Split Rims

[gbooth]

Fixing a flat on a split rim is NOT a hard thing to do. When I was 16 years old my after school job was fixing truck flats for a local fuel distributor. The most dangerous part is airing them up once they are fixed . One way to do this is to fix the flat and if it is on the rear of the truck simply bolt it back on that way if it comes apart it cant go anywhere this works for both inner and outer wheels but dot on the front. A another way is to wrap a chain around the tire and air it up that way. Be sure to leave some slack so you will be able to remove the chain after you have the tire aired up. Most importance is to use common sense you can tell if the ring is seated or not. If the rim is bent or the ring is distorted pitch them and get good ones. I know a lot of people will disagree with this but I have fix countless of this type of rim and [ knock on wood ] never have had one blow apart. We did forget one time we had the air chuck clipped on after a bought 10 minuets and 170 lbs of air pressure the Tire blue but the rim held.
Greg

 

[mangus580]

Greg I do agree, although I have only done 2. I was terrified doing them just off of what I hear. I used a LARGE bucket loader to hold the rim on the ground. When I put my rims back together, I spent the time to wire wheel the ring and the rim to make sure it was nice and clean. I then wiped it all down before my assembly. I spent about 5 minutes on each rim checking for nicks and burrs that could be an issue and filed anything that needed it. The only thing I wish I had was a clip on air chuck.

I was quite suprised in the end how well it went.

 

[wallew]

And yet, I still want to dump mine and pick up some 'normal tubeless' wheels. I don't know why.

 

[Elwenil]

I might add that the clip on air chuck on a 10' hose is sort of mandatory. At least I wouldn't want to do it any closer than 10', longer if possible. I think the military instructions state to use a 10' hose also. Even if it was all chained down, you still don't want to be close to it if it would happen to come apart. I've been near a road tractor with an overheated tire that blew on the rim at a truckstop. Even from over 20' away I could feel the concussion. I'm a little more shy around weird tire problems now, lol.

 

[M1075]

Lanty-

Is that what happened in your avatar pic?

 

[gbooth]

Like I said its mostly common sense. Yes use a clip on air chuck. Do not stand over or on the tire when airing up. Also if you are not comfortable with them and the maintenance by all means don't use them. I am more Leary from small car tires the sound they make when they pop on the rim I jump. A tire can blow at any time split rim or not.
Greg

 

[denisek5935]

I use a tire cage. I have two, but since changing to super singles, I rarely use it.

 

[Elwenil]

Lanty-

Is that what happened in your avatar pic?

Heh, I hope I'm a lot further than 20' from a nuke going off, lol. then again, I hope I'm a lot further from another tire popping too!

 

[wallew]

denisek5935,
Can you take a picture of a 'cage' for changing tires. I've ALWAYS wanted to see one. I always assumed a chain link enclosure like a tool room type of set up. But have never actually seen one. jim

 

[Elwenil]

Most I have seen have been made of heavy tubing or pipe. A exploding split rim would toss a ring through a chain link fence like it wasn't even there.

 

[M1075]

Tire cage on GL that went for $145.

 

[SixBuy]

They also make a less elaborate version that sort of looks like the bike rack down at the 'Y'. Just stand farther back...

 

[clinto]

Man, I'd have bought that for $145, all day long.......

 

[Recovry4x4]

Man, thats a neat tire cage. I could leave out by the street and the kids could use it as a bus stop shelter, then again, thats what S-250 shelters are for.

 

[mangus580]

I need to see a pic of an S-250 being used as a bus stop shelter!!

 

[houdel]

WARNING!! WARNING!! WARNING!! It has been mentioned several times in this post to always use a inflation cage or chains when inflating split rim tires. NEVER inflate a split rim tire without a cage or chains wrapped and secured at three or four locations around the tire & rim.

Make sure the split ring is facing away from you (split ring down on the ground if you are using chains), and do use a locking tire chuck and at least 10' of hose!

I lost a good friend who just leaned the tire up against his shop wall and tried to inflate the tire with a hand chuck. The ring didn't seat, blew off the rim, hit him in the chest and killed him instantly. I realize probably a billion or so split rims have been inflated without incident; but don't you be the billionth and one who gets severly injured or killed!

Also, NEVER put ANY part of your body under ANY part of a vehicle supported only by a jack! ALWAYS use a jack stand rated for the load you will be placing on it, or solid double set blocking. In my 10 years as a paramedic, I have been on two fatal runs on guys who just needed to crawl under their car for a second and figured the jack would hold. It didn't!

 

[rmgill]

The air chuck that latches on and a yellow extension hose is very useful. Get a remote filler setup so that if you have a low tire on the road, you can do a safe re-inflate with out being in the path. I added Quick Disconnect chucks to them and that way I can add customize the hose setup for what I'm doing. Two of those yellow coiled hoses running off the rear glad hand is about long enough to reach the underside of the truck's undercarriage with a Pneumatic Grease gun. Takes all of 10 minutes to crawl around and grease everything quickly with a creeper.

 

[G744]

Wallew..How about the argument you can't fix one of those damned tubless wheels in the field? I've had several flats on a single trip and was able to dismount & fix them, going on without having to call for an embarrassing (or expensive) rescue.

Knowledge, simple tools and an air hose is all you need. Besides, the LTS wheel on M35's is a safety ring type without a lot of room for error. Only a moron would put air to it whthout it being placed properly.

dg

 

[Elwenil]

Remember, this is the internet. There are more morons here than in any other place.

 

[M1075]

G744, not all tubeless designs are equal. Two piece rims can be assembled/disassembled using hand tools/wrenches. Also, with a tubeless setup, it is possible to plug a leak without ever changing the tire.

It looks like the Army is going to two piece rims with tubeless tires on all tactical vehicles.