The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts 20" rims on a '38 1 1/2 ton TB

Hi guys!
My truck appears all stock, it's running 6.50 x 20 tires. I'm not sure what I have for rims. Five hand holes, ten lug holes. There appears to be a rind around the bead area, but it's solid, no break in it as I've seen on other trucks. What might these be, two piece, three piece, single? I'm hoping a local shop can change them, but I have to wait a bit for the weather before I can remove them from my bolt. Any help, as always, greatly appreciated!
Tom

Two piece the ring has indentations that you use tire iron to lever it out of rim lip. Ring is solid. You may have difficulty locating indentations on ring until you deflate tires and wire brush ring and tap with hammer til you can spot them. My 38 had several of those type plus 3piece lock ring wheels.

Is this something I have a chance in my garage, or let a pro bust HIS knuckles?

You can do it if you are careful deflate tire before attempting anything. Shop Manuel likely will cover it. Check the links page for the online shop Manuel project. Tires may have grown to the rim and will give you a fit.Check my link that says Webshot photos. It will have an album titled lock ring wheels. There are pictures of 3 piece, 2 piece split lock ring wheels and solid lock ring wheels.

I saw the pics, I'm thinking mine are the two piece. I figure Ill put a few cables around through the hand holes, so if the ring flies, it won't go far. My '38 manual doesn't describe a procedure. After I pry off the ring, and replace the rubber parts, do you pry the ring back on?

Yes you fit the ring in slot most of the way around the wheel leaving slot area where you can get to it then pry it back into place. With tire deflated you should have no issue with the lock ring flying anywhere the danger is when you inflate the tire as the ring is seating itself.

The tire shop I use charges $25 to change out my '40 Chevy 1-1/2 Ton 20" Wheels/Tires. It is worth every penny, especially if you have old tires that have been on the rims for a while. I like to do most things myself, but this is one I would rather leave to someone else!

A few years back I busted apart 20+ 20" wheels. Doing a few is okay, but I hurt for days.

Our local place charges $16. I have more time than money so I did it myself.

The ring needs to be beaten down a good inch or so, there are two types of solid lock rings. One has the indent for the tire spoon that you can see, another has it under the tire rim edge where the ring seats. The second type isn't visible until you beat down the ring.

Once the ring is beaten down a bit, you will notice two areas on the ring eaxctly opposite of each other, at the point it seats against the rim, where the flange is non existant. This is the area where the ring will slide up and over the rim when removing.

It's not to complicated, but it takes a strong arm some tire spoons and a BFH to do it. The bead on the rim is the hardest part to break on very old, stubborn tires. I stuck one under a wood splitter once and couldn't brake it, another person I know put the tires on the truck and drove it without breaking the bead. Sometimes you have to resort to a grinder to cut the steel cables hich results in a hell of a mess and a lot of smoke.

Jeff

Well, broke down one tire off the rim, three are being rather recalcitrant. Got the ring off, but, like a few here said, that's just the beginning of the battle! Oddly enough, we found a tire iron that fits perfectly, made the first part easy!

There is some rust, (suprise!)I was thinking of getting them sandblasted and paint them before putting the new rubber on. Any thoughts? Anything I should do, or avoid doing?

Ok, got four out of six tires dismounted. Going to check on getting the rims sand blasted tomorrow. Hopefully be on the road mid-May. Has anyone has a set of rims powdercoated? Worth it?

I had the rims on my COE powder coated. They were are also 20" rims. It cost me $50 per wheel to have them blasted and coated in silver and then again in clear, which I thought was fair. The only problem I see is if I ever need to touch them up, I will have a very hard time doing it. On the up side, when the tires were mounted they barely scratched the coating, its very tough stuff.
Scott

Before sending for sand blasting, make absolutely sure the lip on the ring and rim is okay and solid. I'd hate to see the money spent and have the tire guys refuse to put tires on them.

I have been a loud advocate against powder coating multiple piece rims due to the fact that they can be scratched and chipped when installing tires. I have since changed my mind and plan on having mine done for my COE someday when I find a matching set... They do make a spray for touching up powder coating, but I doubt it's available in all the colors of powder they offer.

One of my greenhouse frames is made of powder coated aluminum and I have a small spray can of material for touching up small nicks and scratches. I assume it's fairly toxic stuff.

Jeff

They are getting sand blasted tomorrow, I think I'll go with paint for now, see if I need to fix anything else first, powdercoat was $75 per....California, so anything that works is illegal!