Interesting find. I don't know much history about AJ wheels. Do they have a groove for an O-ring?

 

That’s very interesting, maybe Rich D would know?

 

A person can forget a lot after 60 years! I can't recall any AJ's wheels that were so narrow, but there is a picture of those included in a post from 2022. I believe that a threaded rear axle and aluminum wheels were included with the Aurora T-Jet tune-up kit.

 

The threaded wheels, axle, and jamb nuts were included with the A/FX hop up kit, not the Thunderjet version. They were double flanged and much wider, also.
The car in the photo has the wheels from an aj's speed kit that came with 3/16" wide silicones molded onto those wheels. Many of those silicone sets were handled a bit too roughly by kids which resulted in the tires tearing and coming off the wheels. I had a few sets of those with Aurora, Atlas, and other small tires or O rings mounted into the grooves. I always used them as fronts, with a set of larger aj's thread on rears. Those wheels polish up nicely, too!
Enjoy! Ernie 😎🏁

 

The skinny aluminum rims are deeply grooved. I don't want to tear the tires off if I cannot easily find replacements.

I've seen conical aluminum fronts, I thought AJ did that instead.

 

You can tear off the tires and clean out the grooves. Then, you have many options for replacement tires. To use for rears, I suggest Super Tires skinny AFX front silicones, or their .400 TJet rear silicones. They're quality made, and will stretch on. Sometimes, just a bit of moisture on the inside of the tire will help it to seat on the rim, just like they do in the real (1/1 scale) tire shops. To use for fronts, standard Aurora TJet tires work, fresh rubber reproductions are available from Bob Beers. O rings from the hardware store will roll better, just take some measurements before you go to the store.
Hope these ideas help you out.
Enjoy! Ernie 😎🏁

 

I just looked in a put kit and those are in there! I knew you’d have the answer!

 

In the late 60's early 70's Aj's made several variations of both front and rear aluminum wheels/tires,.....the rears were in both silicone (multiple colours) and in sponge (black) both in two widths.

The fronts had "O" ring tires on aluminum wheels and came in independently rotating and solid axle variations, using threaded axles with lock nuts (solid axle), and a non threaded axle for the the independently rotating fronts,.....there was also a solid axle variation for their press on aluminum fronts.

In the late 60's , I had a part time job at a local HO commercial track, and we sold tons of these.

c-vroom,......yours appear to be the mid/late 60's (first release) from Aj's,...threaded axle/lock nuts, but, the flanges do appear to be a bit wider than what I remember, ( my memory is questionable),so, they may be from another manufacturer,....(there were a few at the time), and the non "0" ring tires on yours, suggest that either the "0" rings have been replaced, or, the wheels/tires are from another manufacturer.

Cheers
Chris Walker

A late 60's independently rotating set,..........

An early 70's (solid axle) press on wheel set.

Sorry,.....but I do not have a handy pic., of the threaded front wheel (your example) handy.

 

those wheels you have don't look like they are AJ'S brand. they look like some other brand. the AJ'S front narrow wheels are thinner than the wheels that you have, the back side of AJ'S are flat and they use Oring tires. there were many different company's that made aluminum rims for ho slot cars most were screw on.
the aurora tjet hop up kit came with chrome 4 dot plastic hot rod wheels and hot rod axels with washer slicks. I bought some new aurora hop up kits back in the 60's from the local hobby shop.
the hop up boxes ended up being used for parts storage and ended up with all sorts or parts in them over the years.
aurora did make some hop up aluminum rims that came on a yellow card with 12 packs of 4 rims with narrow tjet tires that were press on they look just like the ones on most of the cigar box cars.
Champion aluminum rims have set screws to hold them on the axels. i have collected several dozens of sets of aluminum rims that are in my ho slot car parts collection.
the sponge rear tires molded on aluminum rims came in several colors just like the silicone ones. i have some sets of AJ'S tires and wheels still carded from the 60's.

 

Are the rears actually front AJ rims? Or are these rare rear AJ rims? Perhaps early ones?
Any info appreciated!
Thanks
Are the rears actually front AJ rims? Or are these rare rear AJ rims? Perhaps early ones?
Any info appreciated!

your aluminum wheels look like they may be made by riggen ho slot cars back in the day.[/QUOTE]

 

No, they were not made by Riggen. Read my previous replies for explanations and suggestions. Should help to clear things up...
Ernie 😎 🏁

 

I couldn't resist and I pulled the tire back and found the rim is knurled. So that would make them rear wheels even though they are skinny. 😆

 

A photo from someone else, which shows the different skinny rims.

 

the narrow one on the left is aj's . the knurled rims are not aj's

 

I wonder if the rims on the back of Tribute are knurled like that... the tires do not want to come off, but I'm not trying hard either.

 

Just a suggestion. They look nice as is. Leave them be. They really suit the car. 🏁

 

I have no plans to change them out. My achy brain just wants to know what I have... The only thing I may eventually do is press the axle itself over a tad to center it better.