Banded steels

[Bryan]

I see Skippy has a set on the Duster. Who else has done this and whats the cost for a pair of wheels?

Anyone down south do this?

[Pete]

I may be wrong but I was led to understand that Banding was an illegal practice in the UK?

[Super Sloth]

There's nothing that *specifically* makes them illegal. However, you could fall foul of C&U if they've not been done to a good standard?

[68Runner]

I see Skippy has a set on the Duster. Who else has done this and whats the cost for a pair of wheels?

Anyone down south do this?

Speak to Banded Wheels of Essex
They're on Facebook as well

[Blue]

Banded wheels were deemed illegal for road use years ago, not sure which bit of legislation covers it but it exists. It was back in the days of all the shoddy wheels that were out there and failing. Not many people seem to know about it so not much chance of getting caught. I remember it coming in because several companies went out of business because of it, Deals on wheels in Romford was one of them.
Hopefully the tyres made with dirty oil legislation will get forgotten about as well so we can get back to normal with those....

[Super Sloth]

Banded wheels were deemed illegal for road use years ago, not sure which bit of legislation covers it but it exists. It was back in the days of all the shoddy wheels that were out there and failing. Not many people seem to know about it so not much chance of getting caught. I remember it coming in because several companies went out of business because of it, Deals on wheels in Romford was one of them.
Hopefully the tyres made with dirty oil legislation will get forgotten about as well so we can get back to normal with those....

There was a thread on retro rides back in 2008 where a chap emailed the DVLA for a definitive answer. I have attached the relevant post below. As I mentioned, I am unaware of any specific legislation that specifically bans banded wheels. That doesn't meant to say there might be some minor technicality that requires them to have, for example, a BS mark or some such similar law.

I believe Northhants tyres supply steelies in various widths so for total peace of mind maybe spending some money with them might be the safest bet?

Some of you may recall that, in the midst of a banded wheels thread, I e-mailed VOSA for their view on the practice. The question I asked was:

I have a query about a specialist modification to steel car wheels over which there is much debate about legality.

The modification involves cutting off the outer part of the steel wheel rim, welding a band of additional steel to the wheel, then welding the outer rim back onto the band which has been inserted. The aim of the modification is to allow the wheel to accept a much wider tyre for increased grip. The welding is usually carried out by qualified welders.

Can you confirm whether there is anything within the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations, or any other legislation, which prohibits the use of wheels which have been modified in this way?


They have now responded as follows:

Dear Mr Hilton

There are no specific regulations in the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, as amended (C&U) relating to the type of work you propose.
Regulation 100 of C&U does require that all parts fitted to a vehicle are not likely to cause a danger to the user of the vehicle or other road users. I have attached a copy of Regulation 100.
Additionally, you will need to ensure that the wheels do not protrude from the wheel arches, or that modifications are made to the bodywork of the vehicle to ensure that the wheels do not protrude.

Yours sincerely

name removed
DfT - Transport Technology and Standards

[hemi472]

I see Skippy has a set on the Duster. Who else has done this and whats the cost for a pair of wheels?
Anyone down south do this?

What size & back spacing are you after ? as they may be available new

[Blue]

Interesting one this, digging around the net there are lots of people like myself who remember the blanket ban coming in and banded wheels disapeering overnight (they were very common back then) in the late '70's. What no one seems to be able to do though is put there hands on the exact piece of legislation. I'm wondering as it was a long time ago is if it was part of some legislation that has since been superceeded or changed and that particular part of it no longer exsists?

[hemi472]

I think you are probably right blue , the legislation may not exist anymore as there are loads on eBay for sale over here at various companies for European cars and I wouldn't think they would be openly selling them if they were illegal.

[Bryan]

Its huge in the Vw fan base and im sure these boys would of been pulled by now.

[Rebel]

I remember them being made illegal as well, definitely something to do with the quality of the welding, I think they were coming apart on the road or breaking due to rust in the new seams, from what I remember.
I suppose as everything has improved over the years, the ability to line the parts up and welding must have also improved.
Think ( personally ) I'd rather not use them just incase

[Dave999]

there was a big hoo-har in the late 80s in the VW scene regarding banded wheels

not really the use there-of just finding anyone willing to do it. ask for it done and it was like you'd suggested something vile and improper

led to the use of adaptors and all sorts of not great stuff

many resorted to cutting out the centres and getting new hoops fitted

no evidence then of banding a such and as the welding was probably TIG welding it was quite expensive, but the resulting NEW wheels looked kinda factory.

so the panic obviously started somewhere, the result appears to have been the less safe practice of using heath-robinson-esq adaptors in the quest for something wider than 4 inches on the back of your bug.
If you didn't want the EMPI 5s or fuchs alloys (hub re-drill) or couldn't afford then then new Speedwell BRM repros from the US or japan

then suddenly in the last 5 years or so the crowd that can't look at a car without saying the word "Stanced" or "Aspirated" are at it all the time

Tres Odd


Dave

[Blue]

Yea, I hadn't heard mention of them in donkeys years, and as you say over the last few years they're back.
You should have seen the piles of crap in Jokes on Spokes back then, I think they just got rusty old wheels out of scrapyards lashed 'em up with a stick welder and them sloshed over the rust, old paint and god know what else with a good thick coat of hammerite, just horrible but cheap...