Split rims
- Thread starter l1a1man
- Start date
Butch11443
Senior Member
THEY ARE DANGEROUS!!! Take them to some that knows what they are doing. They are know to blow apart and kill people.
Butch
Butch
truckdog62563
Well-known member
Yeah, that says it in a nut shell. But if you're like me you'll want some explanation. In my old wheel references the '35/'36 Model 51s are shown to use either 20" x 5" (3.75") or 20" x 6" (4.33") wheels and rims having 5 lug x 8" bolt pattern that was introduced in 1934. The measurements in parentheses are using the new National Wheel and Rim Association (NWRA) rim width measurement standard while the others are using the obsolete NWRA standard. I'll explain below why this matters.
It's important to realize when dealing with these old trucks that wheels could have gotten damaged and replaced over the service life of the vehicle. So what came on the truck may be long gone, and you'll have to deal today with what you've got.
The original wheels were made and sold by the Budd Company, but had outer rims made by either Firestone or Goodyear. In your case it looks like the dominant rim design was called a Firestone "RH" that featured a solid/continuous unbroken locking ring. The "RH"/"RI"/"RIP" rim/ring combos are the most challenging to work on because the ring must be forced past the lip of the rim when mounting. Too aggressive or meat handed treatment will bend or break them, then you're in deep trouble. On the good side, this rim/ring design was a dominant style and was used up into the 1950s. I have a NOS 20" x 5" (new NWRA standard) with an "RH" rim that is date coded 9/53. My point is that you should be able to find an "old guy" service tech that knows how to handle them. If your truck has had wheels replaced, you many find that you have a mix of different rim/ring designs. It is imparative that your service tech keep the ring/rim sets together. Even different widths of the same rim design used differently numbered rings. Mix-matching rim/ring designs can be deadly.
Below I'll link some pictures of the "RH"/"RI"/"RIP" design since it's the most likely you'll have and the most challenging you'll face. I'll also try to link a current OSHA references that show proper service tech handling of multi-part rims.
First is the RH/RI ring. This will be confusing, but of the RH wheels I've pulled apart, even my NOS wheel, they've had RI rings. The catalogs show that the RH was used with the Budd style wheel, while the RI was a demountable rim like used on Dayton applications. In this one instance the rings appear to have been interchanged on like width rims. The RIP, however, was used on smaller diameter wheels as best I can tell. I have a set of these in a 16" size.
Now an old thread from FTE where I linked in two OSHA web sites. The first covers the service procedures and the second covers the risks of mix-matching rim/ring designs. Stu
http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/686250-multi-part-wheel-safety-osha-documents.html#post5470496
It's important to realize when dealing with these old trucks that wheels could have gotten damaged and replaced over the service life of the vehicle. So what came on the truck may be long gone, and you'll have to deal today with what you've got.
The original wheels were made and sold by the Budd Company, but had outer rims made by either Firestone or Goodyear. In your case it looks like the dominant rim design was called a Firestone "RH" that featured a solid/continuous unbroken locking ring. The "RH"/"RI"/"RIP" rim/ring combos are the most challenging to work on because the ring must be forced past the lip of the rim when mounting. Too aggressive or meat handed treatment will bend or break them, then you're in deep trouble. On the good side, this rim/ring design was a dominant style and was used up into the 1950s. I have a NOS 20" x 5" (new NWRA standard) with an "RH" rim that is date coded 9/53. My point is that you should be able to find an "old guy" service tech that knows how to handle them. If your truck has had wheels replaced, you many find that you have a mix of different rim/ring designs. It is imparative that your service tech keep the ring/rim sets together. Even different widths of the same rim design used differently numbered rings. Mix-matching rim/ring designs can be deadly.
Below I'll link some pictures of the "RH"/"RI"/"RIP" design since it's the most likely you'll have and the most challenging you'll face. I'll also try to link a current OSHA references that show proper service tech handling of multi-part rims.
First is the RH/RI ring. This will be confusing, but of the RH wheels I've pulled apart, even my NOS wheel, they've had RI rings. The catalogs show that the RH was used with the Budd style wheel, while the RI was a demountable rim like used on Dayton applications. In this one instance the rings appear to have been interchanged on like width rims. The RIP, however, was used on smaller diameter wheels as best I can tell. I have a set of these in a 16" size.
Now an old thread from FTE where I linked in two OSHA web sites. The first covers the service procedures and the second covers the risks of mix-matching rim/ring designs. Stu
http://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/686250-multi-part-wheel-safety-osha-documents.html#post5470496
truckdog62563
Well-known member
You might try an ag shop. These rims were used in big numbers on farm implements. Stu
1931 flamingo
Well-known member
I believe that big truck shops used steel "cages" when they inflated the tire. If these are what i think they are, they could also be referred to as 'widowmakers".
