Wire Wheel Facts - Getting Wired

Wire wheels were once the only option on cars. They came that way, and you didn't have any choice. Over time, steel artillery-style wheels and then disc wheels came into vogue, especially from an original equipment manufacturer perspective. The reasoning was pretty simple, too: Disc wheels (your standard hot rod "solids") were certainly durable, but more importantly, they were, and still are, cheap and easy to build.

So far so good, but look around today, and guess what? Wire wheels are back, and in a big way. There's a good reason for that, too. Plenty of rodders took one look at their existing rolling stock and pretty much figured out we've been there and done that. There had to be something else. Something with "texture." Something with character. Something with history. Ka-boing. A big bell rang. Wire wheels are now popular again, and we're seeing more and more of them used on new builds as a result.

Not only do the revitalized wires add a new dimension to a street rod build, but they also bring up plenty of questions-particularly for rodders weaned on billet wheels, traditional mags, or even solids. We're in the same boat, and like you, we didn't have the answers, either. We turned to the largest manufacturer of aftermarket wire wheels in the business, Dayton Wire Wheels, and asked for input. Check out the following series of questions and answers, because what we discovered just might surprise you.

Street Rodder: Earlier wheels were primarily tube type. Now automotive wire wheels are tubeless. What does your company do to make them tubeless?

Dayton Wire Wheels: The customer's tire choice and that tire's technology dictate how the wheels will be completed. Dayton Wire Wheels often manufactures the same wheel in both tubeless and tube-type configurations. Many vintage tires require tubes; therefore, the wheel is manufactured to meet those requirements, including special valve-hole configurations to accept the application-specific tube. For customers who choose, or have a vehicle that specifies a modern-style tubeless radial tire, Dayton manufactures the wheel with a tubeless-style valve hole and finishes the wheel with a proprietary two-part silicone sealant. The sealant is engineered to maintain its properties through a wide temperature range and survive the demands of highway use. Tubeless wheels are 100 percent leak-tested in a specialized helium test chamber that is sensitive enough to detect a leak that would cause your tire to deflate over a three-month period of time.

SR: Are all of today's wire wheels tubeless, or is this something Dayton has a better grasp on than other companies?

DWW: Not all wire wheels are tubeless. Some wire-wheel manufacturers require tubes while others seal every wheel they sell. We feel Dayton's application-specific approach is the best option, and is perfectly matched for the application. "Universal" wheels increase the likelihood of inner tube failure (leaks) or leaks that develop at the valve hole. Dayton began experimenting with sealing its wheels in the late 1970s and perfected the process in 1983. Sealer material, application methods, and testing technology has evolved ever since. Today, a tubeless Dayton wire wheel is as reliable as any alloy alternative.

SR: As we understand it, early wire wheels required "truing." Can you tell us what this amounted to and why it isn't necessary with today's wheels?