Tire mounting question (split rims)

gerg · February 9th, 2005

I am trying to mount new tubes, tires and liners on rims for my '26 Willys-Knight and am looking for any helpful hints to make the job easier. I have one tire mounted but cannot get the rim to snap back into place so that I can re-fasten the locking bolt (split rims). I have a rim expanding tool which helps but I have chewed up the paint pretty good so far. I have to believe there is a better way to mount these with less aggravation and less damage. Any thoughts? They are 20" rims and the tires are Denham 6.00 x 20 wide white walls. Any tools that are recommended? I have already destroyed 2 screwdrivers in the process. HELP!!

I have searched through some other posts and think that my rims are not split rims, as with a locking ring, maybe they are called clinchers? Basically, it is a 20" rim that has a split across the width of the rim with a tab that fits over a hole where you fasten a bolt to keep the rim together. Is this called a clincher?

Thanks

Jay Wolf · February 9th, 2005

If you have a rim expander, I have not had it leave any marks that will show when the rim is on the wheel.

I work from the back and have the screw leg of the expender 180 from the split in the rim and use a rubber hammer to pop it in to place. My rims are 25s and my expander barely goes out far enough. You may not need a hammer.

I don't think it is a clincher. I have always called it a Firestone type or detachable and people always seem to know what I am talking about.

ex98thdrill · February 9th, 2005

Take your tires down to a tire dealer. In the case of my fire truck, they pulled 6 tires off and mounted six new tires for $100. For the time, aggravation, equipment, and SAFETY.... It was worth the $100 and they had it done in a 1/2 hour.

imported_52deluxe · February 10th, 2005

Quote:

Take your tires down to a tire dealer. In the case of my fire truck, they pulled 6 tires off and mounted six new tires for $100. For the time, aggravation, equipment, and SAFETY.... It was worth the $100 and they had it done in a 1/2 hour.

i had the same thing done on my 70 dodge d200, local truck shop still did split rims was about 15.00 a tire for mounting.

Jay Wolf · February 10th, 2005

I don't think any tire dealers around here will do detachable rims as they don't have the equipment. These are not Truck Split rims.
He is talking about artillery style wooden wheels with detachable rims.

If you at a swap meet Coker?s or Universal would do it.

1937hd45 · February 10th, 2005

Sounds like the same style rim used on demountable Model T Fords. If they won't lock you may have bent them taking them off. See if you can latch the rim before you install the tire. Your local truck tire shop is the last place to go, a local guy distroyed all four rims on a guys 1926 Cadillac.

Tinindian · February 10th, 2005

I have changed at least 11 sets of tires on my Pontiac. Only twice did I have a problem. In each case I think I might have bent the rim slightly but I know the main culprit was lack of lubricant. Ru-glyde works good but real soapy water is easier to come by. Make absolutely that the flap or tube is not sticking out under the tire anywhere. Usually I stand the rim and tire up and as I expand the rim I bounce the tire on the pavement a time or two. I alway used to think you should work on the flat but after I purchased a german GM shop book showing how to set up a 20's shop and the use of the K/W tools I saw the illustration with the Rim Jack being used in a verticle plane. I tried it and it works excellently. As a rule I find that it takes just 15 minutes from the car on the road until the car is back on the road.

Jay Wolf · February 11th, 2005

I found this it is from the UK but it does call your style rims:
Split Rim Wheels for Wired-on Tyres

http://www.longstonetyres.co.uk/help.php

I think in the US "Split rim" is commonly use for removabe bead truck rims.

ex98thdrill · February 11th, 2005

Okay, so you found someone to change tires for $1.67 per tire less than I did. Either way, if someone has the equipment, and they're trained at changing split rims safely, it's worth taking it to someone than killing yourself. Of course there are some people out there that will destroy your stuff, but whether it's engine work, paint work, interior, chrome, wiring harnesses, tires, etc., it goes hand in hand with knowing the person who is doing the work to begin with, and their work ethic. Just because one shop out there destroyed a set of rims, doesn't mean that every tire store will destroy your rims. If you get a bad paint job on a car from a collision shop, it doesn't mean that everyone needs to do their own paint work because one collision shop did a bad paint job.