Has anyone had experience using new radial tires on old 17" split rims. I have 750 x 17 split rims on an old DIVCO milk truck and I would like a better ride.
I was going to do the same on my truck, but was told that the beads on the radials would not work on a split rim. When I am ready, I am going to get new hoops welded to the stock centres to get what I want Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I am thionking that where you will run into a problem is that the wheels on the divco are not a saftey rim and that all newer tires are designed with a saftey bead. This is not a voice of expertise just my thoughts on the subject. Something toi think about is that the truck used probably an 8 or 10 ply tire and this is where your rough ride came from not the fact that it is a bias ply, you may look for a 4 to 6 ply tire in the proper size. I would just about imagine it would be a difficult hunt but that the tire could be found in less plys if you look hard enough.
Well, first of all, Do you have the very old "split rim"? It looks like two almost identical halfs. These are very dangerous and should never be used for anything! Or do you have "split rings" These are an almost complete rim, with a narrow ring that, because of its shape, clips into the rim and the tire holds it on the rim. These are useable with the correct tire. (Not tubeless) Because you are using a tire and rim that are not designed to be used together, I suspect that the result when you air it up could be very dramatic, unfortunately for you, you will never get a chance to duck,and because you don't duck, you will never understand how foolish your idea was. BTW Make sure to tell your loved ones, what color/kind of flowers do you want on your coffin! If you think I'm being dramatic, call any tire manufacturer and ask! If you really want a better ride, work on the suspension, your money will be better spent. Edit: BTW Are you sure these are 17" rims, I remember a lot of 17.5" split ring rims in the late 50s-60s
Well of course the tire manufacturers will tell you that. And no...you can't put radial tires on a split ring wheel safely. If they are split rims, use them for bases for shop tools or volley ball poles.
I saw a guy in a truck stop one time. It was over almost before it began. Damm we hold alot of blood. Get other rims and make a grinder stand.
Most tire places will not work on split rims for good reason. Best advice you have been given is to ditch them and get modern safe rims.
To the best of my knowledge Divco's never had the so called widow maker almost identical half rims only true split rims - worked as a mechanic for a SoCal dairy during college. If the splits have the correct outside ring, are in good condition, and mounted correctly they are not an issue IMO. Not sure about the radial issue but seems that they should work as long as you are using tubes but again that's just my guess. As far as the 17.5 size issue, I thought that the .5 always meant tubeless (as in 16.5 and 19.5). If that is the case you couldn't have a 17.5 split rim but correct me if I'm wrong.
Not trying to get start a shit storm here but I've change a few tires on split rims. Although they are very dangerous, you can take some steps to make it slightly safer. I would definitely start with putting at least one chain around the rim, band, and tire. I've had one band let loose and it will scare the shit out of you but if its chained down it should stay out of the ceiling. That being said, if you could change to modern wheels, I definitely would. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
The biggest problem with a split rim is that you don't know if a previous tire changer damaged it when they worked on it. One PNW tire chain won't allow split rims in the shop period from the info I have and if you even roll one in the shop you are subject to being fired on the spot. It isn't about how many times some one has changed them or that your grandpa says they are great or that they are "original" it's about the safety of the guy changing the tire. For every guy who gets out the long air chuck and reaches around the tire from the back side with one lone hand in front of the tire there is that guy who squats down in front of the tire to air it up and gets hurt in the process because it didn't get put back together exactly right. Doubt that, walk around back behind a truck tire shop that's been there a while and take a look at the cage they air up the split rims in and take a close at those 2 inch pipes that run around it and notice that some of them are bent a bit out of shape.
Get some modern rims and spare yourself and others the danger. The local garage has a huge circular dent in the roof from where one tire change went badly. Fortunately, no one was injured in that incident.
Radial or bias ply will both work with split rim, the flap and tube need to be for radial as well and for gosh sake inspect the rim and ring for damage or bent section. I did see one of these blow apart and it was extreme. I did a lot of these without an issue, but would not attempt it without a good tire cage. That being said if the rim is a drop center or one of the rims that had the split in the actual rim avoid them at all costs.
Use your centers and get new hoops welded on, find a 16 or 17 inch truck tire you like and get hoops to match it.
I saw the after effects of a ring coming off one time---a perfect circular hole through a piece of 3/4" plywood. The tire had been mounted and placed in a tire rack for later use. Luckily, no one was near it when it let go. I agree with the others, you might be able to use them, but I wouldn't take a chance. The metal may be fatigued due to age and previous abuse. Weld new single piece hoops to your centers. Much safer in the long run.
I would say get modern rims. You're going to have a hard time finding a tire shop that'll touch split rims.
Are Split rims and wheels with LOCK RINGS the same or two different animals? lots of cars in the 1920's and 1930's had lock rings and I never knew them to have a problem. Bob
So much misinformation. I guess part of it is what do you call it. Are the Divco wheels like the middle or bottom ones on this page? http://s120.photobucket.com/user/50ChevyFrank/media/MISC/GM_split_rim.jpg.html My 50 Chevy 3/4-ton wheels are 15" like the middle ones. These wheels are quite safe if still in good condition, not bent or too rusted. I mounted new tires with tubes and flaps in my own garage. Any good farm or truck tire shop should be able to work on them as those types of wheels are still used.
I've worked on heavy trucks for 30+ years and mounted both bias ply and radial tires on split ring wheels. I have seen two incidents of the ring blowing off, one bias and one radial tire. The radial was contained by the cage and the bias was face down on dirt with a mechanic sitting in the center airing it up, he survived but went for quite a ride and spent a week in the hospital. Split ring wheels are safe with both types of tire if the proper precautions are taken but in your case I strongly suggest you either buy or have made some solid wheels with safety beads. Investigate what Pork and Beaner wrote about as far as the stiffness of the tires.
What he said, I've put radials on split ring wheels, but I also had a heavy cage and a hose that clipped on from the tire machine and filled it that way with a valve so my hand wasn't in the cage. You want to make sure your mating surfaces are free of rust and clean as well as I've heard that's a major cause of problems.
Inspection of lock ring type wheels is very important,making sur ethat rust and crap are not in the groove that the ring fits in and that the lip on the ring is all there and not partially rusted,another thing is DO NOT powder coat the mating points the grove and the lip of the ring,powder coating adds dimension to these areas and you don't get a precise fit of these parts. The wheels that come apart in the center are whats known as the widow makers or the Firestone R 5's,these are the ones that are real dangerous and tires shops will NOT work in these, I have a tire man that will work on them but he looks them over really good,he's been ta it for 30 years and didn't make it this long by not paying attention.