I decided to stay with 14" SSII wheels on my '68 Cutlass for now. I found a pair of 14X7 wheels about 10 years ago at a swap meet. More recently, I bought a pair of used BF Goodrich 215/60R14 tires averaging 5-7 years old with very little wear to use as I continue to fix up my car.

The problem I ran into was the car "wobbled" back and forth so much at 5-10 MPH that I don't dare to take it up to higher speeds. Last week the tire shop could not get either of the wheels/tires to balance, they thought it was bent rims. So I found another pair of 14X7 from a local Olds Club member and the tire shop had the exact same results . . .

My question is how likely is it that 2 sets of different rims are bent so much without showing any damage? Is it possible the actual used tires may be causing the balancing issue due to as broken belt or tire separation?


I appreciate any insight anyone would share, thanks.

Ernie

 

If a tire shop cannot break down a set of wheels and tires to determine whether it's the wheel or tire, you need a different tire shop.

 

Hey Ernie. I never had those wheels I sold you on a car but I think the odds of having two sets of wheels being bent is pretty remote. Take a tire off the front of your car and mount one of the wheels on and spin the wheel to see if it is bent. I am going to guess the tires are the problem. Let me know.

Glenn

 

If the wheels are SuperStock II/III wheels with snap-in centers, they are lug-centric, not hub-centric. If the shop tried to balance them with their normal cone used with hub-centric wheels, then 1) they're idiots, and 2) the wheels will never balance properly. You must use a special lug-centric adapter to properly balance these wheels.

 

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Call around and find a shop has a lug centric adapter. It took me about five shops before I found one that even knew what I was talking about

 

The load capacity of those tires is about 20% below what came on your car. If you drive slowly in cool weather, they are probably OK. Save the Interstate and hot weather driving until you get correct capacity tires.

 

They're also tiny - at barely 24" OD they're even small for a Honda. The original tires on a 68 were about 26.5" in diameter. You should be using something like a 225/70-14, which is 26.4" OD.

 

I HIGHLY DOUBT that the wheels are bent. When your wheels were made, they were trued to the bolt circle, not the hub. If they don't know what a lug centric adapter is, try calling it a finger plate. Atleast thats the slang termology we use at my store.