Has anyone banded a set of steel wheels?

The hive has done all kinds of stuff. Surely someone has banded a set of steel wheels at home, right? Any tips, tricks or warnings? I was thinking of welding 4x100 steelie centers into some 10x15 truck rims, but the minor diameters don't match. Plan "B" would be to band the wheels that are already 4x100. This is for a Challenge car, otherwise I'd just go buy Diamonds or Bassetts.

Jumper K Balls said he's widened a set of wheels before by removing swaping the middles out.

I have an issue of Auto-X that has an article about someone making 13x7 or 13x8 inch steel wheels for a Scirroco. I will head to attic when things cool down and search for it.

If you want I can help you with the welding. I also have some old volvo steel wheels to practice on.

Braden

watch Binky, also, as mentioned, JumperKBalls.

Totally doable. A slip roll would aid tremendously.

pilotbraden said:

If you want I can help you with the welding. I also have some old volvo steel wheels to practice on.

Braden

Thanks Braden. Once I figure out what I'm doing I may take you up on that.

A local speed shop did that regularly when the local tracks still ran stock cars.

He did them on a lathe.   Cut the rim, weld in a band of desired width then weld the cut off rim on.

He did a set for me by welding on a wider rim that fit the spider exactly.

Oh Hi!

Yep I have done it on two sets of wheels. Pretty simple task if you have the equipment.

I modified a simple jig I had built for straightening bent wheels .

A shaft with bearings blocks and a hub I machined to allow them to rotate. A rod to hold the grinder in a fixed position and allow it to pivot down to cut while I turned the wheels by hand.

Slip rolls to form the bands

and using the jig and a dial indicator base to ensure they were true I tacked them back together

and then I welded them fully with the TIG. 

Et Voila! 10X6.5 mini wheels. I had the tire shop spin them on the balancer before mounting the tires to make sure they were useable. His verdict was that they were a lot more true than any diamond racing wheel he has ever mounted. It was meant as faint praise. He has no love for Diamonds and has seen some with over 1/4" of runout.

The first set I cut apart by welding up a fixture to hold an angle grinder at a set height above a flat table and pressed the wheel into that and rotated it

And made some 14X7.5 VW wheels

The drawback of the second method was seen on the tire balancer. Without being able to rotate it I didn't know that the wheels were bent to begin with.  The bend was in the center of the wheel so even though the rim was true to itself there was still quite a wobble. He still informed me it was less than a Diamond. 

Looks like my best bet is to find a set of 4x100 wheels that have the same inner diameter as the 10" wide Ford wheels. To do what Jumper did I would have to first move the wheel center outboard, and then widen the wheel. I can't just add width outboard. The search continues, I guess.

If anyone has a set of 4x100 wheels laying around that you can measure the rim/hoop minor diameter, I'm looking to find something at 12 5/8" dia. I have some 14" steelies that are about 12 1/4" (too small) and a set of 15s that are about 13 1/4" (too big). I'm beginning to feel like Goldilocks.

You can also get blank rims from ag suppliers for very cheap in lots of sizes.

https://www.heywheel.com/page11.html

(not a canoe, I promise)

In reply to newrider3 :

The 15x10 hoops in that link are 12.48" diameter, different again from the centers I already have. The $30 ones are enticing though.