CMI Wheels

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gpraceman
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CMI Wheels

Post by gpraceman »

Someone emailed me the following:
I am looking for this CMI wheel with the raised ridge. It is on my derby car from when I was a scout in the 80's. I recently took it out to show my children while we were making their cars. Unfortunately it rolled off the counter and broke the hub.
Anyone ever seen these wheels and know where to get any?

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Re: CMI Wheels

Post by Stan Pope »

gpraceman wrote:Someone emailed me the following:
I am looking for this CMI wheel with the raised ridge. It is on my derby car from when I was a scout in the 80's. I recently took it out to show my children while we were making their cars. Unfortunately it rolled off the counter and broke the hub.
Anyone ever seen these wheels and know where to get any?
(Digging deeply into memory...) In that time frame, Hodges Hobby House sold wheels machined that way... so called "H" tread. The "CMI" inscription sounds right for them.

I don't recall Hodges wheels as that obvious nor the edges so wide, though, so these were probably "home brewed" from wheels out-of-the-box.
Stan
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Re: CMI Wheels

Post by gpraceman »

If they were from Hodges Hobby House, maybe they have some old leftovers around that this guy can get. Though, HHH changed ownership several years back, so the current owner may not have any of that really old stock. All they look to carry now of the "V cut wheels" are made from BSA wheels.
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Re: CMI Wheels

Post by Speedster »

This appears to be a "V" cut wheel but Hodges has the ridge in the center of the wheel. This looks like the ridge is off center. Could we get some pictures of the wheel? Inside picture, Outside picture, and the diameter of the wheel. All he needs is a wheel. He could talk to the vendors to see if someone would be willing to machine it for him.
This is an interesting story. What Pack was he in that allowed a wheel like this to be used?
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Stan Pope
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Re: CMI Wheels

Post by Stan Pope »

gpraceman wrote:If they were from Hodges Hobby House, maybe they have some old leftovers around that this guy can get. Though, HHH changed ownership several years back, so the current owner may not have any of that really old stock. All they look to carry now of the "V cut wheels" are made from BSA wheels.
Here is a "CMI" (BSA kit wheel) from the mid 80's:

Image

This looks to be of the same era! I have no example of the H tread pattern, but the raised edges of Hodges wheels were about 0.02 inches wide and the center was cleanly cut.
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Re: CMI Wheels

Post by LightninBoy »

Stan Pope wrote:
gpraceman wrote:If they were from Hodges Hobby House, maybe they have some old leftovers around that this guy can get. Though, HHH changed ownership several years back, so the current owner may not have any of that really old stock. All they look to carry now of the "V cut wheels" are made from BSA wheels.
Here is a "CMI" (BSA kit wheel) from the mid 80's:

Image

This looks to be of the same era! I have no example of the H tread pattern, but the raised edges of Hodges wheels were about 0.02 inches wide and the center was cleanly cut.
So I wonder if the emailer is specifically looking for CMI wheels or for the H tread?
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Re: CMI Wheels

Post by gpraceman »

I really do not think it is an H tread wheel (two raised edges). Instead, I think it is a V tread wheel (one raised edge).
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Re: CMI Wheels

Post by LightninBoy »

gpraceman wrote:I really do not think it is an H tread wheel (two raised edges). Instead, I think it is a V tread wheel (one raised edge).
And looking at the picture again, I think you are right.
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Re: CMI Wheels

Post by Speedster »

The original wheel looks like the right rear wheel in Randy's picture. I think the picture of the left rear wheel is deceiving. I think it is not a machined wheel. The narrow portion of the wheel measures 1.190 and the wider portion measures 1.193. That's what he refers to as a "raised ridge". I have one with a piece missing out of the inner hub but it is still functional. There is no damage to any other part of the wheel. He can have it if he wants it.
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Re: CMI Wheels

Post by Vitamin K »

Out of curiosity, how much of a speed boost do the "V-cut" or "H-cut" wheels give? I mean, I see that you're losing some mass from the outer part of the wheel, so that's got to help...but does riding in the thin edge really benefit?

I ask, because almost all rules that I see ban these kind of wheels (probably because they're easy to detect?), but some will go ahead and allow paper thin lathes or whatnot, so long as the lettering and fluting is visible.
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Re: CMI Wheels

Post by Speedster »

How much of a speed boost? A lot. On the V cut, material is removed from the inside also. They weigh 1.35 grams. The edge they ride on removes any imperfections that might be in the other part of the face of the wheel that meets the track. These wheels have been around for 30 years that I know of. Other vendors are making 1 gram wheels that keep all the lettering. If you are familiar with the Mid America, the Adult Graphite class allows some mighty radical wheels. The wheels are more radical than the ones offered from Hodges. Hodges wheels would not be legal in the Adult graphite class but you can buy wheels that are more radical that are legal.
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Re: CMI Wheels

Post by Stan Pope »

Randy! You're right! Definitely "V" from the 80's or early 90's. Don't know if they are by Hodges, though.
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Re: CMI Wheels

Post by whodathunkit »

The CMI wheels also had mold cast rings around the tread about where the "V" cut is seen.
Image

I'd say these V cut CMI wheels were home made as well .. Stan.
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Re: CMI Wheels

Post by Humvderby »

They are definitely the V cut style however maybe not from Hodges Hobby House? I used to have a set of V cut from Hodges and I cannot seem to find them right now, might not have them anymore. One thing I remember about them is they were not CMI. In addition the V cut was off center however I do not recall the ridge being this close to the inside edge of the Wheel.

Here is a photo of the H Cut Wheel from Hodges Hobby. You can see a ridge on the each side of the tread of the Wheel. Hugh Hodges advertised the cut in the H Wheel as barely visible however as you can tell from the photos you would have to have fairy poor eyesight not to notice. ;)


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Last edited by Humvderby on Fri Feb 06, 2015 8:27 am, edited 4 times in total.
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Re: CMI Wheels

Post by Speedster »

I think they are not from Hodges. Hodges cut the wheel so the raised area was in the middle. These are cut at the molding line. It would be interesting if we could get the owner to join us. Maybe he's reading these Posts. I'm sure he has some interesting stories.
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