stakeside Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 I have assembled all 4 rims for my 29 DB 3/4 t truck. I need 20 wheel clamps and nuts. I am still sheaching for these claps. I would like to find a place that can cast these clamps. It would be helpful if in No. Calif. area , but would consider other location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 Originally those clamps were likely forged. Castings might be too soft to do the job safely. Cast iron would break. Bronze might bend under pressure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFranklin Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 (edited) Keep an eye on Ebay. Also post a good photo with dimensions here so we can clearly see what you are after. I have a coffee can full of different clamps and I would bet many others do too. Edited October 5, 2016 by JFranklin (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1912Staver Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 (edited) Some are forged but quite a few were cast. I suspect the cast ones were done in malleable iron. The one shown in the photo looks to have a casting seam rather than looking like a forging. I have at least 25 odd ones I have picked up over the years and roughly 3/4 of them look like castings. Interesting wheels. Are they an OEM option ? What name is on the clamp ? I have a reasonably good listing of different clamp styles and their applications. They might be used on other vehicles as well as your Dodge. Greg in Canada Edited October 5, 2016 by 1912Staver (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 If castings I would not trust anything less than malleable iron. I interpreted the seams as evidence of forging rather that casting. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 (edited) My buddy uses Sunset Foundry in Valley Springs, (northern) California. http://sunsetfoundry.com/ Edited October 5, 2016 by keiser31 (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 I just looked up AB&I foundries 800-468-4766. When I was in my 20's I worked at Genecast Foundries as a mechanic. We had a 3000 # pour Bessemer furnace and a few induction furnaces where we took on contract jobs for International truck axles and housings, kind of a similar use application. We also cast some of our machine repair parts like auger screws and sand destructed boxes. All you need is a mold. I bet they'd run 20 or 30 off for you. Or find a local foundry and show up about 1 AM with a couple dozen donuts. I'm pretty good at stuff like that. Whatever you do, don't let them talk you into helping them change a furnace roof between pours. Donuts are a lot easier. Bernie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1912Staver Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 In my experience thin, uniform seams like these generally indicate castings. Forgings often have a wider, rougher seam with definite marks {at right angle to the seam} of where the almost finished part is punched thru a die to remove forging flash. Either process may have a touch up with a grinder as a final operation. Greg in Canada Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Friartuck Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 What about casting in stainless? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lump Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 Great. Now I've got to start digging again. I have about 50 to 100 brand new wheel clamps with bolts around here somewhere. I've often vacillated between trying to sell them, or putting them into the attic until I die, when someone will throw them out. Let me see if I can find them again...tucked in an odd corner around here somewhere.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stakeside Posted October 6, 2016 Author Share Posted October 6, 2016 Thanks for all your input. I will get out more information on clamps description. They do have Firestone label on them and I do believe they are cast malleable iron. I would prefer to find some for sale, but may have to to have them cast at a foundry. I found one here in Valley Springs Ca. These are original rims for this truck. They were available as an option on 3/4 ton 120 wheelbase truck. My truck truck also has the optional heavy duty rear springs. They have an extra leaf added. The attached factory photo is of a 1 ton truck with these rims. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_padavano Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 21 hours ago, Restorer32 said: If castings I would not trust anything less than malleable iron. I interpreted the seams as evidence of forging rather that casting. Usually thin parting lines like the ones in the photo are from casting. Forged parts typically have a much wider parting line. Note the parting lines on these two cranks. Cast on the left, forged on the right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1912Staver Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 (edited) My 1930 Wheel and Rim manufactures catalog lists your clamps as C-59. They are used with Firestone Style D and DT rims. They are used OEM on quite a few cars and light trucks from the mid 20's onward, so I would think they are probably not impossible to find. As JFranklin previously mentioned there are many assorted clamps sitting in cans and cigar boxes around the hobby. Post some good clear photo's of the clamps front, back and profile and some are sure to come to light. You will probably also come across correct configuration clamps that are not marked Firestone. Popular clamps like this were often produced as jobber parts and may have a different name or no name at all. The correct nuts according to my listing are 3/4 hex {wrench size}, 1/2 " -13 thd. with a built in washer that has a convex face where it contacts the clamp. They were used on Motor Wheel , Kelsey Hayes and Firestone applications and like the clamps were used on many mid 20's onward cars and light trucks. You might get lucky and find some N.O.S. ones, or as a last resort have some made. In my experience most used lugnuts are more or less beat to death and not really suitable for reuse. Your wheels look great! They give a light duty truck the Heavy Duty look. Just noticed, there is a eBay seller listing 24 N.O.S. nuts that appear to be what you need for $48.00. $2.00 a nut sounds reasonable to me, you definitely couldn't get them made for that. No connection with seller. He also lists several different groups of period jobber clamps, but not the ones you are looking for.http://www.ebay.com/itm/1924-1925-1926-1927-Ford-Model-TT-Firestone-DT-Motor-Wheel-Kelsey-NOS-Rim-Nuts-/112143505480?hash=item1a1c461848:g:6wgAAOSwDN1UNAJ- Greg in Canada 1918 Packard 2 Ton, 1929 Ford AA flatdeck Edited October 6, 2016 by 1912Staver (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonMicheletti Posted October 6, 2016 Share Posted October 6, 2016 For what it is worth, I have used Sunset Foundry for several projects and their work is very good Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stakeside Posted October 8, 2016 Author Share Posted October 8, 2016 (edited) Attached is a drawing with dimensions and photos of a wheel clamp. I will need 20 more clamps. I located the nuts on e-bay and i have the bolts. Edited October 8, 2016 by stakeside error (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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