Restoring Simmons Wheels

[Colin Edwards]

Dismantled the offending wheel and halfway through cleaning for re-assembly. 
See attached pikkies of failed screw, complete screw, new bolt and before and after cleaning
New titanium bolts / nuts will reduce overall wheel weight by a bit over 400g.

[Colin Edwards]

Another pikkie

[Colin Edwards]

Another

[Colin Edwards]

last one!

[poohbah]

24 hours on after a good couple of hours "vigourous" driving, and my replacement bolts are still holding fast, no loss of tyre pressure ...

Now I actually have to get around to replacing the tyres. Need 205/55/R15s - any recommendations? (The Goodyear Eagles now on the car are apparently no longer available in that size)

Within reason - don't need ultra expensive semi slicks.

[Colin Edwards]

Wheel back in one piece!
A day or two for the sealant to dry, fit the tyre and find out if the air stays where its supposed to!

[poohbah]

Looks great Colin, nice work.

[poohbah]

Hey Colin, once I got all the grime off and had some decent light I could see my original bolts were also stamped 12.9 on one side and HM on the other.

What make, type and spec are the new bolts you bought and where did you get them?

Just to close things out - I've just contacted a local supplier in Perth (L&T Venables) which sells the correct bolts (in black too) off the shelf.

[Colin Edwards]

Steel 12 point flange bolts / nuts are from
http://www.magwheelcentre.com.au/
Peter West is a top bloke!

The titanium equivalent bolts / nuts I purchased from
http://www.racebolts.com.au/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=44_54&products_id=92

All are class 8 items.  The class 12.9 bolts are way too hard.  No point using way over spec steel bolts to hold aluminium together in tension.  The aluminium would (should!) fail well before the steel screw would. 

[aggie57]

Interesting thread.  I refinished a set of B45's many years ago: pulled the centre off, sandblasted and repainted that and polished the rims.  Simmons told me at the time that as long as I didn't disturb the seal between the two halves I could just refit the centre with new bolts.  I'm pretty sure the original bolts and nuts are still sitting on the shelf in my garage in Surrey Hills.

Anyway, they came up a treat.  And I see the current Simmons are still offering not just the B45 but also the earlier V5.  Wow!

[Alfetta77]

Hi all, I am restoring some Simmons wheels that seem a little different...interested in any info / experience anyone may have.
They are 15 x 6.5 inch v4s, 4x98, two piece.
Bolts are smaller than the 3-piece Simmons, and after a lot of measuring and fiddly metric / imperial converting, I figured out they are 1/4 x 28 UNF, and I needed a 3/16 key to get one out.
The nuts are also different in that they have a sleeve that slots into the rim (see pics).
Was surprised as I have only heard of metric bolts on Simmons wheels?
I'm thinking I'll buy some new bolts https://www.boltandnut.com.au/screws/socket-allen-screws/socket-head-cap/1-4-x-28-tpi-unf-plain-black-grade-12-9-socket-3-16-key-head-cap-screws.html and clean up and re-use the existing nuts as I have no idea where I would get something similar!
Inners and rim will be vapour blasted and the inners painted.
Thinking I'll get ACE Wheels in Braeside to clean up and polish the outer lip and do the final re-assembly - I'm not sure of the torque settings for the bolts.

[bonno]

Hi Alfetta77
Find attached link to Simmons wheels website (refer to  parts menu).
https://www.simmonswheels.com.au/parts/

[ALFAAA]

Hey guys I had not issue with sealing my 1984 Simmons 3p Rims.
Just make sure you use the correct anti corrotion silicone.

My centres were green and I refurbish them back to gold.

[ALFAAA]

More Photos

[bonno]

Nice job on restoring the wheels ALFAA. In the past I found Dow Corning 832 sealant a great product for such an application (pressure, temperature and dissimilar materials).