[Bills71TA]

Hi,
First time poster.
I have a 71 TA restored by Restoreamusclecar.
It’s real too good to drive but it’s been wasting away so I need to get out and drive it again.
Front stared smoking by a mile from the house, turned around, came back and the urethane was melting around the lug nuts, draining off like sludge, pulled the wheels, no evidence that the wheel bearing ran dry, rotor spin fine, but I’m sure it has something to do with that.
No what do I do about wheels.? These were original. The finish cracked open relishing the black urethane. I doubt that can be saved.

[72projectbird]

That's wild! I've never seen a Honeycomb do that before

[Sirrotica]

Caliper is likely stuck due to sitting, and it heated the wheel from the backside and through the contact area where it's bolted to the hub due to extreme friction between brake pads and rotor.

I would almost bet if you jacked that wheel off the ground it is either stuck completely, or very tough to turn by hand.

I have intentionally tried and succeeded to remove the cast centers, it takes a ton of heat for them to actually separate from the wheel center. There is a possibility it could be cleaned up and refinished if the bond didn't break loose.

There is also a possibility there is no saving it.

[7t4mula]

Holy cow! That’s crazy!

Yes, my first thought was a stuck caliper, and that superheated the rim...

Hope you can still restore it!

[Bills71TA]

Took the wheels off, bearings were fine but replacing them, along with the pads even though they are close to new. the heat from the brakes make sense but driving the car only a mile and when I was shifting the car rolled just like normal, I guess it didn’t take that much dragging to produce that kinda if heat?
I guess there is no repairs for the urethane but anyone? I here guess just cleaning and spraying but this is beyond that.
I think it look better with ralley wheels anyway, I’m just going to replace all 4.
Thanks for your responses!
Bill

[starlightblack]

yeah, been there, it started crackling as it cooled down too. For mine it was a flex hose/caliper issue, so I'd change the flex hose at that corner too. I designated the wheel to the junk pile.

[rildon]

Never saw that happen but I did have one crack before. Out of curiosity are they 14" or 15" Honeycombs?

[nas t eh]

It a TA so 15”

[burd]

Get the bigger alum type, I’d never restore a heavy 15” honeycomb. And 15” tires are getting obsolete. I’m thinking of doing same.

[Norwood]

Originally Posted by burd

Get the bigger alum type, I’d never restore a heavy 15” honeycomb. And 15” tires are getting obsolete. I’m thinking of doing same.

Burd, Second gen’s look best with 15s. Tires are not an issue with repop bias ply and radials. Then there is always are BF Goodrich ta radials. Options aplenty IMHO

[burd]

Woody, a wheel can be removed in minutes, put your obsolete rims on for you pontiac show. Me, I’m not buying 15” obsolete rubber anymore. And I have 2 cars that use them. Those rims are old, dried out, cracking, I know a guy who paid 4,500$ for a silver set, now has to spray them gold, in the end, he’s got old dried out obsolete stuff. And w/ BFG’s.

[Sirrotica]

They are hardly effective for handling and removing unsprung weight. One reason I've always hated funnycombs is they only detract from a good handling suspension because of the unsprung weight disadvantage. I also don't like the look of them personally, never did. Rally II wheels are also lighter, and just as strong as the funnycombs.

Herb Adams and his bunch of suspension engineers put all that time into making an F body handle well, then someone decides it would be a good idea because of aesthetics to hang a cast poly wheel on all 4 corners of that finely tuned suspension, I never really understood that move..............

Some other GM divisions used cast poly wheels too, but thankfully it was just a fad, chevy comes to mind on the monte carlos.

They could have cast them from concrete, probably cheaper than poly, and only slightly heavier.......................

If you look at the wheels on my third signature picture of the 69 GP dirt car, that's what the wheels look like with the cast center removed. Theu're similar to a chevy rally wheel with triangular slots instead of oval slots. The centers are fairly thick and hold up to heavy lateral stress seen in oval track racing.

