The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop split rim danger?

I just found a nice new set of 16 rims for my 54 1ton. Anyway they took off the old ones and I kept them. My question is what is the danger in split rims. I know they can fly apart and kill you. I mean if I let the air out of the tires am I in danger? If I take them apart? I was planning on keeping them, just as I did with the generator, etc. incase of future restoration.

Thanks,
David

Before you do anything, chain the rim down so it can't pop off, taking your head with it. I threaded a tow chain through the wheel so it was holding opposite sides before I let the pressure out; good thing, since the rim popped loose when the bead relaxed.

If they're going into storage, why not just leave them as is until you're ready to restore? Space/weight issue?

The danger in split rims is in assembly. Pull the valve stems from them as you hold them upright facing away from you to let all the air out. Then you can break them down no problem. The problem with split rims is proper seating of the lock ring. If it is not exactly right, the danger is that the lock ring will pop off the rim lip and suddenly fly off under pressure. If they are holding air now, then you should be safe to handle them long enough to deflate them and break them down.

Stand the tire up with the valve on top and the split ring side facing away from you. Being carful to have only your hand in front of the rim, use a valve center remover tool unscrew the valve stem centers and remove them and just let the tire deflate.

Once you deflate the tire, there is ZERO danger from the split ring...with the exception of hitting your finger with the hammer. Break them down by laying the tire flat and stepping on the sidewall or in some severe cases you might need to CAREFULLY align your truck or car and drive over the sidewall being careful to not drive over the rim or ring to break the bead seal. since you are tossing the tires anyway you can also use a chisel to break the bead off the split ring. Once you have the tire bead and split ring separated, you can then find the cut in the ring and while standing on the tire sidewall to hold it down, kick the ring at an angle to "slip" it off the rim lip. You will see how they reassemble and can quickly realize how if they are not exactly right, they can spring off under the sidewall pressure (35-50 psi) with a great deal of force.

You'll find a small cut in the split ring where you can slide it over the rim. This is the area that must be EXACTLY right on reassembly. The disassembly side is no more dangerous than handling a tire on a split rim as far as my experience. It is dangerous, but not impossible.

Once you have them all broken down, sand blast the rims and the split rings and inspect them closely for either out of roundness or corroded areas that may compromise the split ring seating properly.

Most truck tire places will mount your tires on split rims for you. Be careful and work smart around them.

Just out of curiousity, are you sure those 16" rims will clear your tie rod ends ok on the front? Better check them for fit before you invest any time and effort in them.

It's tempting to ask what part of "fly apart and kill you" doesn't sound dangerous. 8-) As noted, once all the air is out, most of the danger is gone. But, they are *very* dangerous to refill. People die. Especially because there's the chance of failure on the road, a whole new level of excitement. Why risk it?

Let the air out, store them, and don't ever use them. No
resto is worth that level of risk.

Just my humble opinion. ;-)

Cheers!
George

I really doubt that they'll fly apart while on the road. Many large trucks have split-rim wheels, and I haven't heard of any of them launching through somemone's car on the highway. From what I understand, if they seat properly, all is well. Big truck places will have a cage assembly where they put the wheel/tire assembly during inflation. If something goes wrong, the cage will catch it.

When there's obvious damage to the rim or tire (as in my case), take every available safety precaution.

George: I don't see where anyone said it "doesn't sound dangerous" nor imply it. I stated that the potential danger is in inflation after reassembly. The question was about deflation and disassembly.

What part of driving original old trucks isn't potentially dangerous? The part about driving without seat belts? Driving with drum brakes on the freeway? Driving with doors that do not have safety latches and frequently fly open without warning on a turn when the catch is worn? Or how about the part about driving on nylon tube tires and straight axle steering on grooved pavements?

There are few options for running "modern" 8 lug rims that will not only clear the tie rod ends but also accommodate the original hubcaps which I think you know since I see that you are a '53 3/4 ton owner. How did you resolve the original hubcap and tie rod end problems on your eight lug rims?

If you consider the facts, there are billions and billions of miles on millions and millions of split rims in service today. You are far more likely to be injured in your bathroom than by split rims...statistically speaking. So let me bounce your question back to you in this context: what part of dying in your bathroom do you think isn't dangerous? Did you stop using the bathroom? What options do you suggest as an alternative? Should we all follow the dog out to the yard every morning?

