Can anyone recommend a tire shop in the Frederick, MD area that can work on split rims? The vehicle is a 1955 F350 dually.
Thanks, Tony

 

Tony,

Good luck, if you have the kind of rims referred to as "Widow Makers" you probably won't find anyone who will work on them. The "Widow Makers" are the rims Ford made that consist of almost two equal halves, not the type with the snap ring on one of the outer lips. A lot of bigger trucks still have the snap ring type and the big truck shops will usually work on these. The shops shy away from the "Widow Makers" for liability reasons. If they have any kind of flaw in the mating surfaces or aren't properly put together they can blow apart with great force. They were also know to come apart if they lost pressure after they were mounted, not too nice if you're driving down the road or parked and someone walks by.

This subject has been beat around before on this board, do a search and you will find quite a few mentions on it. The only answer is to find another set of rims from some other truck that will fit. Ford also made tubeless one piece 22 1/2" rims in the late '50s to early 60's, my '51 F-4 came with a set when I bought it last year. The problem I have found with these is they are hard to find tires for. If you can find a set of rims from a Dodge chassis from the late '60 to the early '80s they should fit, but these are also hard to find. Another place to check is Rickson Wheel, http://ricksontruck.com/ they will make a set of 19.5 tubeless rims but they cost $$$$.

Sorry, to throw a wet blanket on your project, I have been chasing leads for the last six months and the above is what I have found out.

 

Hi Tony,

I believe Bob is right.....It will be pretty hard to find someone to put those rims back together. The liability is very high! Also even when assembled correctly you run the risk of having one come apart driving down the road! I couldn't take the chance so I replaced all of mine.

I had a similar problem with my 55 F-600. It had 20" "Widowmakers" on it and the local Les Schwab Tire Center, http://www.lesschwab.com/ , told me that they could break them down but not only they couldn't reassemble, but they had to condemn them and could not even give them back to me!

They have had customers take them home, put them together, get killed ...then the Co. got sued for allowing the customer to take them home after they were condemned!


Since you have an F-350, does it have 8 lug or 5 lug wheels? It should be easier to find 8 lug wheels. Mine had 5 lug "BUD" wheels and I had to buy "rebuilt" 3-piece lock ring type wheels.
They're similar to the splits but they are much safer and are still completely legal.

Your best bet might be to try to find some more modern tubeless type wheels that you can put radials on.

Another place to check is Chucks Trucks: http://www.chuckstrucks.net/


Regards,

Rick

 

I have always wondered could the rims be welded up and put on a normal tire machine?

 

Previous posts are right on - I wouldn't use either type of split rim on a bet.
I think I would change axle as a last resort if I couldn't find rims. I've seen what one of these rims can do if it comes apart, and it isn't pretty.

 

Chris,

I wondering the same thing too. Three problems, first if you would weld them you better have them welded perfectly or else you're going to have a balancing problem. Second, the biggest one, is the lip is higher than a tubeless which would make it impossible to slip the tire over. Thirdly, and this might only apply to the larger trucks, tires sizes won't interchange between tubeless and spit rims. Tubeless end in a fraction number like 19.5, 22.5 while split rim tires end in whole numbers like 17", 20". I didn't realize this until yesterday when someone pointed it out to me.

 

i have 18.5x8 rims that were on my 57, they were thought to be split but htey are solids, did ford ever make solid 18.5x8 rims?

 

The lock-ring type rims (The Ford shop manual calls them "3-piece") are ok and safe if they are in serviceable condition. "Split" rims are not only because most of the tire dealers don't want to carry the additional insurance or their insurance carrier will not cover them servicing them at all.


Tubeless are of course the way to go but it's not that easy to find the 5 lug BUD type tubeless wheels. I'm told they are out there but I couldn't find any at all.

 

Just found a set of six! 5 lug solid rims for my F-5. I am now running the very popular 9R 22.5's

Chucks Trucks in CT located them for me (203) 288 2769
Reamer

 

Rice tire in Frederick Maryland (the one by the emissions station) does them for our dump trucks all the time.

 

Howdy Reamer!


Yeah you got a pretty good deal! I would have bought those if I could have! I talked to Chuck at length about wheels..(Really nice guy by the way!) He said he sold his last set.... (to you!)....Didn't know when he would get more..

I never did ask him, since a lot of rims he sells are not DOT type rims. Did you get DOT stamped rims?

Anyway...My next truck, maybe an F-8/F-800, will get Tubeless 22.5's!


If I had an F-350 I would consider newer hubs and more modern 8 lug wheels...They should be pretty easy to find shouldn't they?





Cheers,

Rick

 

The good news is that there are many replacement rims available - with a wide price range as well.

I put new rims all around on my 56 F350 dualy for less then $600 - brand that I have never heard of, but made in the USA. I could have spent up to $1800. These rims are very basic and very simular in apperance to the originals - nothing special. I plan on dressing them up a little with paint to match the cab and some pin stripping.

 

Bessie,

The least you could do is give us a name I am sure you would almost double their business. There's a lot of guys on this board who have been looking for a long time for something to replace the "Widow Makers".

 

Bessie,

I just reread your post after someone brought it to my attention you have a F-350. Getting replacement wheels for that model is a walk in the park compared to the larger trucks. I have been looking for a set for a while now and finally got a lead on a set of 19.5 tubeless. I will have to make a 6 1/2 hour drive one way to pick them up but the price is right.

 

Yep DOT rims