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Widow-makers

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Old Dec 18, 2012 | 07:53 AM
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Widow-makers

What is the best way to remove fully-inflated tire from widow-maker rims?(besides very carfully and the way that it dosnt kill you.)
 
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Old Dec 18, 2012 | 07:55 AM
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let a professional do it in a cage. Would not touch them at all, personally They will KILL you

JimG
 
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Old Dec 18, 2012 | 07:55 AM
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have someone you don't like do it
 
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Old Dec 18, 2012 | 07:56 AM
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I think I am misunderstanding your question. Do you want to unmount the tire from the rim or get the wheel off the truck?

Either way I think you should deflate the tire first, especially if the rim is rusty or you don't know the history.
 
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Old Dec 18, 2012 | 07:57 AM
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Jim is right it is nothing to take lightly
 
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Old Dec 18, 2012 | 08:08 AM
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Secure chains around it. Remove valve core. Get away.
Come back when it's done equilibrated.

Many valve caps have a soft rubber cover over a brass core removal tool.
My older son and I just broke six tires off the rims safely. We now run AWS's lock ring wheels and new rubber.
 
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Old Dec 18, 2012 | 08:11 AM
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Originally Posted by MarkG.
What is the best way to remove fully-inflated tire from widow-maker rims?(besides very carfully and the way that it dosnt kill you.)
BTW: deflate prior to -any- attempt to remove from rims.
Many folks prefer to deflate prior to removal from axles.
 
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Old Dec 18, 2012 | 08:15 AM
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I want to remove the rims off the truck and the tires off the rims. (And Im not taking it lightley. I guess its just a poor attempt at humor.)
 
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Old Dec 18, 2012 | 08:25 AM
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Ditto all that's been said. Let air out while they are still mounted on the truck. I would add that standing off to one side, out of line of fire of a rear dual, is most critical. While fronts and inner duals will blow in, you could still get injured by an old dead tire if it comes apart in the process. So I'd say pull the valve cores one by one and get outta the way. Stu
 
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Old Dec 18, 2012 | 02:15 PM
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Originally Posted by JimG1098
let a professional do it in a cage. Would not touch them at all, personally They will KILL you

JimG
The PROBLEM with this suggestion is that nearly every professional will refuse to touch them. When I swapped out my wiowmakers, I contacted every truck tire shop within 200 miles and none of them even wanted the truck on their property with widowmakers on it.

Originally Posted by thomabb
I think I am misunderstanding your question. Do you want to unmount the tire from the rim or get the wheel off the truck?

Either way I think you should deflate the tire first, especially if the rim is rusty or you don't know the history.
Originally Posted by The Horvaths
BTW: deflate prior to -any- attempt to remove from rims.
Many folks prefer to deflate prior to removal from axles.
WRONG, DO NOT DEFLATE before removing from the vehicle as while deflating is the MOST dangerous time. While mounted on the truck you will not be able to wrap a chain of sufficient capacity through a hand hole and around the tire. As long as they are inflated, remove carefully, then wrap a chain tightly through the hand hole and around the tire as tightly as possible, doing at least two hand holes.
 
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Old Dec 18, 2012 | 02:33 PM
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Just curious, once the WM are removed, what is the disposal procedure? I'm thinking that they can still "blow up" at any time, especially during handling, correct?

To those that had WM and were successful in removing them, what did you do with them afterwards? How/where did you dispose of them?
 
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Old Dec 18, 2012 | 02:50 PM
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The ones I've pulled apart have all had dead tires, or I just sacrificed the tires. So once the air has been released and the wheels safely off the truck, I use a sawzall to cut the tires off, then have pulled them apart to get the beads off. Then it's off I go to the recyclers. Tires go to a big truck shop near here, and wheels to the crusher. Stu
 
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Old Dec 18, 2012 | 03:19 PM
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Just curious, once the WM are removed, what is the disposal procedure? I'm thinking that they can still "blow up" at any time, especially during handling, correct?

To those that had WM and were successful in removing them, what did you do with them afterwards? How/where did you dispose of them?


At least one of mine will have second life as a fire ring. I never throw anything away that I don't later regret. Once the air pressure is gone the biggest danger is mashing a toe if it falls on your foot.
 
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Old Dec 19, 2012 | 05:07 PM
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Just curious, has anyone here actually experienced a problem with the widow makers?
I have them on my 48 F-3 and just installed new tires on them

Ed
 
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Old Dec 19, 2012 | 05:18 PM
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Earlier this year I sold a set of 19.5" tubeless wheels to a new F-4 owner. As he was loading his new treasure on the trailer it blew an inner dual WM. Scared sin out of him, thankful it blew inward toward the truck instead of blowing an outer dual out away from the truck. His first act was to buy wheels. All my WMs, I have several, sit with no air in them. Stu
 
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