Using a rim spreader on 1920's spilt rims

[scott12180]

Hi all --

I am mounting new tires to my 1924 Franklin. The car has 23" wheels using split rims. I have a rim spreader.

The theory is to make the tire slip on easier to a collapsed rim, then expand it to normal size. But even with the rim spreader I worked on the thing for about a hour until I finally got it. And I've got three tires to go still !

Dam but that was hard. There's got to be a right way to do this but darned if I know what it is !

Any advice on WHERE to position the three arms of the rim spreader? Say if the split is at the 12 o'clock position, where do I want the three arms?

--Scott

[keiser31]

Try this...http://forums.aaca.org/f145/mounting-tires-1926-a-327609.html

There are instructions that I posted on that thread. John

[Guest]

Easy as pie if the rim, tire and flap are lubricated (well lubricated), split at 12:00 valve stem at 1:30, entending arm at 10:00 and the two other arms about 5:00 and 7:00.

Remember also to have the valve stem a little off center so that it is centered and straight when the rim snaps into place.

I find it takes me about 10 minutes to remove the rim from the wheel and replace tire, tube and flap with new ones. Realizing of course that I have some practive, having put 8 new sets of tires on this car pluss various flats over the last 53 years.

[scott12180]

I can dismount the rim and mount the new tire easily enough with the rim spreader. My problem is that last 1/4 inch of the rim ends overlap.

There's nothing that seems to overcome that little bit of overlap.

Any suggestions? I am really at wits end. I just can't do it !

-Scott

[keiser31]

I can dismount the rim and mount the new tire easily enough with the rim spreader. My problem is that last 1/4 inch of the rim ends overlap.

There's nothing that seems to overcome that little bit of overlap.

Any suggestions? I am really at wits end. I just can't do it !

-Scott

Reverse cranking on the rim spreader should push that last bit out. I wish I were there to show you. It's rather hard to explain on a forum without a video to show you. I would position the arms like so.......(like the picture on the instructions show). Click on the photo a few times to enlarge.

Also when you are pushing it out, be certain that the tire bead is recessing into the innermost groove of the rim band. Otherwise you are just pushing against the bead. I hope this helps.

Edited May 11, 2012 by keiser31 (see edit history)

[Guest]

Lubricant lubricant lubricant. We used to use "Ru-Glyde" but household detergent works well. If the tire and bead are well lubricated it is possible to lever the last quarter inch with a long screwdriver or a thin tire iron. Not the recommended way really. Just crank the spreader out and then some more. If your tires are really stiff or your rims are not perfectly clean sometimes just going around the tire (both sides) hitting it next to the rim with a ball pean hammer might help.

Possibly your bead is not seating against the rim. Perhaps you have a fold in the flap and it is in between the tire and the rim.

When you have the rim inside the tire with a small amount of overlap you should be able to rotate the rim inside the tire by holding the rim and bouncing the tire on the road. This is how I adjust mine so that the valve stem is perfectly in line with the hole and at right angles to the rim.

[impacsys]

i just went through the same hell my 26 chrysler 70 has split rims. i toiled and toiled.... then i got 2 tie downs, cross mounted them, contracted till the rim fit and it worked! i wish i had pics.

[scott12180]

The key to this does seem to be to well lubricate the tire and flap. . . and the rim before using the spreader.

I tried that using advice also given here, but dam. . . . it still didn't work well.

Part of the problem is that the rim spreader does not apply pressure to the inside middle of the rim --- it's off to one side, so the rim locks on one side only. Then you need to flip the tire/rim the other way and try to force the other side to mate. And it is impossible using just a screwdriver or pry bar.

What seemed to work was after getting one side of the rim together, I used a hydraulic jack and wood blocks to push in the center and lock the whole thing. That might have worked in the first place. . . . or you might be able to use the rim spreader on the other side. But my god almighty. . . . this is the hardest thing I've ever done in 35 years of old cars. With what came out of my mouth I'm going to hell for sure, one way ticket and throw away the key.

And when I finally got it, I found out that in all of my tribulations I destroyed the rim. Now it's all bent out of shape and I need to buy new ones. Actually, I'll buy four new rims because they all are a little warped.

Part of the problem is that I buggered up the ends of the rim so badly trying to wedge it with a pry bar that now it won't hold --- when the ends do meet they just slide off one another. That's another reason to just get new rims while they are available.

Perhaps the rim was bad to begin with and that contributed to my great difficulty.Yeah, that's it. Blame the rim. I knew what I was doing, it was the RIM that was the problem. Good. Now for lots of beer.

BUT, Mr." Impacsys" in Sugarland, TX --- could you please explain your idea with the tie downs? I don't see how they will expand and lock the rim once the tire is on. I'm looking for ANYTHING that will make this easier.

--Scott

[Matt Harwood]

Easy as pie if the rim, tire and flap are lubricated (well lubricated), split at 12:00 valve stem at 1:30, entending arm at 10:00 and the two other arms about 5:00 and 7:00.

Remember also to have the valve stem a little off center so that it is centered and straight when the rim snaps into place.

I find it takes me about 10 minutes to remove the rim from the wheel and replace tire, tube and flap with new ones. Realizing of course that I have some practive, having put 8 new sets of tires on this car pluss various flats over the last 53 years.

Also, remember the beer at 8:00.