g741.org

I finally got around to demounting the tire from the spare rim I had bought at the Aberdeen show last year. A man up the road form me who is also into MV's literally gave me a half decent 9.00X16 NDT when I mentioned tires one day. Not having proper tire demounting tools, I used the next best thing, sawzall, crowbar, and big screw driver. I had at least the knowledge of how to do it from back when I hired a guy to demount and mount my good tires a couple years ago. I was surprised that I was able to get the split ring off pretty easily, and without any damage to it.

Man was that old tire rotten too. The saw at through the sidewalls like they were butter, even the thicker areas. Now I need to decide whether to blast the rim(I had heard this may not be a good idea), or to use a wirewheel to get the rust off. The all I need is a new tube and flap and I am ready to go. Will probably get the guy who demounted my old tires to remount the one I have.

Fun, aren't they?
I now have mounting down to a science..so to speak..it involves a 5lb dead blow, me sitting on the ring and a prybar. Did my last two tires 15 minutes each.

Yeah, I don't think remounting will be a big deal. I am just leary when it comes to airing up a tire. I've heard those horror stories of mechanics, etc getting their heads taken off when a ring that wasn't seated right let go on them. I watched the guy who did my tires do it, and he took no precautions and hadn't a care in the world while he aired them up again. I stood behind my other truck in case one of the rings went sky high, but they didn't . If yo uhave any tips there, let me know. I'll go to the guy I hired before, but would rather not spend the money for one tire if I don't have to.

I have sand blasted rims as well as wire wheeling them and sand is much faster if a large commercial unit is used, otherwise, using a small one, it takes about the same time as with a whire wheel and sanding disks but sand blasting gives more tooth for the paint to grip thus a better bond.
I wheeled this one several days ago, welded up a couple deep rust pits, ground them down and sanded everything and now have it primed and painted in OD but no pix of the finished rim yet.

Looks good Carter,
Nice Work,

I once worked as a mechanic for an over-the road trucking company and the shop policy was "automatic termination" for anyone airing up a just-assembled split-rim w/o a tire cage. Don't do this w/o at least weaving a heavy chain in and out through the rim and around the ring if you absolutely have to air one up yourself. Some tire shops will let you air one up for free in their cage just for safety's sake.
Gary

Cal_Gary wrote:I once worked as a mechanic for an over-the road trucking company and the shop policy was "automatic termination" for anyone airing up a just-assembled split-rim w/o a tire cage. Don't do this w/o at least weaving a heavy chain in and out through the rim and around the ring if you absolutely have to air one up yourself. Some tire shops will let you air one up for free in their cage just for safety's sake.
Gary

Better safe than sorry!

Cal_Gary wrote:I once worked as a mechanic for an over-the road trucking company and the shop policy was "automatic termination" for anyone airing up a just-assembled split-rim w/o a tire cage.

The B. F. Goodrich tire shop I worked for right out of high school had the same policy. Why?? Because the "rumored" beheading actually happened there once. I had one rim "come unglued" while airing it up and it scared the sh!t out of me even though it was in the cage. I wasn't hurt, but 2 of the 1" steel bars of the cage were badly bowed after the incident.

You know I been changing tractor tires and 3 piece rims since 1960, and if every guy who got beheaded by a rim that I heard about in that time was assembled in the same place there would be a damn cavalry troop of headless horsemen.

92.4689% of splitrim storys are bullcrap and I didn't make that statistic up.
Grab a needle scaler and clean the ring and groove. If they don't look right, get a replacement.

As far as breaking them goes, a clayspade hammer with a slightly reworked rock chisel can't be beat.

Nick,

The Budd wheels are Goodyear LTS design, and different/safer than a "split rim" like on an old big rig 18 wheeler. As long as your ring is seated correctly and it is not cracked or damaged you will be fine. Naturally, air the wheel up slowly and don't keep your face by rim. I have a commercial tire chuck with a 45 degree head, so I stood next to the tire and aired it up from the inboard side of the rim with the ring facing away. I wrapped a chain around the rim and tire while inflating in case something did happen to be safe.

m-37Bruce wrote:Looks good Carter,
Nice Work,

Thanks Bruce, every day I try to do something M37 related, keeps me out of trouble and at home.

With all the dangers associated with inflating newly mounted tires I have developed a safe way to do it without hurting my self. For $2. I hire the 12 yr. old kid from across the street, dress him in an old football helmet, hockey mask and gloves and have him hold the air hose with a pair of BBQ tongs. His always drunk mother doesn't mind as long as I give her the usual bottle of Gin to keep her happy and the hold harmless agreement she signs and dates has held up in court so far. After I set him to work I hide in the basement until I hear the loud BOOM or he knocks on the window giving me the all clear. We only had one mishap but he says he is right handed anyway and doesn't miss that left one and he seems to do ok with the hook I made in the shop to replace the missing one.
So, folks If you are going to do your own tire work, stay safe.

Stop! You're cracking me up!

Actually, the above cited "statistic" could be correct, but it only takes one time...!

"Stop! You're cracking me up! "

Thanks Chuck, I'm glad someone understands my post was just for laughs although tire work is anything but a joke esp. when one takes someones head off. My friend Paul Hahn was almost killed when one let go and and the ring hit him in the head and he was not using the cage. He was out of work for almost a year and was never the same when he did return to work and retired on a medical disability after a couple of months.

Hey, wait a minute, I lived in Frederick, MD and thought you were describing my old neighbor.... could have been a true story for that matter!