The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Identifying my rims

Trying to get an idea of what I have. These are the rims on my '55 6400. As long as they're not killers I'm happy to keep the splits. Our local shops are very used to working with them, being that we live in cattle country here, we get handmedown tractors most of the time.

I'm gonna guess that those are the RH-5 Widow Makers. That's based on THIS and THIS

But one of the Big Bolters that would be more familiar with them will chime in to confirm or deny my guess.

Those on the rear look exactly like mine, which are the RH-5. The raised area with the valve stem coming through are a dead give away I believe.

RH-5 and rusty as well. I've worked on plenty of them back in the '70s & treated them like loaded gun!
Wouldn't touch one in that condition.

You're talking about replacing the tires on them or just in general? Anything I need to worry about in taking them off the truck?

I don't intend to keep these, but I was wondering if they might be valuable to someone. Likely not it sounds like.

In general, wouldn't want to air them up as rusted as they look.

RH-5's were outlawed decades ago, you won't find any tire shop that has business insurance touching them as the liability is way to high. They have been known to blow apart days/weeks after being aired up...they are a ticking time bomb...not worth the risk.

They are only safe to handle when completely deflated.

Mike B

They are good for yard art or recycling

Perhaps if you planned on getting a tire foam filled they would be good for that application
You could even tack weld the rim halves together to ensure they stay in place during foaming
I suppose driving off road with foamed tires on rh-5 would be acceptable. No chance for them coming apart in a bad way then
-s

I found a company that'll make custom rims for a pretty reasonable price ($300ish per for a 22.5"). But I'm gonna hold off until I'm ready for rims, figure if I find a p30 on the side of the road before then I'd just snatch that up. Loads of junk vehicles just rotting away out here in the sticks, probably a dozen p30s kicking around if you keep your eyes peeled. So I'm just going scrap these or something. Can I just pull the valves and let them deflate? I got loads of ways I'd be willing to go, but blown up by a stupid tire ain't one of 'em.

Those wheels would make good planters or bases for a shop grinder or other tool stand.

Yes, they are harmless with no air in them...hack saw the valve stem making it so no one can air them up in the future and enjoy the rest of your life knowing that's not going to be what takes you out!

Mike B

I purchased two real nice 7.50 20 used tires years ago that happened to be on RH-5 rims. Took them to a truck tire shop to get the tires dismounted. After about 30 minutes they said we give up! They couldn't get them off! I had to take them to another smaller tire place that a larger tire shop send me to, and they knew what they were doing and got them dismounted.

Dig under the crud and this is what you'll find.

That is NOT a RH-5, note the lock ring.
It does lay out why it's a better wheel than the Firestone RH-5

BC, what picture/rim are you referring to so we can all be on the same page?

Mike B

There was a post between the 2 of mine that had a photo of a wheel with an outer section held to main section with lock ring. Can't remember the name of design but I changed many split rims 45 years ago!

Anybody remember the name / manufacture of the above wheel?

Looks like a Firestone Type AR, a semi-drop center with a small locking ring. That and the RHP-5 appear to be the only semi-drop center rims that Firestone makes.

The official name is beyond me, but in these parts its referred to as a three piece wheel and accepted as its generally safe to run/work on.

Yes, if the bead ring is removable, it points toward the inside on some rear wheels. The ones that split near the center (Firestone RH-5, AKA Widomaker) have approximately equal width sections, inside and out. The easiest way to identify them is a raised lip about 1/4" thick and 2" wide that's visible on the outer dual when it's mounted on the truck. A pic of the outside dual showing the lug nuts and barrel section of the wheel would help.
Jerry

You can remove the ring with your fingers after you deflate the tire and stomp the tire down with a friend
Why would a special tool be required?
If it’s rusted in I have used a big screwdriver to encourage the ring to come out enough to get my fingers onto it.
-s

