The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 47 AD 3600 17" split rims

Have any of you tried to break down and remove the tires from split rims? I have bias ply ties (with tubes?) and I'd like to remove the tires to sandblast, prep and paint the rims. I was thinking of just cutting off the tires with a sawsall! Is there an easier way? Most of this thinking is based on a $25 a rim quote(times 5 rims)from a semi-truck tire shop just to dismount. Its been hard to find anyone willing to deal with these old (dangerous?) style rims in Denver.

I just spent a half hour on youtube getting schooled. Looks like hard work. The most important thing I learned is to not air them up myself. They need to be caged to make the inflation safe.

I have used a Bumper Jack, set on edge of rim bead and under the truck bumper to break the old bead on one side, then turn the target rim over, repeat, When both side beads are broken, the rim can collapse , safety ring removed and tire removed. Have fun, It ain't easy !

I still use a duckbill hammer to break breads. In fact just last week I demonstrated to a young kid in our shop how to do it. He was just amazed that a 70 year old geezer could knock a 9.00x20 bead down in just 2 licks. Its not how hard you swing, but the angle you hit them and where you hit them.

We couldn't find the RuGlyde, so I took an empty 1 gallon GoJo bottle and filled it almost full with water and shook it real good and poured the whole gallon on the bead and let it soak.

Thanks for all the help guys, I wish I had one or two of you in the garage today....we could share cold ones and stare at the rims on the floor. I really like the bumper jack idea, too bad I don't have one. Denny, I know what you are saying but I found what I think was a good deal on 5 Firestone white walls online. I think I'll end up with the white walls for shows and get a set of one piece wheels with radials to roam around on. I always appreciate your input Denny, wish me luck.