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Trying to find some good safe alternatives to the firestone rh5 widowmaker wheels. Are all two poece rims unsafe or is it just the one style? Do they make one piece rims as replacement? Any info appreciated thanks.
Did you read through the links to other threads, and links in those threads in your other thread?
You can find lock ring wheels for tube type tires or tubeless wheels, but it takes some looking and those threads and links will help;
The Firestone rh5 is the worst and most common. Wheels with split rings, as discussed in those threads, are safe if handled correctly. They do not have the inherent design flaw of the Firestones. Tubeless is the best alternative.
If you want to stay with tube type tires, you will get 20" wheels with the locking side rings like the military wheels in the prior links. You will need to find a truck tire shop to work on them. If you go with tubeless tires, you need new tires and will be getting a 22.5" wheel and probably a 9R 22.5 tire.
There are more tire and wheel threads and I will look for some more tomorrow.
Those will work. But looking at the picture of the silver painted wheel in your other thread, I don’t think that’s a widow maker. I think I see a seam along the side ring where it meets the base rim. More pictures might help. Stu
Look at the concave side and look for this joint. The raised band is the joint. The raised area seen in your other picture doesn’t look the same to me. Stu
To the OP: In the second wheel picture you posted, the concave side of the rear duals, there is some writing stamped into the wheel to the right of the valve stem in the picture. Can you get a close up shot of that?
It would be great if they aren't WM wheels....
Truckdog, aren't there other wheels with a similar, and similarly dangerous, design as the Firestone RH5?
Let’s bring the wheel pictures here where they belong.
Besides the look of the side ring, the concave side picture looks like the semi-drop center has an angle not seen on the RH-5°. Looks to me more like the below Accu-ride XL. Seldom do we come across these, if that is what they are. I also see what might be some trash weld on the concave side along the junction of the disc and rim. If that is what is there, no telling what somebody welded together here. The other thing different here are the shapes of the hand holes which are a more modern design. The earliest Accu-ride XL I have record of is 1973, and I think that’s probably what we have here. If so they are as safe as any locking side ring design. Service with a cage and normal safety precautions are needed.
Another design is the old Firestone/Kelsey Hayes “AR” design, but we’d see the third ring there. And the older hand hole shapes. These too are almost always on Chevies. Stu
To the OP: In the second wheel picture you posted, the concave side of the rear duals, there is some writing stamped into the wheel to the right of the valve stem in the picture. Can you get a close up shot of that?
It would be great if they aren't WM wheels....
Truckdog, aren't there other wheels with a similar, and similarly dangerous, design as the Firestone RH5?
I see what you are talking about I didnt see this post until now Ill check it out next time. it looks like a model number I even caught a part of it in the picture at the bottom of my last post
The molded in script should say that they are either 6.0” or 6.5” Firestone XL outer rims. On the face of a front wheel center disc should also be the wheel number. The 6.0” is 27099 and the 6.5” is 27100. Stu