Yes the AR type have that classic three part rim
Mine are 8 bolt 1 ton but the center is not unique
The shape of the lock ring and the outer rim is what makes is an AR
Very easy to work on even if it is super rusted
Tip:
If the rubber tire is rusted solid to the metal rim parts,
With two pry bars work your way around the whole tire even if the rubber doesn’t appear to be moving just keep going one nibble pry bar width at a time around the whole thing
By the second turn around suddenly the tire is moving and everything is coming apart

I’ve seen people put a tractor on the bead trying to get the rubber to drop
Hitting with hammers
Everything under the sun
But I’m not a strong heavy guy
And I can take the worst rusted tire apart without breaking a sweat, it just takes patients.

Note
This tire gets water inside by definition it’s not sealed
When you go through puddles
The lock ring ends form a hole
And then there is a large circular cavity between the two rim parts behind the lock ring
This AR design is a rust nightmare
It traps dust and water behind the parts and into the liner of the tube inside

So maybe consider that when deciding on keeping original or replace with modern rims
-s

Those look like maybe the rh-5 bad rims to me
Notice how they look like they come apart in the center of the rim halves like Jerry mentioned
This the the back view he was asking for
That raised area in the middle is where the haves come apart
And when in a dual configuration the outer dual can lose its half onto the sidewalk when the vehicle is in motion
The inner back dual and the front wheel can only lose its inner half into the frame of the truck so it’s a tiny bit safer. But I’m not a wheel doctor so don’t take my opinion as fact.
-s

I'd tend to agree. Unfortunately both pics don't show the valve stems, which would clinch the ID.

Those are definitely RH-5's. The biggest danger is during inflation, when the halves of the wheel male a loud pop as they lock. Even a slight amount of rust damage or improper alignment will make half of the wheel launch itself with deadly force. The man who sold tires to a shop where I worked part time was killed when a wheel half hit him just above the eyebrows while he was inflating a new tire. He didn't use a safety cage, and his luck finally ran out. Once those tires are dismounted, the wheels need to be destroyed by cutting big holes in them with a torch.
Jerry

Maranatha Mike B is right ticking time bomb,would carefully deflate and go with some other wheel type. The trouble with our wheels is they rust away from the inside out where you can't see how far gone they are. Don't trust those in any way,I saw that one has shed a lot of tread,been on there a long time.

WHO/WHERE did you find that would make a 22.5" wheel for $300 each? Only one I found quoted me over $600 for the 10 lug pattern.
Marty

Marty,

I made some from 10 on 8.750”, had to redrill holes, make a spacer, didn’t know if I told you that before?

Ed

Ed, what were those wheels original to? What trucks?
Why the need for the spacer? I am leaning toward wheel adapters to the 22.5" semi wheels if my 19.5's don't look good. (Truck is lowered because I am removing most of the original spring pack front and rear [all but the main bundle and leaving one support spring] and adding Air Lift bags for when I have a load on the bed.) I need to get the truck done and back together anyway to see how it will look. It *might* be ok?

A local fab shop. I'm not even sure if they have a name but they put together rims from "blanks". Basically they have the rims and the centers for them. They just machine your hub and bolt pattern into that, then weld them in place. The rims are refurbs they get for cheap and cut out the centers of (no clue if the center of a rim where the hub connects has a specific name or not). You might be able to find someone local to you doing the same thing. I just asked my local fab guy and it runs out he does this as a service for people. We've got lots of old and unique vehicles out here, so I guess there's a good enough demand for him to do it.

They sorta look like Eds, except that they close up those holes for the hub and lugs and then redrill on the freshly "blanked" face.

Thanks Ian,
I am going to talk to a vendor that makes them. See if they can provide them as blanks to be finish machined by the user or if they could make a "run" of wheels for those of us "seriously" interested in a set for the Big Bolt trucks.
I have a CNC machining center and could machine out the hub opening and drill the lug pattern IF I could get blanks....
Marty

Late ‘60’s GM trucks. 10 on 8.750”, hub diameter is larger, rings required.

Ed