The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Widow Didn't Make Me

Just changed a tube on one of my Firestone widow maker rims. What a chore! It wasn't easy, those tire guys back in the day were most definitely undercompensated! Anyway, took care to do it right, and safe. Used a vintage tire stand to get it done. Holds air & didn't blow up in my face. My wife is probably disappointed.

I admire your determination to use old equipment that has actually worked for so long already.
Most of us probably don’t have those kind of guts!😂

Years ago I used to do them all the time. Didn't know any better. Got $5:00 Took the wheel off the truck (hand wrenches) tore it down, patched the tube, put it back together, aired it up & put it on the truck. Ah, those were the days.

George

George, that sounds crazy. But then again, my first payroll job was $4.50/hour, so I can imagine $5 per wheel wasn't too bad for a younger man. I would've paid $100 if I could've found someone to do it! I grew up in a tire and front end/alignment/brakes shop. Dunlop was our brand. But we serviced passenger cars & light fleets almost exclusively, so I've had zero experience with these types of wheels.

Thanks Steel - I got her on the freeway doing 60 and no issues. I took my 11-year-old out for a ride on the back roads too, jumped a concrete island to see if anything would break loose...she's holding!

It will hold until it doesn't...there's a reason why the Firestone RH-5 rims were outlawed decades ago, they can violently come apart without any notice.

Mike B

Yep this is why I am in such a hurry to get rid of mine because one I want to drive my truck and two they are dangerous if I end up needing to air them up

If those are truly Firestone RH-5s ... I, for one, don't admire your determination -- I question your judgement. You intentionally popped a curb?? WITH YOUR SON ONBOARD??? That's not only unwise, but its very irresponsible. Wanting to kill yourself is one thing. Taking your boy with you when you do is unconscionable. Please heed the advice of just about everyone and replace those wheels immediately and do not brag about using them/maintaining them on this site. As Mike says, there's a reason they've been outlawed and that no tire shop will touch them -- THEY ARE ILLEGAL BECAUSE THEY ARE DANGEROUS.

As you admitted, you know little of these wheels -- well, Sparky, pay a little attention to those of us who do and stop being irresponsible and putting others' lives at risk (your son, for starters, not to mention the people you share the road with).

We, in this hobby, are having a hard enough time maintaining our breaks on Insurance, Historic Tags, keeping ahead of the environmentalists trying to take us off the road, etc -- this sort of absolutely irresponsible behavior and attitude is utterly antithetical to what we are trying to preserve, protect and support on this web site and reflects poorly on all of us.

Absolutely unbelievable.