Wheel Rings

[NP2650]

Regarding the split rings that go with the wheels, I know that a lot of guys paint them (silver or whatever), but I remember someone told me that they were originally plated or anodized from the factory. Can someone give me some information on this?

[Cheyenne Dave]

Paging Clint Dixon...

CD

[John Waak]

There has been lots of discussion and disagreement on this over the years. The plating you have heard about is cadmium. Some swear that the rings were plated. Others claim to possess NOS rings, never mounted, that are painted.

Silver painted rings look very nice, and are easy to touch up.

I had mine cad plated simply because I tend to do things the hard way. They do not look as polished as painted rings, but I suspect they will fight against corrosion as well or better than paint. Also, the cadmium supposedly provides lubricity. It is not clear to me whether lubricity was being sought between the ring and the wheel, or between the ring and the tire. I suspect between the ring and tire.

[W_A_Watson_II]

I painted mine with a Aluminum color Paint, to give them a brighter shiner appearance.

[Resto Ray]

I painted mine with a Aluminum color Paint, to give them a brighter shiner appearance.

Looks really good! I'm no where near this stage, however something I've thought about. I assume with the split rims one is limited to the tire options? There needs to be an inner tube? What make and model are the tires you have on those rims?

I did see recently VPW sell a complete rim now that looks identical to the original without the challenges and limitations of using original split rim.

[W_A_Watson_II]

The Stock Budd wheels narrow width limit your tire selections, and yes they are tube wheels, these are radial tubeless tires, mounted with the special radial tubes and flaps.

the new wider tubeless wheels VPW offer are very nice, and open up the tire selection options. Just be sure your tire selection works with the back spacing and your trucks intended use.