The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Tons 'o Fun What can I use to replace 18" split rim wheels ?

Just, bought a 54 Chevy 3800 one ton and really do not want to mess with the 18" split rim wheels currently on it. I recently tryed a set of 16" dually wheels from a modern era one ton, they fit fine in the front but not on the rear due the rear brake drums 16" diameter. Does anyone have any reasonable advise for this problem ?
If there is no solution to this, does anyone know of a place that can refurbish the original 18" wheels ?

Some of your answers are in here
http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/wheels/

In my opinion the best replacement wheels for your truck are 8 lug 19.5" tubeless wheels often found on GM step vans. they are out there but may take some searching.
When you get them some 8R19.5 tires are about right.

Grigg

I just did six of these . You probably have the same (only a little differant style) three piece wheels even if not for a dual wheel truck. They are not the true splits your refering to. These are easy to remove and replace and with some caution are safe to change.

Bruce

Whoah! on those replacements!
I just bought brand new 18" tires from Specialty Tires of America.
I have six tires, and the price was very reasonable.
After power wire brushing my rims very thoroughly, then rust converting, priming and painting the rims, inner rims and lock rings to perfection, I went looking for some place to mount the tires for me.
Everything I had read scared the crap out of me about split rims.
My 54 1 1/2 ton has a three piece type rim using a square section lock ring.
The truck tire place quoted me $100/per wheel.
I looked up on the internet and saw a youtube video of a guy beating the crap out of some Chevy rims with a sledge hammer to change the tires. I was devastated, being a skinny little guy. After reading horrible accounts of leg and arm losses, I decided to try to do the job myself, in my shop.
The big job was fitting the innertube into the empty tire. Next the inner rubber rim boot was fitted inside the tire too.The valve had to be pulled through to keep it poking out. The tire was placed over the rim so that the valve lines up with the hole. With the outer flange removed, the tire drops nicely on the rim. I walked on the sides of the tire while it was on the floor exerting my 135lbs on the side walls.
Next, I put the rim flange on, pressing the flange well on with my sneakers and body weight. The lock ring was placed with one end in the groove and worked along by stepping on the rim flange until it was all in place and "clicked" down into the seat.
I then rolled it across the floor, turned the lock ring side to the wall, and gingerly applied the air.
I have now painlessly mounted all the tires, and have fallen in love with the simplest, and easiest safe system for mounting truck tires ever. There is no sweat, or mess except reading the propaganda.
You would have to have totally rusted out eight stud hole rims to want to change these guys. These are the square section lock ring type that I am advocating as terrific!
Cheers Warren

Bruce,
I agree with you totally. I love the three piece split rims. They are easier than bicycle ties to change.
Taking the old tires off consists of letting the air out, removing the Schreader valve from the inner tube, and then placing four big "C"clamps on the sidewalls squashing the tire flat, tapping the inner rim with a rubber hammer knocking it further down in, then removing the lock ring. Next remove the inner ring gently. Then push out the rim by elevating the tire assembly on a few blocks and standing on the rim.
There should not be a single hammer mark on any of the paint.
You don't need special tools, just a pair of comfortable sneakers.
No wonder those guys in Mexico held on to their old Chevies, they could look after them themselves.
Cheers Warren

At a recent truck show a fella had a 1946 3/4 ton fkat bed truck. He mounted radials on the original lock ring rims...and then placed three small spot welds around the lockrings to the rims as a precaution. He said he has been driving with radials on these rims for years. To change he just grinds off the spot welds.

What are your thoughts about this...outside of grinding and messing up a small area of paint?

Probably not the best idea.
If you've ever seen a wheel blow up you'd know that a couple spot welds won't do much...
Tire explosion video

And then there's welding on wheels, have a look at this!!!
Welding on wheels

Grigg

yep.

Talcum powder(baby suppies) helps a lot, must explain perfume to spouse, however.

The comment above about "beating the crap out of the tire" with a sledgehammer shows a woeful ignorance of what's really going on. Most of us "experienced" tire busters know how to use that spoon-shaped hammer to separate the bead from the rim flanges with little or no rim damage, and minimal energy expended. The 4-foot-long slide hammer works better, however, if the budget will allow the purchase of one. They're not cheap!

I've found that a good alternative to hammering is using the base of my high-lift jack between the tire and the front axle of my tractor. Pushing the bead down in 2 or 3 places gives enough room to remove the bead ring. This process also works on tubeless tires on drop-center rims. Until I can get my pneumatic tire changer back in service in the new shop, I change tires with the old fashioned pry bar method.
Jerry

Good evening!

Assuming you end up changing to something different (probably 19.5") what do you plan on doing with your 18" rims? I've been looking for a good set and might be interested in acquiring yours.

Thanks,

Steven