safe to fill up split rims at certain psi?

My tires are all hovering around 42-45 psi and I want to fill them 55.

Is it safe to do so? 42 psi is less than 80% of the tire's normal psi, 45 is just over. So what do I do now? <img src="emoticons/icon_smile_shrug.gif" alt="Shrug">

it's the back ones that are lower, so at least when I add it will blow the ring inwards, huh?

The rims aren't rusty.....





and also, where can I pick one of those fancy tire chucks with a long hose that I can fill up without standing in front of the tire? I haven't ever seen them at any auto parts stores


thanks!

Try google for some good info on the subject. It will make you think twice about the whole thing. What I gathered says that you are fairly safe if you haven't had a flat or if you never took it apart. If you air down to 20, drive off road, then want to air up, be careful, because you could have looesend something up at the low pressure.

Tractor Supply, Harbor Freight, and truck stops have those clip on chucks with the hose. When I fill the rear tires, I still stay away as far as I can. For the fronts, I kneel on the running boards in case the tire lets go, or whatever. I run 55 in rear, 65 in front on Armstrongs, which you know are old tires.

Keep people away when you air up too.

what I think I'll do is come up with a nice little contraption that consists of a couple bars on each side, run long heavy duty all thread through the wheels out the other side to connect to some maore bars. Like a portable tire cage. Or even construct a small cage in two halves that will bolt together around the tires while still on the vehicle.....

Not sure it would hold. Stories I heard are people being thrown 40 feet in the air. The cages are supposed to be really heavy to move. Lots of steel....

Someone was giving a cage away not long ago, in CO, I think.

They are dangerious for sure, mostly after they have been broken down. Remember thats mostly all that was on big trucks,tractors and equipement years ago. There is no problem if assembled correctly the first time. adding more air wont be a problem,if its already seated in the groove. I know there is always an exception to the rule, so it wont hurt anything to get out of the way either.

We use to take two short chains with a hook on one end and go around tire through a rim hole for safety. And some guys turn them upside down before airing one up after replaceing a tire too. most people dont have a tire rack handy. of course this is just one opinion.<img src="emoticons/icon_smile_big.gif" alt="Big Smile">

I have been a tire technician at Discount Tire co. for 4 years but i have never worked on a split rim because it is against company policy<img src="emoticons/icon_smile_shrug.gif" alt="Shrug"> I have heard many stories about rings shooting through shop roofs and deaths by decapitation etc... so be very careful. if you cant find one of those nifty air gages that clip on, you can make your own. just buy around 20 ft of high pressure air hose and one of the clip on nozzles then you could probably just hook that up to your air gage.

Along the lines of this subject, I was considering putting together one of those airline kits that pairs the two rear tires on an axle end together. With that kit you could use a standard clip on chuck on a length of hose. Nice thing about this is it keeps the tire pressure equal between the 2 tires. The BII one from the military has the Milton type lever operated part with the gauge built in and a short lenth of hose to the chuck. I want something similar to this but I'll extend the hose between the gauge and chuck.

well, I got a nifty remote tire filler, but had to replace the chuck with a clip on chuck. Then I went to work- had a shocker when i found the two rear rear left tires at about 20 psi each <img src="emoticons/icon_smile_shrug.gif" alt="Shrug"> I inspected the rings to see they looked properly seated, chained through the two, stood back and since the rings would blow inward I took a chance and filled them up. No probs, until my stem kept leaking on one of them. I was worried then, and went to the tire shop but they laughed me out of there and told me to get rid of them, so I went home pissed and started to take the wheel off to take it somewhere else and realized it was just a piece of dirt stuck in the stem now it's fine. I will set out to build a heavy duty tire cage now. There's only one shop in Reno I know of now that will do split rims, unfortunately I burned my bridges with them after they burned me on my t-bucket inspection, small town after all huh? <img src="emoticons/icon_smile_blush.gif" alt="Blush">

I like to be able to do everything myself, and I figure if troops in the field can change these tires I can do it in my garage with all the proper safety equipment.

