Wheels for 22 x 2.5 - 17 front tires

[TWKundrat]

I'm just curious what people are using as far as wheels for the 22 x 2.5 - 17 front runner tires? Currently working (slowly) on a lakester and someone recommended the skinny front tires for aero. The wheels that I'm seeing look pretty flimsy being that they're designed for lightweight dragsters running on a super flat track without any chance of ruts or potholes. Thanks

Tim

[racergeo]

   With a front wing (Top Fuel) that exerts 6000 lbs of down force at 330 mph.  I've ran 278 on them

[Stainless1]

George... tell him about your wheels, not your tires.....

[racergeo]

  Well, I was talking  about the wheels. Spindle mount Centerlines for Anlglia spindles. Same as a Top Fueler runs. Have also ran Weld front dragster wheels. As far as tires I have been allowed by Lee Kennedy to run shaved motorcycle tires 276mph.

[Rex Schimmer]

We have ran Weld wheels with the 17 inch Goodyear and now we have some forged aluminum wheels that we are trying this year, they are 1/4 inch wider than the top fuel wheels.
Ed Fenn makes some really nice steel 17 inchers for this tire, I think he uses a motorcycle rim then makes the center section. They are real quality pieces. Drop me a private message and I will give you his phone number.

Remember! The rim has to be for motorcycle tires not car tires.

Rex

[Rex Schimmer]

I talked to Ed and he no longer is making 17 inch front wheels, seems that the guy that was making the rim for him is in the Ukraine and the war has stopped his production. Probably making drones today.

Rex

[TWKundrat]

Thanks for the feedback. I came across these forged blanks that seem like they could be a good option. I'm a machinist so making them fit my hubs would be easy enough.

[Rex Schimmer]

Those are exactly the wheels that Duke and I are now running on our lakester. We got them from Wally Kohler who had contacted the people that manufacture the wheels in China. I think they bought the tooling from the people in So. Cal that formerly made them. One of the things that we requested was to cut the thickness of the center section down from .75 in to .5 inches which they did without charge. If you can turn an 18 inch diameter you could do this your self. My lathe will not quite make 18 inches. I did our bolt pattern and the center pilot diameter on my Bridgeport. I have several friends that are running these wheels with latest Goodyear top fuel tires, one is a roadster and the other a lakester and they both like the wheels.

Rex

[TWKundrat]

Awesome. Seems like a winner to me. Did you have them cut down to .5" just to reduce weight?

[37 ROADSTER]

Thanks for the feedback. I came across these forged blanks that seem like they could be a good option. I'm a machinist so making them fit my hubs would be easy enough.

where did you find them,I might be interested in a set

[Rex Schimmer]

TWK,
Yes we had the wheel cut to reduce the weight. They are still somewhat heavy but look great and fit well. If I could have turned them on my lathe I may have remove a little more material. They are plenty strong.

Rex

[TWKundrat]

/quote]where did you find them,I might be interested in a set

I saw them on Alibaba. It can be a bit of a pain buying from direct from China but I've bought some stuff in the past and it wasn't too horrible.

[Rex Schimmer]

Here is a pic of the wheel with the Goodyear 300mph tire inflated to 70 psi.

Rex