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I have a question about widow Maker tires. Since I got my truck I assumed that the tires were widow Makers and I works have to replace them. But i was working under my truck and saw that the tire was marked "tubeless steel belted radial" I thought widow Makers (and all Multi part tires) were tubed tires.
Is there anyway to know without taking them apart? Is there danger about widow Maker tires during inflation/deflation or can they fail at anytime?
Wow! Quite the setup you have there. None of the wheels I see pictured are widow-makers, instead, they are the lock ring type. One of them appears to be damaged though. These wheels are still considered serviceable, BUT with the correct tire. Your tubeless tires obviously have tubes in them.
Hopefully Truckdog will be along shortly to get you squared away.
Might help to know what truck we're looking at, and where you're located. Might be someone local to you that can help. Update your user CP.
Yeah, there is no such thing as a “widow maker” tire. The rims the tires mount on can be either the Firestone RH-5°, called the widow maker, or any of a variety of locking side ring rim designs. The ones you have pictured are locking side ring style. You would be wise to verify that the ones we can’t see are the same. Below is the RH-5° widow maker.
Yeah, there is no such thing as a “widow maker” tire. The rims the tires mount on can be either the Firestone RH-5°, called the widow maker, or any of a variety of locking side ring rim designs. The ones you have pictured are locking side ring style. You would be wise to verify that the ones we can’t see are the same. Below is the RH-5° widow maker.
ya its best not to run a radial tubeless tire with a tube,i never had a problem, but theres a possibility that it can heat up and you will have a flat/blowout,
ya its best not to run a radial tubeless tire with a tube,i never had a problem, but theres a possibility that it can heat up and you will have a flat/blowout,
I eventually want to replace all six tires with standard one piece tubeless tires. I am reasonably sure that this will require an axle swap or two :S
Below are the four mounted tires the two unmounted ones are behind a pile of boxes
You have 16 inch wheels on your 55 F350. Before I bought my 55 F350 I asked Stu about the wheels on it. I wasn't going to buy the truck if it had widow makers. He told me there are not and were not any 16 inch Widow Makers. So you're in the c!ear.
But it looks like you need a couple of new wheel studs.
I eventually want to replace all six tires with standard one piece tubeless tires. I am reasonably sure that this will require an axle swap or two.
No reason to replace axles. Beginning in 1956 there was a tubeless wheel/tire option available for DRW F-350s. The wheels are 17.5”, and 8-17.5” bias ply tubeless tires are being reproduced and readily available from Coker, Universal Vintage Tire, and others. I have a set of seven of the wheels available. Stu
Hey Guys. I just purchased a 1948/49 F5. I read a good bit online before the purchase about the rims. All that said, I was not sure whether my "new" truck wheels are of the widow maker type. Am I reading Stu's info correct that if the rims measure 22.5", that they are tubeless one piece wheels, not the tube, 2 piece "widow makers?" All the wheels on this F5 I have measure 22.5" if I measured right. I'm new to these trucks and may have misinterpreted the literature out there or measured wrong. I'm just not sure. Here's are pics of both the front and back wheels. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.
Widow makers, both. Most likely you are measuring from lip edge to lip edge. The size measurement is taken at the inner rim where the tire bead meets the flat of the rim, which in your case is 20”. Stu
Widow makers, both. Most likely you are measuring from lip edge to lip edge. The size measurement is taken at the inner rim where the tire bead meets the flat of the rim, which in your case is 20”. Stu
Thanks Stu. That's what I was afraid of. Well, the adventure begins!
Thanks Stu. That's what I was afraid of. Well, the adventure begins!
Going Green, welcome to FTE the best Ford truck Forum on the world wide web! You've come to the right place for help! And it's good that you already knew about WM wheels.
But you have to show us pictures of the truck. Maybe start a new thread .
Going Green, welcome to FTE the best Ford truck Forum on the world wide web! You've come to the right place for help! And it's good that you already knew about WM wheels.
But you have to show us pictures of the truck. Maybe start a new thread .
Thanks for the welcome. I am hoping to finish up the 1960 F100 I'm working on in the next couple months and then I need to figure out what to do with F5. The cab of the F5 was too clean (for a 70 year old truck) for me to pass up. Thankfully my better half was "okay" with this purchase. I am worried about the wheel issue from a cost standpoint. I need to find replacement wheels or decide on an acceptable axle swap. I'm in Iowa if someone reasonably close has leads. I'm open to options and ideas.
05-17-2018, 02:25 PM
