The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Firestone RH5 rims

I just got a 62 GMC 4000 fire engine that has rh5 rims, but on the glove box door it says it came with budd rims. I thought budd was a brand or does it stand for all split rims? and I have read and heard about rh5's as very dangerous, more than 3 piece. My tires are very good so I don't want to swap rims yet. So how dangerous are rh5's in good shape with the tires aired up?

Budd is a brand name, but it can also be used for stud piloted type of wheels. Firestone RH-5 wheels were made in various mounting configurations such as 5 hole, 6 hole and 10 hole. Are yours stud piloted? That is, is there a 1 1/2 outer nut on a square inner nut on the rear. If so, that would indicate Budd type mounting. Are you sure that yours are RH-5? If they are indeed RH-5, the front ones are really not dangerous because if the wheel separates, it will blow to the inside and so will the inside dual on back. However, the outside dual is dangerous in that it will blow to the outside if it should separate. As long as the tires are aired up, the danger is very little. However, I would not recommend putting air into the outside duals.

they are the 1 1/2 stud just like my CCKW and I'm sure they are RH5 rims. I was looking at the truck and spotted them right away and they are stamped with the firestone "F" 20X6.5 RH5

I guess I've gotta be disagreeable. Firestone RH-5° rims can be killers at any location on the truck. They are dangerous to the guy doing the tire installation and mounting, and they can cause a wreck if one blows while driving the truck. I agree that the outer rears are most at risk of letting go and doing external damage, but they will do severe internal damage to a truck too if one blows at the other locations. To me there is no such thing as having them "in good shape".

The term "Budd wheel" is miss used. Budd style wheels, as crenwelge says, are stud piloted. Budd is one company that made that style wheels. They were also made by Kelsey Hayes and Accuride (nee Firestone). Motor Wheel Corporation made most wheels for Chevy and GMC and were hub piloted, but MWC also made stud piloted wheels for the other car/truck manufacturers.

All the wheel manufacturers got their outer rims from either Firestone or Goodyear. The Firestone Steel Products Company made the RH-5° outer rims. They were first introduced in the late 1940s and were a dominant component up into the 1970s. The last record I have of them is a 1976 Kelsey Hayes catalog listing.

Because of the danger of these wheels, no reputable tire shop will touch them for insurance and lawyer reasons. Stu

Thanks for the info guys, the tires are full and I'll keep them full. From what I've heard if it is 5ish lbs low its OK to fill but any more is unsafe. until it needs new tires I'll keep my fingers crossed.

I have a 53 GMC with the RH-5 wheels. I have been looking for some replacements for quite some time. I have some located, but I don't have them yet. I am running the RH-5 wheels until I get the others and not particularly worrying about them. I would suggest you start looking for wheels now and changing them when you find some replacements. The RH-5 were very popular and the Goodyear type are not always easy to find.