Weller Wheels - new tooling - more wide wheels on the way?!

[GeorgeHurst]

Hi there,

I've just been on the phone to Weller Wheels asking if they can supply steel wheels 14" with a 4" PCD. They said that they are in the process of sorting out the tooling to do so, but are not sure when they will be ready yet. 15" are also apparently in the pipeline, but in quite some time I think.

Thought this might be of interest to everyone as options for wide wheels don''t stretch far beyond Minilights and Van wheels. It sounds like they are in the process of expanding beyond their standard range so if you're interested it might be worth giving them a call - the more calls they get for wide 14" 4" PCD wheels the quicker they'll get them done and we can all get cheap wide wheels!

Cheers
George

[PSL184]

Great - Do you have a phone number or email etc....?

[GeorgeHurst]

I just contacted them on the phone number on their website: www.wellerwheels.com

Here are the details from their site:
Weller Wheels Ltd
49D Pipers Road
Park Farm South
Redditch
Worcestershire
B98 0HU

Tel: 01527 506047
Mob: 07850 377710

[PSL184]

Hmmmmm, only 25miles away from me too

[croft]

Ahhh good ole "Weller Wheels" we used to use "Wellers" (both slots and 8 spokes) on the F2 stock car many moons ago!! (I have also used many sets of them on my road cars as well) Great company, we would call them up asking for the "impossible" and they always came good!! they just used to make what diameter/offset and pcd wheels we wanted, "one off specials" they called them!! Thought they had stopped trading long ago! Might just have to have a set once they get them sorted

[GeorgeHurst]

Yeah I was hoping that's what they might do... make me up some custom ones
I emailed them following my phone call and have just got a reply which is as follows:

Thanks for your enquiry. We are tooling up for a 14 inch rim, and it may be
possible produce a suitable centre, however the problem is that we are only
geared up for large orders at the moment. Anything below 100 off is not
economically viable.

If the situation arises where we make a batch, or find a way to fit a set
into a production qty, I will let you know.

Sorry we can't be more helpful at the moment.


I think they may have thought I was asking if they could make a copy of the Minor wheel only wider, but I was really enquiring if they will be able to supply any style of 14" wheel with a 4" PCD. I've emailed them back to that effect to see if they can and also mentioned that the Minor world would probably be clamoring for a 4" PCD wide steel wheel so it would probably make sense for them to produce 100.

Please everyone that has read this and is interested email them expressing an interest and maybe we will have another option other than Minilights or the super rare van wheels!

Will keep you posted when I hear from them
G

[bmcecosse]

Not everyone likes the look of the Weller wheels............

[GeorgeHurst]

Aye true, but it would be nice if there were another option for wide wheels though eh?
I don't think they produce the 8 spokes any more anyway - more of a sort of slot style - have a look at their website and they have some images of them...

[GeorgeHurst]

plus of course there are loads of ways of tarting up steel wheels - beauty rims, hub caps, Moon Discs (serveral different styles) etc

[bmcecosse]

Arrrrrrggggggghhhhhh !

[MarkyB]

Form over function these days I'm afraid.

[GeorgeHurst]

Wonderful news from the people at Weller Wheels....

Hi George

Thanks for your reply. When I said about a suitable centre, I meant we have one that will fit in the 14 inch rim with the 4" pcd in. We have decided today to put a 5 or 5 1/2 x 14 Minor wheel into production very soon.

I'll try and keep you posted.

So there is going to be another wide wheel option, woohoo! I am getting myself a set as soon as they are ready

[bmcecosse]

But - I thought you were re-drilling hubs to 108mm.................

[GeorgeHurst]

That was the plan, and to fit an escort axle, but as of yesterday I have inherited a Morris van for free (:D:D:D) so am having to prioritise expenditure to getting that back on the road, and them escort axles ain't cheap! These Wellers will mean I can switch back to steels from Minilights without losing the benefit of the wider wheels - the plan is to dress them up with some nice chrome Moon Discs (not the concial ones, some other more 'classic' ones from the states) as I'm going off the minilights a bit, want something a bit more 'retro'.
Finger's crossed the tuned 1275 going into my saloon won't snap the halfshafts too soon!!

[M25VAN]

Wonderful news from the people at Weller Wheels....

Hi George

Thanks for your reply. When I said about a suitable centre, I meant we have one that will fit in the 14 inch rim with the 4" pcd in. We have decided today to put a 5 or 5 1/2 x 14 Minor wheel into production very soon.

I'll try and keep you posted.

So there is going to be another wide wheel option, woohoo! I am getting myself a set as soon as they are ready

I had a similar response. What would be even nicer is if they could produce something with an original minor centre along the lines of what wanderinstar did. Take an old set of wheels in, get the same set back but with modern rims and original minor centre.

[bmcecosse]

Which is what I think Minor Developments do ? I made up such a wheel ages ago - but am too worried about my welding skills to take it any further. But I can confirm - the centre from a normal Minor wheel fits tightly into the rim from a 14" Vauxhall wheel. Whether the original Minor centre is thick enough/strong enough to carry a heavier wheel and tyre -I leave to your own judgments!

[GeorgeHurst]

yeah that would be perfect... perhaps worth an ask, i don't suppose it would be much more complicated than making new ones

[M25VAN]

I have emailed them. Maybe if they knew the demand for such a wheel they would be more likely to produce. They do seem pretty helpfull so far.

[GeorgeHurst]

Nice one, the more emails they get the more likely they will oblige us
Yeah absolutely, I tried to impress on them in my emails that wide Minor wheels are limited and that they have a market ready and waiting for them to produce these. Fingers crossed!

[bbennett]

There may be some owners of early Elva Couriers that would be interested in wider MM reproduction wheels. I've taken the liberty of posting a link on thier forum. Maybe we can help boost the order qty to 100. Any sense of cost and overseas shipping issues?