Tire shaving ??????????

**debequem** · 05-06-2003, 08:36 PM

Gosh, if your going racing I would assume that the rest of the guys at the track would be able to tell you where best to look for someone to shave tires. Once you see how it is done you might try it yourself and offer discount prices to fellow members.

I would start by teaming with people at the track.

**ibewgypsie** · 05-06-2003, 09:57 PM

Used to be.. truck tires got regrooved with a heat iron. I think the rubber is different now.
I had some shaved about what you suggest by accident, spin balance carved one side down with the power rollers.
If I had the money to play with, I'd set my mill head up at the angle you want and spin the indexer, can't hurt much.
You may be set up to make some money there.

I'd be tempted to try adjustable a-frames too. push out, pull in.. see what it does. I am unfamiliar with the lil hot-rods.. they look like fun tho.

I did some A-frame mod's to a 56 chevy in the 70's I put adjusting bolts so the a frames could not drop.. it had a 327, a 4 speed on the column "using the 3 tree" and a choke cable for reverse, plus a stock car rear axle, I think 5.88.. I would win cases of beer jumping beer bottles with the car. The front tires couldn't drop, so it was not as hard as you think. usually I could stop before I ran over the bottle with the rear.

**gamachinist** · 05-06-2003, 10:54 PM

Hi merf23!Those old tire shavers are gathering dust in a lot of old shops.It used to be commonplace to shave street tires in the days of bias ply tires.Radials don't have the out of round problems that made it a problem before.I've seen a new style shaver in a customers shop.It would only work on new tires.If you used it on an old tire it would ball up rubber and ruin it.The tire will need to be turning fast and a razor edge tool will be a must.Rubber is hard to cut neatly.I'd look arround for a used machine cheap if I were doing it.I didn't know you couldn't adjust the camber on the Legends.I'll ask around for one if you wish.Good luck,Robert.

**WJHartson** · 05-06-2003, 11:41 PM

Robert is correct. You should be able to find a shaver at an old tire store. They just collect dust today.

Joe

**CCWKen** · 05-06-2003, 11:44 PM

I didn't think anyone shaved tires any more--too expensive (labor and tires) and only good for that day. You can get the same effect by changing the camber and caster and tire presure on left and right sides. Hint: more caster = more pull. More camber = more bite. More air = bigger tire.
Then, there's the spring and shock variations. Doing it this way makes "track condition" changes simple.

**Thrud** · 05-07-2003, 01:42 AM

Sean
Hey Doc, hows it hangin' bud?

The monster truck guys still use hot knifes to pare down the weight off their Swampers/Ice field tires (over 500Lbs.!). It is a dirty, ****ty job - and a hand job at that. that is why the shaved tires cost so much, it takes a guy 10-30 minutes to shave a car tire (if he is good).

Don't try it with a regular knife, the hot knifes are the only ones that work well.

FWIW - oval track racers set their suspensions to lean the car to one side as they only turned the one way all the time. Road racers set up for neutral bias in the suspension to allow acceptable turning response in both directions. I do not know if this helps.

[This message has been edited by Thrud (edited 05-07-2003).]

yf · 05-07-2003, 02:22 AM

If you have a spin balancer you can rig up a belt sander with a relatively coarse belt, mounted on a machine slide for feed adjustments.
The whole contraption then bolted to a suitable arm and mounted on the balancer.

Seems like a lot of trouble. If you don't need it too often, then you're probably better off sending them out.

**merf23** · 05-07-2003, 08:09 AM

This car is really set up nice for circle track, everything is adjustable including castor, camber, pinion angle, wheelbase, etc
The street tires we are required to use, need to be shaved to race on otherwise chunks come off from poor heat dissipation.
From what i read, some guys a few years back started shaving a few degrees camber into them and it helped. Id like to have my own set up so i could 'freshen' the tires periodically and maybe help some other racers out). I am really in this racing bit for fun, not money....i already have a job which is stressful enough. I dont want to get called from the operating room to do an emergency tire shave!
Ill look out for a shaver.

BTW anyone is curious, the legends website is 600racing.com

**s7hss** · 05-07-2003, 09:17 AM

Sean,

Couple of years ago, I remember seeing an article in MCN about truing partly worn motorcycle tires with a Surform file. In that case, tread wore more in the middle than on the sides, creating a flat in the middle of a rounded profile. Bike on centerstand, start engine, use first or second gear. Eyeball the cuts until it looks right (and be careful not to take off too much). Tried it and thought it worked very well.

Something similar might work for your situation. If you have some number of tires to shave, I'd think you could rig up a rotating spindle with a scrapped hub and lug carrier to fit your wheels....probably at a minimal cost.

**ibewgypsie** · 05-07-2003, 09:38 AM

Well... a power wood plane with sharp blades set up at the proper angle to your indexer. rotate wheel and carve all the way around.
I don't see you purchasing a wheel shaver very easy.
With a razor sharp milling cutter that should work too, but how to sharpen it?

**docsteve66** · 05-07-2003, 01:57 PM

You might try (for sure I have not tried this) sliding an axle though lathe spindle, shim the axle so it runs true, bolt wheel to axle and use a belt sander or hot knife mounted outboard to shave the angle you need/want.

The old tires needed a shave after a few hundred miles of running (the carcass would expand and not be a circle any more). Saw many a mile of tread sliced away to get a round tire. You can balance a sheet of ply wood, but it sure won't run smooth
Steve

**gamachinist** · 05-07-2003, 03:35 PM

If you decde to try the belt sander,Don't let anyone nearby with a camera or you'll never live it down!Seriously,wear a dust mask,face sheild,long sleeve shirt you won't mind tossing,apron etc.As much rubber dust as I create using a hole saw at 68 RPM I hate to think about the mess that will make.The shavers made long"chips" that fell to the floor.I don't remember them turning that fast either.I'll ask around to see if I can find one to look at and get back with you.Robert.

**WJHartson** · 05-07-2003, 04:58 PM

The old shavers cut the tires while they were still on the car. The shaver has powered rollers that turn the wheel and tire. There is a cross slide that the cutting tool mounts on and is hand fed across the tire to get it true. The cross slide would probably have to be modified to make an angle cut. They were powered by a 120 volt motor.

I don't know what the race car has for a rear end. If it uses a spool or something else to lock the rear end both wheel would have to be off the ground when they are cut.

**merf23** · 05-07-2003, 07:42 PM

I never imagined getting all these replies..THANKS
I decided to begin the easy way...i called a few tire shops that have been in business for a long time...I may have one located...ill find out tomorrow.

WJ
THe car has a spooled rear and the springs are relatively soft in back; i think truing them on the car would leave a lot of chatter marks...though the belt sader idea sounds promising if not very messy

DOC...do you mean spinning the tire to the left of the spindle?

If anyone comes across a shaver in the connecticut area for a couple hundered $ or so, id be happy to pay a finders fee. I have 3 pahse power at my shop so thats not a problem
Thanks again
Sean

Tire shaving ??????????

Tire shaving ??????????

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