[VAL] Rims for the 59

[John Sellers <sellersj@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi, Ed,

I am assuming that your '59 Traveler takes the same 7.00 x 15 truck
tires as our '60 Pacer.  The Pacer didn't come with split rims so I am
still using the original wheels on the trailer, but I went through the
exercise of buying a wheel in order to have a spare.

The wheel is industry size 15x6JJ.  Dexter axle shows them in their
catalog as Part No. 017-118-25.  I bought mine from our local Dexter
dealer, Rim and Wheel Service, Inc.  They had them in stock.  The
counter man commented that it was not all that uncommon a size.  Chevy
used them on their pickup trucks in the 50's.

Now for the bad news.  The wheel that I got was not a Dexter, but
whatever brand Rim and Wheel Service stocks, made somewhere in South
America.  (The counter man said the same company makes wheels for
current production GM cars.)

Quality assurance is apparently less than stellar in the aftermarket
wheel business.  The tire dealer who installed the tire said they
couldn't balance it and said that Rim and Wheel Service would exchange
it without complaint.  (They had seen this before.)  I put the wheel on
the trailer and found that when I spun the wheel there was a good inch
of side-to-side wobble at the tire tread!  The center part of the wheel
was welded into the rim cockeyed.

So back to Rim and Wheel Service for another wheel.  The second wheel
had a lot less runout than the first but still not as good as the
original Airstream wheels.  The tire dealer said it was "OK", so I kept
it for a spare.

Bottom line is wheels are easy enough to find, but you have to do your
own quality control.  As for Made-in-USA wheels--good luck.

Best,
John Sellers
WBCCI/VAC #1587
1960 Pacer
Dayton, Ohio