Matt Harwood Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 (edited) Well, I've decided to bite the bullet and buy six new 700x20 tires for the 1929 Cadillac (sorry, West, but I'm going with the Firestone whitewalls--it's what I've always wanted). I'm guessing my local tire shop isn't going to want the job of mounting these, although I recon they might be able to balance them adequately.Where do you guys go to get this kind of thing done? Getting the flaps, tubes and tires all assembled on the split rims without marring the whitewalls is surely a trick and a half. Any suggestions where I should go to get this done? Edited April 24, 2011 by Matt Harwood (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937-44 Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 Hi Matt, If they are split rims you should be able to do it yourself if you get a rim spreader. It is an aggravating job and you have a greater risk of damaging the paint than the whitewall. A tip I learned was after the tire was mounted and before it was inflated to touch up the paint.There is a shop near me (Streetsboro) that will do them, but.... .I bought my tubes and flaps for 6.50x17 tires from Universal and they are good people to deal with. I bought my Firestone tires from Summit Racing of all places. They can supply your tire as well and you might find it a less expensive source. Email me privately and I can send you the information for what I believe is your tire if you can't find it. Carl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted April 24, 2011 Author Share Posted April 24, 2011 Also, I guess I should make sure, but are flaps mandatory? The tires on the car aren't worn, merely old, so perhaps the flaps are in good shape? I also note that it says flaps are generally used with wooden wheels--is it possible that my steel discs don't need flaps? If I do need them, can I reuse the flaps that are in there or should I just spend the $150 and get new ones? Carl, what shop are you using? I'd rather have someone with experience handle this, and Streetsboro isn't too far away for me. I saw the tires at Summit, but they're the 3-1/2 inch whitewalls, whereas I want the 4-1/4 inch whitewalls. I'm probably going with Universal since they're also supplying the tubes and flaps, so I may as well get it all there. The savings on the tire will be negated by the need to pay sales tax at Summit, plus they're back ordered until late May. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexRiv_63 Posted April 24, 2011 Share Posted April 24, 2011 Matt, if you have split rims you need flaps, primarily to guard the tube at the split area. I would spend the money on new flaps, your old ones could be cracked or falling apart which negates the protection of the tubes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937-44 Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 I agree whole heartily with Don if you have split rims go for the new flaps. It is not a fun job mounting the tires and if the flap dries out and cracks it can pinch the tube and give you a flat. That was what necessitated my new tires. Have you explored the option of having Universal mount them. You might be able to ship the wheels and pick up the new mounted tires at Dunkirk or something. It would make a good excuse to go to Dunkirk anyway, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Do it yourself, do it right and be comfortable knowing it is right. You shouldn't mark the paint if you are carefull. If you did mark the paint the other information about touching up befor inflating the tire is agreat idea. You do need new flaps, tubes, ruglyde or a spray bottle with half kitchen detergent and half water, a couple of plastic garbage bags and something to kneel on. A rim spreader is good but not essential. The first one should take you about an hour. By the fourth one you should be down to less than twenty minutes.Starting from the car standing on the old tires to standing on the new tires and using a foot pump for inflation I can mount four new tires, tubes and flaps in one hour with or without a rim spreader. Of course I have done it eight times (32 tires) in the last 52 years on my daily driver as well as ten or twelve tires on other cars that I have owned. PM me if you wish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 A '29 Cadillac with disk wheels? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted April 27, 2011 Author Share Posted April 27, 2011 Yep, disc wheels with sidemounts was a $175.00 option. Wood artillery wheels were standard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Restorer32 Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Son of a gun. I knew wood wheels were standard, didn't know discs were available. I like 'em! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edinmass Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Disk wheels were available on Cadillac till 1931 for 8,12, or 16, and they also offered chrome wheel disk covers for the wire wheels. I had a set of covers on my 31 a few years ago, and while they sure had "BLING" they caused the brakes to overheat. Ed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huptoy Posted April 27, 2011 Share Posted April 27, 2011 Are you sure the Cadillac used a split rim on solid steel wheels? I can be corrected but didn't the wire wheels and steel wheels not use a separate steel rim? Are you near enough to take a photo of the wheel showing the split rim?In your area, there should be a tire company that has been in business long enough to have someone experienced enough to change the tire without damaging the whitewall or rim.Detroit Tire in Xenia Oh is 200 miles away but they have people that can do the work. They are a Coker Tire dealer and can order the tires direct. Last week, I had them change my tires with wood wheels in my 1931 Hupmobile. I elected to reuse the existing flaps as they were in good condition. They were disappointed that I didn't bring any black touch up paint to apply before inflating the tires.Many companies in the late 20's and early 30's had wire and solid wheels available. In 1931 Hupmobile sold wire wheels for $10.00 and steel wheels for $40.00 as an option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted April 27, 2011 Author Share Posted April 27, 2011 I'm not sure. I'll be visiting the car to bring the new overdrive/torque tube assembly to the shop on Friday, so I'll take photos of the wheels then. They have some kind of split ring around the perimeter, at least on the outside of the rim. If it's anything like the '29 Packard we had a few months ago at Vintage Motor Cars, I'm counting on it being a massive headache to get the tires on. I may look into getting a rim spreader and doing it myself if I can't find anyone within a reasonable distance who is able to do it. It's not a job I look forward to doing myself, but if I gotta, I gotta... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TexRiv_63 Posted April 28, 2011 Share Posted April 28, 2011 Matt,I think you have lock ring style wheels on your car rather than split rims. Split rims usually are demountable from the wheel and have bolt-on lugs holding them on visible from the outside but I see nothing like that in your photo. I checked in my CLC authenticity manual which goes back to 1930 showing split chrome lock rings for both disc and wire styles. They went to drop center rims in 1932. I have no personal experience with this but a number of posts on this forum have mentioned lock ring mounting can be tricky, I'm sure others can help if that is what you have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ovalrace25 Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 Matt, Did you get my email I sent yesterday about how to do this?email me direct if you did not see it and I will re-send itfuncars4us@hotmail.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted April 30, 2011 Author Share Posted April 30, 2011 Hey Rod, yes, I got your E-mail. I may try to find a shop that does truck tires. I've had others tell me that's the way to go. I'll definitely mask and protect the wheels/tires myself before I take them in to be mounted.Here are some shots of the wheel/ring, and they're definitely not split rims. Looks like it might be easiest to work from the back of the wheel: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ovalrace25 Posted April 30, 2011 Share Posted April 30, 2011 Same as on all the Cadillacs I have out here. not difficult at all. I agree with TININDIAN just soap them up and go for it.. after your first one, you will see it is not that big of a project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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