Telling Chicken Little that the sky is falling is not the answer.

The danger to the Crabby is extremely low based on his intended use (store them) and question (disassembly).

Thanks everyone,
The only reason I was keeping the split rims was in case someone else wanted to restore, I don't really plan to, but I have the room so why not. My new rims fit perfectly, actually with about a 1/4inch to spare on the tire rod end. It really surprised me. When I got the truck the p.o. gave me 5 16.5 rims, only two would fit on the front. So I painted them in POR15 and was about to topcoat when I started looking for 16.5 tires, tough job. So I went to a tire place where I know the owner and they said they had twosets of rims that would fit. I was very skeptical so I had them pull the tire put the rim on and checked myself, no problem. I was still skeptical so I had them mount a tire and put it on, fits great. Also the tire is roughly the same size as the original, just a little wider, but clears the fenders with room to spare. If anybody is interested I think they still have the other set, they are white with a red and blue pinstripe. I think they wanted about $50 a piece, brand new. Mine are chrome and I got new hubcaps, that is the one thing I miss is the Chevy caps, but the new rims changed the whole appearance of the truck.

Thanks for your help,
David

Crabby, like Kook said you can deflate them and remove the danger. I ALWAYS inspect a split rim, starting with all I can see before I ever touch it. Then when you handle it, stay in line with the tread, keep out of the plane of flying parts as much as possible, in case it does go. If you have any doubts about what you are doing find someone you trust that has experence with split rims. Use a tire cage to inflate them, if possible. I have high tensil 1/4 inch chain that I use as a safety if I don't have a cage to use. I wrap the wheel in 3 places, or 4 depending on the wheel. When the rims are disassmebled, clean and inspect them. Don't use a damaged rim or locking ring. Don't try to repair or straighten any damaged wheel. They aren't worth your, or someone else's, life or limb. I don't allow any one else to be in the shop when working with these wheels. I don't need the distraction and they don't need to be at risk too.
If the worst happens, someone will hear the noise and come running.

I have heard a couple times of split rims blowing apart on the truck, even while the truck was on the road. However, I would bet the farm those wheels were either damaged and shouldn't have been used, or the locking ring was never properly seated when the wheel was assembled. Split rims is what our big equipment (dozers, endloaders) have. They will be around for a long time yet. I've always thought that tubless tires was one of the best things that happened to trucks in my career.

These things can be safely handled. But treat them like you would a rattle snake. A moments inattention could get hurt, bad. Mike

Y'all need to differentiate which rims you're talking about, two piece or three piece.

The two piece has a locking ring that fits over the rim and slides into place. The major problem with them is due to rust. If the rim is in good shape it is a reasonably safe rim. These rims are not the ones that usually cause problems.

The three piece rim is the one known as the widow-maker. Again, corrosion is a culprit due to the way everything must be properly seated. Problems with these rims were few until the 60's and 70's when inexperienced people started working with them. The older guys knew how to handle them properly, what signs to look for during assembly and where not to stand during inflation.

I'll pay the guy at the tire store the five bucks to dismount or mount the tires on the lock-ring rims. For a couple more bucks they'll get rid of the old tires, too. You can dismount them yourself, but I can't see working that hard for five bucks. If you have the three piece rims, they're even harder to get apart, and unless you in a restoration of a big truck where there are no substitutes, get rid of them.

Slomoe, that is good advice for many repair jobs, not just dealing with split rims. Safety first.

Yes , the two piece split rims do split , one did so on me back on 1968 or so on a Apache 4 X 4 and it was of course the right front tire that blew off as we were turning left off the county highway
,we went sailing down the embankment and I bet my stains are still on the front seat of that rig .

I also kept a big photo of a ring the blew off a truck on the I-210 freeway 1/4 mile from my old shop in Pasadena , it went through the windshiled of a 1973 Chevy sedan and decapitated the driver , ruining his day , week and life . I kept it by the desk as folks occasionally asked me why I refused to mount those things , yes I could have chained them up etc. but here in So.Cal. it's cheaper to just buy one piece wheels .

Toss 'em ! .