power wagon rims

[Gordon Maney]

I had the same problem with tire shops and misunderstanding split ring vs rim. I'm very pleased with my STA Superlugs 7.50 from Universal Vintage Tires in Hershey PA great deal and one of the guys has a M37 ; the whole staff is into collectable cars and very helpful. I picked up my tires to save shipping and they showed me the "easy" way to setup and mount these. I was impressed with how easy it is to change out one on the road, with the right tools and knowhow. I did not find any suitable radials I would run.

Can you tell us a little about what you learned from them? I have disassembled and assembled a large number of these wheels over the years, but I remain interested in learning any new tricks.

[im02crazy]

split ring rims- what i learned.

Although these were common when I was a kid, today they are unknown and considered deadly, and to be avoided. Of the dozen or so tire shops I called in preparation to mounting my new STA Superlugs, only one veteran tire boss knew the difference between split rims and split rings. only Rice Tire (Baltimore) and Universal Vintage in Hershey PA was fully comfortable with and had in depth knowledge of them.

My knowledge of how to dismount the rims by hand came from this forum. My first experience with dismounting the rims came at the powdercoater. Originally they told me they would dismount, but when they saw the unidirectionals and the infamous split (rims) rings they backed away slowly, and deferred dismounting. I think one of them made the sign of the cross with two 10" "tire irons;" aka pry bars. So, I used my truck, a 4' 2x10, and the two long and short bars I had to get the tires off the rims.

Universal had the original tools, the tire bar with the right sized hook end, and a long bar thin enough to walk around the rim to set the ring. They also showed me how to correctly position the tube/valve stem protectors, and to inflate the tire a few pounds to conform it to the tire, but not interfere with setting it on the rim. They also had an adjustable chair (steel square frame) on which the rim sits off the floor to allow you to ease the tire down onto it. Once the tube and the "flap" were neatly tucked in around, I picked up the tire and set it on the rim. A good dousing of soapy lubricant followed around the points that would contact the rim during install. The bar with the tab end got inserted into the ring slot, and with a well placed foot and little backward movement of the bar the ring set over the rim lip. Holding the first bar in place the second flat bar worked the ring around the rim until it snapped fully into place.

My best experience was at an ancient dusky tire shop in rural maryland. Here, in an old garage/barn the prices are fair, the service neighborly, and the labor honorable and still by hand. I needed a set of five tires off the rims, and my first approach didn't work with these oldtimers (Budd 47). I was pointed toward the manager/ troubleshooter (only employee), Betsey. She took a look at these, grabbed a 20lb tire hammer/ax, and said "I gotta get $10 a tire," I humbly agreed and stepped back. A frenzy of lots of swinging and cussing made short work of the 47's. I paind the lady and took my rims. That include tire disposal.

I bought a set of old tire tools, and am not afraid to use them out on the road, these include my 2x8, a big hammer, bars, and a couple 4x4s. I have AAA, but i'd be asahmed to call them after what I saw a little lady with a big hammer and a pry bar could do.

Long winded, but that's what I learned along this stretch of road.

[NNICKB]

Many years ago I did some work with a Chrysler engineer. I mentioned to him that I owned a Power Wagon, and he immediately brought up the subject of the split rim wheels. In his opinion they were quite dangerous, and according to him that is why the company phased them out. He told me specifically of an incident where the outer ring dislodged and killed somebody. This occurred while the truck was stuck and the driver was rocking it back and forth trying to get out. No way of knowing, of course, whether the ring had been properly installed, the tire properly inflated, etc.

I personally have never had a problem with them, and wouldn't expect to, so long as proper precautions are taken. Which is true for any mechanical device, old or new.

