I have these wheels that I took off from the 49 Panel parts truck. All of them are 16". However, the rear wheels have an extra locking??? ring around the wheel bead, while the front wheels don't.

Why the difference? What is the purpose of this additional ring around the bead? Can this ring be removed and not put back on?

Thanks, Ilya

Rear wheel on the left. Front wheel on the right.


Rear wheel


Extra ring around the bead.


Front wheel


No additional ring around the bead

 

Ilya,

As far as I know the rim with the additional ring is not a Ford rim, I could be wrong. All of the Ford rims I have seen are all solid, one piece units.

 

Looks like a beauty ring??? Never seen that before. Can you pop it off with a screwdriver? May just be a beauty ring someone snapped on it for the COOOLLLLL look.

 

Looks like a split rim to me.Tube type,i could be wrong.

 

The rear wheels are not standard for the F1 series Trucks.
Those are the split ring type that sometimes go SPRAANG and fly thru the air with the greatest of ease, if they didn't hit you.

 

Are they safe to use? Does the ring have to be put back? Can I put radials on them (any of them, front and rears)?

Thanks, Ilya

 

I take it back, don't use a screwdriver.

 

Ilya,

Your rim is not the type that has been topic of many threads on the board. The Ford "Widow Makers" are the kind to stay away from. They are made of two almost equal halves. The type you have have the snap ring retainer and are still used today on many big trucks. The biggest concideration when it comes to multi-part rims is the condition of the mating surfaces. They have to be clean and undamaged. You should have the rims blasted to clean off the rust and check for any damage.

If I were you I would keep looking for rims to complete a set of stock Ford rims and stay away from multi-part rims altogether. Not that the rims you have aren't safe but multi-part rims of any type aren't as safe to use as one piece and since there is an one piece rim alternative I would go for that.

If you are still going to use the rims you have take them to your local tire store and ask if they are any good and will they work on them. I bought a frame just for the 20" wheels but before I did anything else with them I took the frame, with the wheels still bolted on, to a local truck shop to see if they were still serviceable. The truck tire guy told me they were still good. Now I'll take them down to be sandblasted and painted.

 

Ilya - The one with the silver thing looks to me like a trim ring. I know of no wheel that would have such a thing integral to the wheel. The other one, that has a seam and a notch to the left if you look close, is not a Ford rim that I've ever seen. It's a "lock ring" wheel, and I'd suspect still serviceable by an old timer that knows how. Even though it has a seam, if I'm seeing right, the ring is joined solid. I have some Budds like it for my MHs, and the books identify them as a Firestone RH design. Not the RH-5° like the one Bob mentioned above, but a plain RH. The ring is fixed solid at the seam, but has two indent areas on the ring's inner lip that allows it to be stretched/forced over the outer edge of the rim proper. I fought with mine, gave up, and found an old guy local that smiled and said "it's easy, if you know how". I'd say find youself a truck shop if you want to use it, or better yet, like Bob said, find some correct wheels.

 

The wheels with the beauty rings are no problem. I'll use both of them. I guess I'll try to sell the rear wheels, the ones with the lock ring. I should have at least three more rims in storage that are 16". I'll just have to make sure that I make a matching set, because, I've heard, some 16" wheels are wider than others.

Thanks for the advice.

Ilya

 

Ilya,

Stu asked me to post this drawing of the "RH" type rims.



Also, 16" rims did come in two sizes. I have had both 4" and 4 1/2" wide.