Notices
1948 - 1956 F1, F100 & Larger F-Series Trucks Discuss the Fat Fendered and Classic Ford Trucks

Widowmakers or not?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old May 8, 2021 | 02:54 PM
  #1  
Penny Nichol Dymmes's Avatar
Penny Nichol Dymmes
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Olympia Wa
Widowmakers or not?

There is no split in the rim, no rings.
Outer rim solid, with inner rim riveted.
Just got my F3 flatbed running. Now I need tires.


 
Reply
Old May 8, 2021 | 03:05 PM
  #2  
truckdog62563's Avatar
truckdog62563
Marmon-Herrington Man
20 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Liked
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,984
Likes: 444
From: Central Illinois
Club FTE Gold Member

Widowmaker.


 
Reply
Old May 8, 2021 | 03:28 PM
  #3  
Penny Nichol Dymmes's Avatar
Penny Nichol Dymmes
Thread Starter
|
New User
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Olympia Wa
Thank you

Truckdog!!!
 
Reply
Old May 8, 2021 | 03:39 PM
  #4  
muhford's Avatar
muhford
Fleet Mechanic
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,268
Likes: 127
From: Missouri
I'm a lurker in the old truck sections of FTE. Could someone tell me why split rims are dangerous? Do they fall apart at speed?
 
Reply
Old May 8, 2021 | 04:17 PM
  #5  
truckdog62563's Avatar
truckdog62563
Marmon-Herrington Man
20 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Liked
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,984
Likes: 444
From: Central Illinois
Club FTE Gold Member
Originally Posted by muhford
I'm a lurker in the old truck sections of FTE. Could someone tell me why split rims are dangerous? Do they fall apart at speed?
Oh gosh, how to say it in a short paragraph? An example - a guy I sold a set of 19.5s to years ago told me that he had just bought an F-4. As he was winching it onto his trailer an inner dual let go. First thing he did was buy wheels. There are stories like that all over the web.

Back in the 1970s the federal NHTSA and insurance industry had a recall of them advancing through the stages of approval. The one good thing that came from the effort was industry agreed to stop producing them in 1972. Ultimately the lobbiests won and the recall failed, but the service industry, and court rulings, have pretty much eliminated them from usage. Stu
 
Reply
Old May 8, 2021 | 04:21 PM
  #6  
muhford's Avatar
muhford
Fleet Mechanic
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,268
Likes: 127
From: Missouri
Originally Posted by truckdog62563
Oh gosh, how to say it in a short paragraph? An example - a guy I sold a set of 19.5s to years ago told me that he had just bought an F-4. As he was winching it onto his trailer an inner dual let go. First thing he did was buy wheels. There are stories like that all over the web.

Back in the 1970s the federal NHTSA and insurance industry had a recall of them advancing through the stages of approval. The one good thing that came from the effort was industry agreed to stop producing them in 1972. Ultimately the lobbiests won and the recall failed, but the service industry, and court rulings, have pretty much eliminated them from usage. Stu
So half of the wheel separates like a rocket? Or does it stay bolted onto the vehicle?
 
Reply
Old May 8, 2021 | 04:31 PM
  #7  
truckdog62563's Avatar
truckdog62563
Marmon-Herrington Man
20 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Liked
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 11,984
Likes: 444
From: Central Illinois
Club FTE Gold Member
The center disc stays, and the side ring leaves. If the wheel is a SRW or an inner DRW, the side ring is trapped around the axle. An outer DRW is the killer. In the early days it was the service techs that got the worst of them. Cages helped, but they still come apart while in service. Stu
 
Reply
Old May 8, 2021 | 04:33 PM
  #8  
muhford's Avatar
muhford
Fleet Mechanic
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,268
Likes: 127
From: Missouri
Originally Posted by truckdog62563
The center disc stays, and the side ring leaves. If the wheel is a SRW or an inner DRW, the side ring is trapped around the axle. An outer DRW is the killer. In the early days it was the service techs that got the worst of them. Cages helped, but they still come apart while in service. Stu
Ah I get it now. Thanks for the info. I'll go back to lurking.
 
Reply
FTE Stories

Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts

story-0

Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make

 Brett Foote
story-2

Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-3

Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?

 Brett Foote
story-6

2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-7

10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

Top 10 Ford Trucks Coming to Mecum Indy 2026

 Brett Foote
story-9

5 Best / 5 Worst Ford Truck Wheels of All Time

 Joe Kucinski
Old May 9, 2021 | 10:18 AM
  #9  
52 Merc's Avatar
52 Merc
Hotshot
15 Year Member
Liked
Community Favorite
Top Answer: 3
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 16,152
Likes: 4,751
From: Burbank, WA
https://www.tirereview.com/woman-who...s-passes-away/

News article from 2015, but still relevant.
 
