Spare tire fixed...

[Cal_Gary]

So I finally ran down a truck tire shop here in Salt Lake City that had the tools and expertise to dismount my flat spare NDT, installed my new tube, reused the existing flap, mounted and aired it up for under $20 which I consider a great bargain at today's labor prices. Glad to have a functional spare since I'm now driving around a bit. I suppose it won't be much longer before we have to purchase the equipment ourselves in order to service our trucks. Interestingly, the tire shop that turned my drums last year doesn't handle split rims and knew of no place that did, so I will educate them during my next visit.
Gary

[T. Highway]

That was a bargain all day long Gary. I'm lucky that we still have several truck repair and tire shops along the interstate that service split rims in the shop an mobile.

Bert

[just me]

No one around here will do split rims. (Except the forklift shops) most tire shops around here WILL do split ring or GYSR wheels. Make sure you ask if the do safety ring wheels or they will say no.

[M37N55]

For those of you that need split rim work... look for a Mining town. Where I live the GoodYear dealer handles it cause he does all the split rims for the MIne.

Hope that helps.

Shane

[52 M-42]

In most places, you have to go to the industrial district or commercial trucking service area to find shops to do "split rims" or "spring ring" wheels. The local passenger tire shops don't have the safety cages needed for inflation even if they have the tools to break down the tire and rim.

Besides being dangerous, it's a lot of work, and the older I get the lazier I am.

[Jess]

I am having some wheels redone ready for new tires. I dropped 6 of them off yesterday and picked them up today. We junked the old tires and most of the flaps and tubes. $25 a wheel, which was worth it all considered. The shop does a lot on industrial stuff and the tire guy who did the work explained what was required to break them down. They have a press ring to break the bead which is sometimes an issue for hand tools. After they come back from the blasting shop, I'll get the new tires, flaps and tubes mounted at the same place. Like Storm, I'm past wanting to do it all by myself even if I could. I was not expecting the rims to be in as good condition as they turned out to be, after 63 years. I have more to do, once I see how these turn out. They will also be going to the shop.

Jess

[Kaegi]

if any of you live in states that have les schwab stores they will do them

[Jess]

I use KAL Tire, who are in most cities and towns in western Canada. They do industrial and logging tires and have the expertise and right tools. I have not found any tire shops around here that will blast and paint wheels but there are businesses for that here too. I'm having mine epoxy primed and will finish painting them after the tires are mounted.

Jess

[F18hornetm]

All my MVs have lock band rims, split rims, to me are the really old ones that have a seem in the middle and the 2 pieces of the rim lock together. Lock band rims are a piece of cake to change. Once the bead is broken like any other tire, pry off lock band and tire and tube will slide off. The safety part of a lock band rim is making sure the band is in groove when airing up. The way to do this is put some air in it, just a little, then tap with a hammer around the rim. You can see if its uneven or not locked in. I have changed 100's of these type wheels. Thanks to 4 yrs in the Marines and lots of old farm trucks.
In the Marines in the field, we would slide them under the truck to blow up since we didn't have a cage. also 2 short pieces of chain will work through the rim and around, as will a loader bucket sitting on top.
nothing to be afraid of just use common sense. Do we have any idea of how many millions of these types of wheels have been changed??

[Jess]

You are correct regarding the split rims. I'm not even sure that they are road legal any more. The lock ring wheels on our M37s and a lot of other heavy vehicles have been in reliable service for years. If the ring is properly seated, there is little danger but if not.... I have done them myself but the ones I had the tire shop take care of had not been touched in over 30 years. I was pleasantly surprised by the good condition of mine once we had the tires off. I expected a lot more rust and pitting but there was virtually none. I have to tools to do them myself but as the years go along, there are things that I decide to farm out. They make people for changing tires... Just not me anymore.

Jess

[Cal_Gary]

Good to know about Les Schwab-we have them here in Utah-had no idea they'd handle our rims.
Gary

[F18hornetm]

Jess, I agree with you on letting someone else do it. A good tire man, is a tough job. Most people don't understand that and I'm not talking about car tires. Rather, truck and equipment tires. I do change my own but I have an advantage. Where I work we have a machine that will change any truck tire. I don't work in a tire shop but rather an electric utility fleet shop and we change most of our own. Roll it over to the machine and it picks it up and breaks the bead.. easy. But when I retire, I can imagine letting someone else do it. Or my friends back at the shop!

[just me]

All the Discount Tire locations can do them. They just won't mount old tires. (Over 7 years old)

[Hal O'Peridol]

Les Schwab out here in northern WA will not touch the M37 rims.