16" Split rims,,,worth anything?
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Lead Driver
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,712
Likes: 1,029
From: Near Yosemite CA
16" Split rims,,,worth anything?
So I bought a 68 F250, 360, 3 on the tree! Has the original (I think) 16" split rims. Are these worth anything to restorers, or just scrap metal?!
Thanks
Joe
Thanks
Joe
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 14,255
Likes: 199
From: Phoenix, Az.
2X Orich. Back in about 1973 when I was a tire buster at a Firestone store I wasn't ALLOWED to work with split rims. Few guys did Back Then. Let alone now. You'd prolly have to go to some place that changes semi tires. Put them in our Marketplace or Scrap Them!
Hotshot
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 14,255
Likes: 199
From: Phoenix, Az.
They were 2 pieces. 1st being the wheel and inner rim assembly. The tire would slide on to this. Then the 2nd being the outer "rim" which had a "split" in it so you could mount it to the appropriate channel in the outer part of the wheel. Starting with one side of the split one would work the rim around the wheel much like installing rings on a piston. The dangerous part comes in when one is filling the air in the tire. If the rim wasn't installed exactly right, it comes loose when the tire is almost full of air, and it hits you there is guaranteed broken bones.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,027
Likes: 5
From: Garner NC
Still have them on mine because alternatives are hard to find. The big truck shops are the only ones that will work on these, and they leave it up to their tire guy to determine if they are serviceable or not. They were used for decades and got a bad rap because people do not ensure they have proper tire pressure, allow their tires to get waaaaaaay too old and also let them rust. They are still wanted if they are in good condition. Look for a buyer.
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Logistics Pro
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 4,371
Likes: 7
From: PA
not to desirable to many people.have to find the right person at the right time thats looking for a set. otherwise great for scrap metal and tires just to have for moving things around the yard.
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Tuned
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 384
Likes: 2
From: Olympic Peninsula
Still have them on mine because alternatives are hard to find. The big truck shops are the only ones that will work on these, and they leave it up to their tire guy to determine if they are serviceable or not. They were used for decades and got a bad rap because people do not ensure they have proper tire pressure, allow their tires to get waaaaaaay too old and also let them rust. They are still wanted if they are in good condition. Look for a buyer.
Well if I weren't scared before I sure as hell am now, 'cause I'm getting ready to replace my rusty split rims that have really old tires mounted on them...now I don't even want to touch them or even get near them. Is it safe to remove them myself still when they look terribly rusted?
Lead Driver
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 7,592
Likes: 10
From: **** hole San Jose ca.
The scary part was only inflating them and seeing if the rim will hold in it's seat slot for the first air up.
Service stations used a square roll into cage box to catch the rim from traveling across a room.
So deflate some air if your worried about them..
Orich
Service stations used a square roll into cage box to catch the rim from traveling across a room.
So deflate some air if your worried about them..
Orich
Laughing Gas
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,027
Likes: 5
From: Garner NC
The Widow maker moniker comes from two places: one; unsafe air-up where the tech didn't use the cage or more modernly the safety chains and the ring launched because of a bad seat or deterioration, and two; low air pressure, bad tire or any combination of the same on a loaded truck, usually in a turn, the wheel may self-disassemble. Neither of those conditions are you just pulling them off the truck. But it is a good idea to drop the pressure first like Orich said. And surface rust is nothing. They have to be really pitted in the seat and on the tang to be dangerous. They would really look like they sat half in a stream for years to truly be scrap only. Look for the break in the ring. If it's a hairline then they are probably just fine. Post a pic.
Tuned
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 384
Likes: 2
From: Olympic Peninsula
Yeah, see, I'm very weary of them. The plan is to register the truck next week and drive it to work where I can swap my rims & tires, but it's almost too sketchy for me to get close to the rims and use and air gun on the lugs...
Tuned
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 466
Likes: 10
From: Albuquerque, NM
Back in the '70's and early '80's I was a "tire man". I even had my own service truck issued to me. I worked on split rims almost daily. The rims you show in the pictures look very unsafe to me. There is a lip or indention on the rim that the ring fits into. It appears that the contact on that lip has been compromised due to rust. Back then we would swing a hammer to break the bead. A hammer hitting on the rusted steel wheel (and ring) could easily damage it further. I'm glad I don't do that for a living anymore.