Reply
Old May 9, 2021 | 10:27 AM
  #10  
bobj49f2's Avatar
bobj49f2
Hotshot
25 Year Member
Photogenic
Shutterbug
Community Builder
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 16,874
Likes: 3,114
From: SE Wisc. (the Rust Belt)
Originally Posted by 52 Merc
https://www.tirereview.com/woman-who...s-passes-away/

News article from 2015, but still relevant.
Interesting. Shows that sometimes one person can do a lot. Too bad she had to suffer before the information came out.
 
Reply
Old May 9, 2021 | 10:36 AM
  #11  
yardbird's Avatar
yardbird
Logistics Pro
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 3,776
Likes: 862
From: Foothills of NC
I had a rear outer blow off as I was driving. It was on a 1970 F600. Sounded like a cannon, shot into oncoming lane, passed me up, slower down, cut in behing me, up a bank, and hit a tree in the yard it ended up with. Inner part of rim still on truck, tire, tube, and outer ring in the yard.



It would have killed anyone standing close, and very lucky oncoming car had just passed when it let go, and no other close oncoming traffic. This was at 35 MPH. It looked like a knot coming out on the tire while looking at it in the mirror. I was going to pull over and check it out, then, BOOM !!!
 
Reply
Old May 10, 2021 | 02:58 PM
  #12  
muhford's Avatar
muhford
Fleet Mechanic
10 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,268
Likes: 127
From: Missouri
Originally Posted by 52 Merc
https://www.tirereview.com/woman-who...s-passes-away/

News article from 2015, but still relevant.
I thought the title said she died from a split wheel. I read the whole article and I was so confused.
 
Reply
Old May 10, 2021 | 03:11 PM
  #13  
52 Merc's Avatar
52 Merc
Hotshot
15 Year Member
Liked
Community Favorite
Top Answer: 3
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 16,152
Likes: 4,751
From: Burbank, WA
Originally Posted by muhford
I thought the title said she died from a split wheel. I read the whole article and I was so confused.
The woman who lost her 18 year old son in 1976 from a wheel separation incident, and started investigations into the dangers of the 2 piece rim design, passed away in 2015 at age 90.

From the article;

In July 1976, her 18-year-old son Eric was killed when a mounted truck tire he was working on exploded. Parts of the multi-piece split rim wheel struck him in the chest and head, causing massive fatal injuries.

Almost immediately, she took up a crusade to get those wheels off the market, eventually convincing Congressmen, the government and OSHA to press for legislation banning the wheels.
 
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Ruckin69
1973 - 1979 F-100 & Larger F-Series Trucks
13
Apr 4, 2020 05:51 AM
HVFDFIREFIGHTER1618
1948 - 1956 F1, F100 & Larger F-Series Trucks
31
Jun 29, 2018 05:09 PM
Redneck1465
Ford Truck Parts for Sale
2
Jul 9, 2011 11:02 PM
RussB
1999 - 2003 7.3L Power Stroke Diesel
17
Jan 21, 2009 02:33 PM
reamer
1948 - 1956 F1, F100 & Larger F-Series Trucks
4
Jul 5, 2007 06:17 PM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:54 PM.

story-0
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies

Slideshow: Top 10 Ford truck tragedies.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-18 19:34:33


VIEW MORE
story-1
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make

And it might be even better than that.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-18 19:26:42


VIEW MORE
story-2
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!

Slideshow: Does lowering an F-150 Lobo RUIN the ride quality?

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-05-18 19:20:37


VIEW MORE
story-3
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home

Slideshow: Ford's bizarre fishing-themed Explorer concept has resurfaced after spending decades largely forgotten.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:07:46


VIEW MORE
story-4
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!

Slideshow: The 10 best Ford truck engines we miss the most.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 13:09:47


VIEW MORE
story-5
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?

Slideshow: first look at the 810 hp 2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road!

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-12 12:50:07


VIEW MORE
story-6
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!

Slideshow: Everything You Need to Know about the 2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package!

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-05-07 17:51:06


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Most Surprising 2026 Ford Truck Features!

Slideshow: 10 most surprising Ford truck options/features in 2026.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-05 11:17:22


VIEW MORE
story-8
Top 10 Ford Trucks Coming to Mecum Indy 2026

Slideshow: Here are the top 10 Fords coming to Mecum Indy 2026.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-04 13:49:49


VIEW MORE
story-9
5 Best / 5 Worst Ford Truck Wheels of All Time

Slideshow: The 5 best and 5 worst Ford truck wheels of all time

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-04-29 16:49:01


VIEW MORE