anyone know someone good in the UK to restore a set of Empi 5s for Iguana

[Russell]

let me know thanks ?

Russell

[ESH]

Talk to either Pete E or Luke at Terry's, I'm sure they'll either know someone or be able to come up with something.

[Turtle001]

just be careful when welding -- cause the magnesium is kind of tricky




ps. also watch out when you put your tires on your five spokes -- sometimes they go KABOOM -- watch my blog and you'll see what i'm talking about http://turtle.skynetblogs.be/archive-week/2006-24

[spennyp]

Do they need welding?? if not then any wheel refurbishment company could do it.......mine were restored by a local metal finishing company....we had some welding done by another local specialist welder who has experience welding similar material......I could pass your details on....i'm not 100% sure he'd take another set on as the last ones took a while to sort out......but I could ask for you.....they are based in Somerset.....


p.s if you need any 'O' ring which go between the two wheels halves drop me a line as I had some made up for mine and still have some left

[Turtle001]

hey spennyp -- what do you mean with the O-ring -- i don't have that on my empi's

[spennyp]

in between the two halves a rubber ring sits which is sandwiched between the two halves.....have them fitted on my 5's it now takes a couple of months for the wheels to loose air as opposed to a couple of days without them

[Lids]

YOu will notice a little groove in the flat part this is where the o ring is seated.

[Turtle001]

so you guys aren't running with innertubes? i got innertubes on my 1st generation empis -- any idea whatz better?

[Lids]

No inner tubes, not needed if you use the o ring.  Inner tubes are dangerous, especially if they blow up!!!  I am sure spence will post a pic of his wheels to show you what they look like.

[spennyp]

the inner tube issue can be looked at in a couple of ways......if the two halves are not sealed together properly the tyre will go down quick (hence why people run tubes).....but running inner tubes on a modern tubeless tyres is a NO NO.....modern tubeless tyres have a ridge on the inside of the tyre which could rub against or interfer with the inner tube and could possibly cause a blow out......so i run my 5's without tubes with a modern tyre....i used the 'o' ring i had made up and the tyre fitter also used some black gunk just in case there were any leaks......1 year later small amount of leakage from one front tyre.....however I would never run the wheels on the strip and to be honest I dont have a massive amount of confidence in running the two piece wheels with a bug which runs a 211 hp engine on the street regularly....strictly for shows me thinks unless you only do about 100 miles a year or less (which in my case is fairly accurate)....when my car is ready and rocking i'll be running erco's for hard street use and strip and the 5's for shows

[spennyp]

Turtle....if you need some 'O' rings i'll happily let you have some

[Turtle001]

hey spennyp -- i'm interested bout those O-rings -- what would it cost me to send 'm over to belgium?

[Turtle001]

kaboum --- there goes my empi 

[spennyp]

  nasty ....turtle they are not heavy give me your address or area and i'll get a quote...they will fit in a small envelope no problem

[Russell]

Guys

Thanks

Matt, will call Luke, never thought of him !

Guys, I do have seals, thanks and intend to run tubeless and i also intend to give Iguana a blast or 2 up the track with them on too (for photo purposes) , if it was cool in the 60's it must be cool in the 20's, i will also have some slicks that i will use for some real hard launching...................

Coming to get ya !

Russell

[henk]

hey
are you sure about running whitout inner tyres on old wheels i have early fuchs wheels but i don't think it safe to run them whitout inner tyres when you put air in to them you don't here them jump into place my back wheels are a latter model who are made for tubless wheels and they do

[Lids]

its the issue of the safety bead on the wheel, modern tires are not compatable with inner tubes.  It has nothing to do with the wheel.

If the tube bursts at 70mph then you have a major problem.

If the tire deflates on wheels without the safety bead then its problem but not as serious. (the tire will come off the wheel, but this is not sudden like a major blowout with tubes).

[spennyp]

VW changed to tubeless in the mid 60's and they never had safety beads until much later in there wheels.....I ran 4.5 fuch up front and deep 6's on the rear before the empi's without tubes....and a modern tubeless tyre.....some people have problems running early fuch without tubes because of the fact that with an early fuch the hole where the valve goes is massive and a modern valve is to small, however you can buy larger valves....my local tyre place get them as they have to work with lots of old wheels with a similar problem

[Shubee2 (DSK)]

I Have Had Both Empi 5 & 8 Spokes over the Years And Have Used The O Rings Also But They Always Leak I  Run Tubes In Mine My Car Is A Weekend Car so by the time I am Ready to take it for a Cruise I Have A flat in the Garage Not My Idea Of A Fun Day I Have Also Had Original BRM's and Have Always Run Tubes In Them  The Older 135's were all Tube Type tires anyway  I would not run a 135 or 145 without a tube on a 5 inch wheel the tire is too small to run.

[Lids]

i have 145 on a 4.5 rim no problems.  Spencers tires have not gone down in almost a year.  He has problems with one of the front ones but thats all.  No more than my new tires on new wheels, that stand a round for a long time.

[spennyp]

To be honest I think this is a case of your own personal opinion......I know where you coming from Shubee nothing worse than opening the garage and finding the tyre has gone down