Lance, check the GL site often if you want a tire cage. They get rid of them frequently. My buddy up in GA has several in various states of rust.

Originally posted by Recovry4x4

Lance, check the GL site often if you want a tire cage. They get rid of them frequently. My buddy up in GA has several in various states of rust.

Click to expand...

will do, thanks for the lead!

is there a proper name for the tire cage, so I know what to search for and maximize my results? Like "tire inflation safety structure" or something? <img src="emoticons/icon_smile_approve.gif" alt="Approve"> didn't see any just now, maybe cause there's none on there.....

All
In my younger days, I ran heavy equipment and dumptrucks. The military deuce wheels were always sought after for our Ford dump trucks. I have been breaking them down and changing them for years with no problems. The lock ring wheels are not nearly as dangerous as the old 2 piece wheels that actuallu separated near the center. My rule of thumb was that if the ring seated snugly with the tire off, it would not be a problem with the tire on. I usually aired them up with the ring down. I had a 10' hose with a clip on chuck that I would use to air up the tire for the first time. I had a few wheels that were too rusty for me to want to use, I would "de-mil" them with a torch to keep someone from getting hurt. The main thing is knowing what you are doing. I would not be afraid to break down deuce wheels and change tires. However, if you are not comfortable with them, don't do it! It is always better safe then sorry!
I would have used a cage if one was available.
Regards
Robert Miller

Maybe it's called a tire inflation safety cage. I bought mine from Gemplers about five years ago.
http://www.gemplers.com/a/shop/product.asp?T1=T106&UID=200412300644080789402134
If the link doesn't work, just go to www.gemplers.com, then to Tires and Supplies, then to Safety and do a search on Tire Cage.

Originally posted by MV Trucker

Maybe it's called a tire inflation safety cage. I bought mine from Gemplers about five years ago.
http://www.gemplers.com/a/shop/product.asp?T1=T106&UID=200412300644080789402134
If the link doesn't work, just go to www.gemplers.com, then to Tires and Supplies, then to Safety and do a search on Tire Cage.

Click to expand...

nice! thanks Joe!

Originally posted by MV Trucker

Maybe it's called a tire inflation safety cage. I bought mine from Gemplers about five years ago.
http://www.gemplers.com/a/shop/product.asp?T1=T106&UID=200412300644080789402134
If the link doesn't work, just go to www.gemplers.com, then to Tires and Supplies, then to Safety and do a search on Tire Cage.

Click to expand...

Hmmm, that doesn't look too hard to fab. I'm sure I could do it for less than $325. I'd make one for myself, but I wouldn't want the liability of selling them to other folks.<img src="emoticons/icon_smile_dead.gif" alt="Dead">

You're welcome, Lance.
As for a home made one, I wouldn't risk it. Water pipe isn't very strong, so I suspect the high price is due to the steel used. I've heard that an exploding truck tire has the power to chuck a bowling ball over a 10-story building! This is in some tire safety film as far as I know. I haven't viewed it, so I'm just passing on hearsay.
My cage is like new, I've never used it, so it could be for sale. Make a reasonable offer. It would have to be shipped via motor freight (truck).

Kenny,
>Milton type lever operated part with the gauge built in and a short length of hose to the chuck.
That's the right idea. Merely clippin' a chuck on without some way of controlling the air means having to unclip it while airing up.
Years ago my father was airing up an inside tire that had gone flat. He didn't have the correct chuck, so he had his hand between the tires in order to access the inside stem. Unbeknown to him, the ring had shifted. It was a pretty gory mess when the ring blew. I was indoors at the time and heard the explosion, then the screaming. I thought that he got into it with a neighbor again and got shot!

Regarding home made tire cages, I personally would agree with Joe and not go with a home made version.
But if you're a capable certified welder the fabrication would be simple.
The tire cages are made from AISI 1026 DOM, with a .125" wall.
The rest is easy to calculate if one's qualified.