[Rich in Colorado]

I just went though this with my WM300. I found a truck tire place here locally that looked at the Dodge tires as easy. They are use to tires on semi's.
I bought STA Superlugs also from them. They could get them in same day, cheaper than VPW with no shipping charge and new flaps included.
The big deal for me was they will dismount/mount any split rim for $25!
Rich in Colorado

[PWFFnut]

Power Kings & powder coated rims

I went to a local tire shop & asked for used 900x16 was told no chance asked about new tires he said yes we can get Power Kings $200,00 per tire asked him about powder coating he said yes there is a shop up the road he took apart My split ring rims with no compliant I returned with The rims after having them coated ($140,00 each ) had the tires mounted they look great no problems

PS I ordered the tires on Friday the next day I took My 1956 PW (Swivel Frame)
to a car show won a door pricse for $500.00 at the tire shop where I just ordered the day before

[Brutus I]

Although these were common when I was a kid, today they are unknown and considered deadly, and to be avoided. Of the dozen or so tire shops I called in preparation to mounting my new STA Superlugs, only one veteran tire boss knew the difference between split rims and split rings. only Rice Tire (Baltimore) and Universal Vintage in Hershey PA was fully comfortable with and had in depth knowledge of them.

My knowledge of how to dismount the rims by hand came from this forum. My first experience with dismounting the rims came at the powdercoater. Originally they told me they would dismount, but when they saw the unidirectionals and the infamous split (rims) rings they backed away slowly, and deferred dismounting. I think one of them made the sign of the cross with two 10" "tire irons;" aka pry bars. So, I used my truck, a 4' 2x10, and the two long and short bars I had to get the tires off the rims.

Universal had the original tools, the tire bar with the right sized hook end, and a long bar thin enough to walk around the rim to set the ring. They also showed me how to correctly position the tube/valve stem protectors, and to inflate the tire a few pounds to conform it to the tire, but not interfere with setting it on the rim. They also had an adjustable chair (steel square frame) on which the rim sits off the floor to allow you to ease the tire down onto it. Once the tube and the "flap" were neatly tucked in around, I picked up the tire and set it on the rim. A good dousing of soapy lubricant followed around the points that would contact the rim during install. The bar with the tab end got inserted into the ring slot, and with a well placed foot and little backward movement of the bar the ring set over the rim lip. Holding the first bar in place the second flat bar worked the ring around the rim until it snapped fully into place.

My best experience was at an ancient dusky tire shop in rural maryland. Here, in an old garage/barn the prices are fair, the service neighborly, and the labor honorable and still by hand. I needed a set of five tires off the rims, and my first approach didn't work with these oldtimers (Budd 47). I was pointed toward the manager/ troubleshooter (only employee), Betsey. She took a look at these, grabbed a 20lb tire hammer/ax, and said "I gotta get $10 a tire," I humbly agreed and stepped back. A frenzy of lots of swinging and cussing made short work of the 47's. I paind the lady and took my rims. That include tire disposal.

I bought a set of old tire tools, and am not afraid to use them out on the road, these include my 2x8, a big hammer, bars, and a couple 4x4s. I have AAA, but i'd be asahmed to call them after what I saw a little lady with a big hammer and a pry bar could do.

Long winded, but that's what I learned along this stretch of road.

Would be nice if someone that knows how to do this could make a youtube video for us noobs. I've called lots of shops and can't find anyone that will touch these.

[Desoto61]

Look at some of the large truck tire places. My understanding is they stuck around longer and were more common in the HD truck world. When I went asking one of the local regular tire shops pointed me to a smaller tire shop that knew what they were doing. 10 minutes after dropping off the rims and talking about what I wanted (at the time I was just looking for some used tires so I could get it rolling), there were two guys with tire hammers wailing away at them.

I know there have been some write-ups here and in the magazine on how to attack it. Might be time for a forum search.

[Dutch]

There are several YouTube videos on these types of rims, a couple even using dodge power wagons as there examples.
Some of the guys there still use the split rim term even though they are talking about split ring. YouTube search split ring or split rim and you will see several pop up.

[NNICKB]

Last time I had it done (quite a few years ago) I found a truck tire shop. They had a device that looked like a cage that they worked through. Wasn't a real exotic piece of equipment, so you should be able to find some establishment that has one.

[Brutus I]

Good information guys. There is actually a really good youtube video showing a guy mounting a tire on a Power Wagon split ring wheel. The title is "Mounting a tire with a split locking ring".

I also did some more searching and finally found a shop that will work on these. :)