Paul in CT
Paul in CT
expavr
Well-known member
Any tire shop that services large trucks should be able to help you with the locking ring type of wheel and that includes the split locking ring. Our company's truck tire vendor mounted the tires on the 17" wheels on my 40 Tonner. I would recommend that you get the locking rings magnafluxed before you go to the expense of buying the tires. Out of 8 locking rings that I had 2 were unusable due to hairline cracks.
If your wheel is a true split rim style I doubt you'll find anyone to service them. I'm led to believe that DOT banned them for on highway use several years ago.
If your wheel is a true split rim style I doubt you'll find anyone to service them. I'm led to believe that DOT banned them for on highway use several years ago.
truckdog62563
Well-known member
Agree with the magnaflux suggestion. I just swapped out several of my RHP rings because they looked like noodles. If you find that some of your rings are bad, you'll be in a jam finding the exact correct replacement rings, again back to the subject of mix-matching. If the truck does have the true widow maker Firestone "RH-5°" style rims that split down the middle of the rim, it's because the originals were replaced over the life of the truck. Widow makers didn't come on the market until the late 1940s.
And as far as I've found, the federal government has never outlawed the RH-5° rims. There was a recall effort back in the 1970s that failed, and resulted only in OSHA requiring additional training and posters on shop walls (lame), but nothing more than that. I have heard, though, that some states have outlawed them, and in-fact will confiscate them if brought in for service. Below are pics of the RH-5°.
And as far as I've found, the federal government has never outlawed the RH-5° rims. There was a recall effort back in the 1970s that failed, and resulted only in OSHA requiring additional training and posters on shop walls (lame), but nothing more than that. I have heard, though, that some states have outlawed them, and in-fact will confiscate them if brought in for service. Below are pics of the RH-5°.
blucar
Well-known member
The infamous split rim is actually the type of rim shown in above quote.. The more common split/locking-ring type was used up through the 1980's on many trucks and HD pickups through the mid '70's.
Ford seemed to like the split rims on their F-500 and larger trucks in the mid '50's.
My daughter and son-in-law have three grain trucks, Ford '52-56 on their farm up in central Montana, all of which have the split rims.
It is very true that several people did get hurt with rims coming apart, and/or the lock ring coming off because it was not properly seated.
The average tire store will generally not work on the truck wheels, however, tire stores that work on truck tires will generally work on them.
truckdog62563
Well-known member
The original of the diagram BobC posted is mine. I scanned it from one of my catalogs, and it is the same as I posted in the photographs.
Regarding blucar's post, split ring wheels are still in production, and in use, today for many OTR applications. The widow maker split rim (RH-5°) was first produced in the late 1940s and was still listed in catalogs through 1976. The only part of the recall effort that succeeded was agreement reached with the wheel manufacturers to cease its production. This was to occur in 1972, and was complied with by Budd and Motor Wheel Corporation, but Kelsey-Hayes continued selling them through 1976 (per my catalogs, or 1977 based on the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety [IIHS] archives). Ford's strong relationship with Firestone resulted in a much greater exposure to the widow maker than occurred with the other truck companies. Most of the F-3 and larger trucks starting in 1948 were equipped with them. There are exceptions, primarily after the 1956 introduction of 17.5", 19.5", and 22.5" tubeless one piece wheels. Stu
Regarding blucar's post, split ring wheels are still in production, and in use, today for many OTR applications. The widow maker split rim (RH-5°) was first produced in the late 1940s and was still listed in catalogs through 1976. The only part of the recall effort that succeeded was agreement reached with the wheel manufacturers to cease its production. This was to occur in 1972, and was complied with by Budd and Motor Wheel Corporation, but Kelsey-Hayes continued selling them through 1976 (per my catalogs, or 1977 based on the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety [IIHS] archives). Ford's strong relationship with Firestone resulted in a much greater exposure to the widow maker than occurred with the other truck companies. Most of the F-3 and larger trucks starting in 1948 were equipped with them. There are exceptions, primarily after the 1956 introduction of 17.5", 19.5", and 22.5" tubeless one piece wheels. Stu
truckdog62563
Well-known member
The RIP, however, was used on smaller diameter wheels as best I can tell. I have a set of these in a 16" size.
I'd edit this but it wouldn't correct the record. A member did me a private message asking about his RIP rims. Made me realize my above statement that the RIP came only in smaller sizes isn't correct. It's the RHPs that were in smaller sizes. The RIPs were used on the full range of sizes. Stu