[nas t eh]

Originally Posted by Norwood

Burd, Second gen’s look best with 15s. Tires are not an issue with repop bias ply and radials. Then there is always are BF Goodrich ta radials. Options aplenty IMHO

I used to think so, and I still love the stock look, the OP’s car is fully restored so 15’s do make sense. But the 17” YO honeys and rallies with 255/50/17 tires or now you can get 275/50/17 for the rear have enough sidewall that they look great on these cars. Everyone who sees my car on YO honeycombs thinks the wheels are amazing. The wheels get more compliments than anything else.

Burd is right that they are so easy to change if you are going to a show and want or need the 100% stock look.

Oddly enough, a few years ago on my first drive getting my car back on the road I had a stuck dragging calliper, I stopped at a light and there was smoke raising from one wheel, the guy stopped beside me said “nice car but you brake is smoking” I got home and replaced both callipers.

[unruhjonny]

I hate the 17" wheel look on these cars;
These cars look best as built with 15" rims, and RWL tires with sidewalls...

And sure the HC are heavy, but I think they look cool.

['ol Pinion head]

Began pulling 15x7 HC's in the mid 80's. Late 80's on the road a ton, dragging in partscars, & pulled nice condition 14x7 & 15X7 HC's when I found them. HC's with horribly egged out centers,
delaminating urethane due to major rust, and even partially melted center areas, have seen it all!

Only one of my keeper 455 HO A-bodys came with HC's & they are the 14x7 variety. Have a nice set for the car, as well as perfect GM trim rings & '71 caps.
When am finally finished with restoration of the T-37 Coupe, that set of wheels will only be used for its show debut (MCACN). Praise the Lord, 15x7 HCS were not avail on '71 233's,, as they would have prob been ordered.
For eventual Pure Stock action am going with nice date correct set of 4x6 HF's, '71 povert caps, & new Poly glas G70-14's. Have enough non cracked nos G70-14's for the show only 14x7 HC's. Several perfect next to not used ones for trunk spares.

On my '72 TransAm, it has complete set of date matching KR's . Thanks to original owner it was ordered with those Rally II's not the 30 lbs a piece 15x7 Honeycombs.
Same reason as Brad, I HATE heavy wheel/tire combo's & in the '70's Pontiac A-F-GP ranks, one can't install a heavier factory wheel.

On the 17" & 18" Honeycombs, the entire appearance overtakes the styling of the car. Just waaay too much. Know they are popular, but the slammed on the ground in the front & jacked up in the rear,
is just the last decade's version of the 100% Bootlegger look. Was in a local shop 6 weeks ago, two '78 T/A's & one '72 clown build, all of them had YO 17" snowflakes... 275's in the rear, 245's in the front. beyond hideous rake
With minimal ground clearance. One thing if asked, I always note, where are all the pool table smooth roads? How do you like scraping those headers getting into driveways? No Thanks!

I

[nas t eh]

You can hate 17s all you like, but if you can tolerate or enjoy the look, you get modern rubber that grips, you can have plenty of sidewall and you don’t have to slam the car on the ground to make it all work. You can even buy and apply RWL if you need them, I don’t. Those are 255/50 front and 275/50 rear, does anyone see too much rake?

Flame away, I can take it, but not much is stock on my car, so I know it’s quite different than the 71 here that has a melted HC. I”d tend to be a little more circumspect that car.

[njsteve]

Had that melting wheel syndrome happen to me. Turned out the rear brake hose had swelled closed and would not allow the pressure to bleed back off once you let off the brake pedal. The red hot brake drum melted the urethane in the wheel.

[vertigto]

I guess my 18" rims/tires are wagon wheels then.

[nas t eh]

Originally Posted by vertigto

I guess my 18" rims/tires are wagon wheels then.

Have you no shame?

[burd]

That’s a good look Vertigo,Some will fight the crappy 15” to the death. lol.
Better ride, better wheel, available sizes. Win win with the new wheels, anyway, it’s not factory if you bought them.
I’d do the bigger flakes, but I hate flakes, I have Gold Rally’s on now.
Just don’t say that to Schinella lmao.
Stock ?, when you get invited to pebble beach, put the factory ones on. It’s 20 nuts.