Has anyone here ever welded on a rim with an inflated tire, or even heated lug nuts to get them off? You might want to rethink that after watching this Bridgestone safety video. Someone posted this on another old truck site (Dodge), and it really made an impression on me.
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Wow!!...great Tip. Made me think! heres a another thing I have never saw before...my Brother was heating up a Ford ball joint on a mid 90's to remove it, he heated it and hit it with his air hammer to drive it out the grease was oozin out and smokin ...it was pretty rusty ..and did not move ...so he put he heat to it again well the action of the previous air hammer motion had made a seal in the boilin, smokin grease in the ball joint an BOOM like a shotgun the stud & ball was fired out of the balljoint with enough force to take a big chip outta the concrete floor and launch it up through the roof of his shop!!!...it was pretty scary as I FELT THE RUSHING AIR OF THE PROJECTILE GO PAST MY HEAD!!! Be careful of the HEAT WRENCH folks!
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Before this safety meeting is over I'd like to mention another thing. A friend of mine was airing up an old weathered tire. He had it lying on the concrete and was bending over it when it exploded. He left a young wife and a son without a husband and father. Since then I always connect a clip-on chuck with the air turned off then walk to the compressor and open the valve..
"It's just a phase. He'll grow out of it." Mama, 1964
Wow, the things you learn. I had no idea. Ten years ago I burned the centers out of some military rims for a 2-1/2 ton trailer. Then I welded the centers into a set of 16.5 rims with the tires still mounted...........I am a lucky man. Thank you for the heads up. SO glad it's still attached
It never would have occurred to me that even heating the lug nuts could do this.
I've been guilty of airing up old rotten tires and having a couple of them let go. As mentioned in the video, one didn't blow till a half hour after I had pumped it up!
There's a reason we called the 10-foot extension hose with the clip-on chuck and the ball valve on the other end a "chicken line"! I had to threaten to fire a guy at the truck shop I managed who was going to air up a 3-piece rim by reaching over the removable piece instead of using a cage and an extension hose. He finally turned the tire over with the ring facing the floor. He had gotten about 30 PSI into it when the ring let go. It left a perfect impression of the ring in the concrete floor about 1/4" deep. He finally got over being whizzed off at me for saving his life- - - - -about two weeks later! He wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed! Jerry
Last edited by Hotrod Lincoln; 03/05/20106:00 PM.
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all i have to say is WOW! i never thought about welding on a rim but i have to admit i have cut the centers out of semi wheels while they were still mounted to axle.in all three cases they were the old style with holes already there and i just cut between the holes. i removed the valve steam or took out the core i can't remember. maybe it was because they were older tires they didn't explode. well i can def say i won't do that again. i'm glad my head is still attached as well.