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Two of my Budd wheels had 6 metal clips equally spaced around the inboard side of the rim opposite the lock ring. They are between the bead and the rim. They are about 1.000" wide, about 5.00" long with a .250" hole in the tab that clips over the rim lip. What are these? I do not have them on my two other wheels? They appear to maybe be there to help break the bead ? I see nothing illistrated in my parts breakdown for these? Nor do I see vendors selling them. Are they necessary:?

It sounds like they're the retaining clips for wheel-balancing weights. I'd guess that the wheel was balanced a long time ago and the lead weights have fallen off along the way, leaving only the steel clips.

That would make sense. I don't see what else they could do. The metal clips are too thin to have anything to do with wheel integrity. Thanks Lifer:)

They are for retaining the lock ring. It was a grand idea originally that was worthless. Hence most were eliminated at the first wheel change and "lost" Since they were so worthless nobody bothered stocking them. In fact they make "traditional tire changing" a pain. If you have them wait till they fall off or you change the tire and then pitch them. I don't think even the "pure restorers" both with them

That explains why I never encountered them on any other truck so far. My buddies M37 does not have them nor did the civilian Power Wagon I saw this weekend. It was a mystery until now. I won't worry then about finding replacements. Thanks for the help DAP

...and I learned another interesting bit of mechanical lore. Thanks from me, too, DAP.

So the theory is that as the tire was aired down it would keep tension on the ring so it couldn't pop out or the groove. Sort of an early version of bead locks. Yeah right, but it didn't really work. OK so I have also been told that if you find a tire with them on it is likely an original tire from the factory. Well hold your horses because another story is that some select individuals in charge who are rather "retentive" could insist that when tires were changed the "locks" were reused or replaced so . . . . . . if your tire date would suggest that it isn't an original tire then maybe the other story is true. A friend of mine, Andy Hinson found an entire bucket full of these clips and I compared them to the M37 clip I found on an old tire and they were to big so . . . I think they go on a bigger tire. That suggests to me that the M37 was not the only tire size this kind of clip was used on. However maybe that is something that the Duece guys can dig into and comment on. I don't know. Thus endeth the worthless trivia lesson for the day LOL