Mount tires on Split Lock Ring Wheels - near Mooresville, NC

[John_Mereness]

On 5/25/2019 at 11:40 AM, Roger Frazee said:

I may be missing something but is seems like it have been safer to deflate the tire before securing the car to the tow truck.

 

On 5/25/2019 at 3:57 PM, edinmass said:

The ring failed while on tour.......no pot hole or impact. All six wheels, hubs, spokes, snap rings, tires and tubes were new with less than 200 miles on them. No one has mentioned how to safely deal with this situation. Very simple. Place a floor jack under the rear end, and from a safe angle, use an ice pick to deflate the tire. Fact is the cost of the tire, tube snap ring, and wheel are meaningless. It’s possible the ring or the rim could have had manufacturing issues. Thus, the only safe option is to remove the pressure and the hell with what it costs, even if it ruins a tire and tube. The rings are safe IF you know what you are doing, and have the correct equipment. 99 percent of the people don’t have enough experience with these things.........and that is a deadly mistake. I have a routine to work on snap ring wheels.......and NEVER vary it. I usually do them late at night....no phone calls, no visitors, no distraction......no radio......nothing. Now in my 50’s three of these an evening is my limit. Your always banged up, bruised, bleeding and a sweaty mess when finished. It’s a dirty and physical job.......not so much the ring as the tire and tube........after changing I leave the tire in the sun for a day to be sure it relaxes and is in its final position, and it also allows for small slow leaks. I NEVER reuse any tube ever, never. No patching either. My car, my time, and my life aren’t worth the aggravation. Chrome snap rings on chrome wheels are easy, the painted rims are always a royalpain in the axx.

Ed's comments sums this up nicely.  

 

I have a set of 4 extra long tie downs and wrap them around rim/tire and padlocked the ends OR I put 5ish lbs in them and then take them to a truck shop to inflate in their cage.

 

Regarding a broken rim like on the Duesenberg, it was a smart move to just call it a day and deal with the problem on nice solid ground with the proper tools (ie Ed is correct in that this wheel you want to be nowhere around matched to you would not want to deflate the tire without the car properly jacked up first to relieve any weight off).  I might have even been more cautious than an ice pick (some time ago I bought a 10" or  so long value removal tool) and definitely would be working from the backside. 

 

Paul Fitzpatrick sums this up nicely too (Paul helped me with countless advice and projects when doing the 30 Franklin 147 Dietrich Speedster Convertible Sedan and was very use to him via Franklin Treks) !

 

 

Edited May 26, 2019 by John_Mereness (see edit history)