims that came with the car but I hate to remove the wire wheels because they look so nice. Any suggestions or help will be greatly appreciated.

[TJ Hopland]

I think I would just keep trying different shops.  Finding one that has the lug adapter should not be that difficult.  Its not that unusual to have lugcentric wheels.   Cadillac was 5 on 5 pattern which also wan't that rare, it was used on the 2x4 trucks into the early 2000's.    I was having issues with an 8 lug truck wheel where the hub thing should have solved it.   Several shops had several 4, 5, and 6 lug adapters but none had the 8 which seemed odd since its been the same on 1 ton trucks since the 60's. 

[goob]

Just tell them you'll pay extra for their best guy to balance them...you'll be surprised at how quickly they 'find' the adapter! The Dunn tire in our area won't mount or dismount a tire unless it was purchased from them...then they wonder why customers get annoyed!

[walt chomosh #23510]

Mike,
  I have USA made wires on my 1955CDV. They were balanced off the lugs and the fellow (hot rod shop but since have found a retail tire shop with lug centric capabilities) doing the work was struggling until he re positioned the tire on the rim! The balance then came in. Wire wheels suck but they sure pretty.....walt...tulsa,ok

[MikeLawson]

I found a shop with a lug centric balancer but the owner insists the only way he'll do the job is if  he can use hammer-on weights on the front and rear of the rims. That is a no-go for me. Just about EVERY late model wheel has stick on weights in the enter of the rim which is what Truespoke recommends. Why does this have to be so difficult?  Today, I got out the original steel rims and cleaned them up, they look perfect and I'm very close to having my tires switched from the wire rims to the originals.

[Dan LeBlanc]

Which Truspoke rims are they?  Inquiring minds want to know.

[e.kempton]

Try to find an older garage that has an old Snap-on WBK-2 wheel balancer.  It is a manual balancer not a fancy electric or computer one.  It is the best, in that it places the weights in a triangle method and you put all weights on the inside lip of the wheel no stick-on weights..no weights on the outside of the wheel.   These were big back in the 1950's & 1960's. 

[MikeLawson]

Which Truspoke rims are they?  Inquiring minds want to know.

They are the Kelsey-Hayes style reproduction wheels. They look great but if I have to choose between a car that looks great or drives smooth, I  want it drive right.  Truespoke gives very detailed instructions on how to properly balance their wheels, if only I could find someone to do it that way.

[Dan LeBlanc]

TBH, I think the factory wheels and wheel covers would look better anyway.  Those particular wheels, in my opinion, just look out of place on anything past 1956 anyway.

[MikeLawson]

Well, after contacting about 15 tire stores, I finally found one three miles from home with the proper equipment to balance my wire wheels through the lug nut holes as specified by the wheel manufacturer. These guys were great, they understood what I needed and did an excellent job. The car now drives noticeably better and I am happy because I can keep the wire wheels on it. Perseverance paid off. 

[TJ Hopland]

Sound like a good find especially since its close to home.   Wish I was that lucky.   Got several shops within a long walk from my house and had bad experiences with all of them.