Truck Tyres 34 x 7 as 12 ply Olympics

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

What are the tell-tale signs that an old steel rim is not safe and should not be restored?

I have taken some rims to local tyre places and the first thing they see is a rusty rim. It is condemned straight away.

I intend on getting some old rims sandblasted for rust, primed and have a number of coats of paint applied to them. Then taking it to the local tyre mob and seeing if they will fit a new 8.25 x R20,

However, I would like to be able to make a decision whether doing a lot of work on a rim is not worth it because the rim is unsafe to use.

Kind regards
Lionel

[Grant Bowker]

Three things that would scare me on a rim: deep rust pitting, particularly if they overlap to form lines where the rim is thin (also a badly rusted retaining groove for the ring), poorly done modifications like the welded on plate shown in the first photo of your post above, rims that are split along the centerline of the rim, (as opposed to at one edge, see Firestone RH-5 rims for the centerline split). If none of those are present, I like your idea of a light cleanup and paint to see what happens at the tyre shop. I am not suggesting use of Bondo or other schemes to hide damage, just making sure the rim looks sound and cosmetically good. Make sure they are a long-established heavy truck tyre shop and not your local car repair joint. The car repair types are rightly cautious to work on things they aren't trained to do and which if improperly done can hurt them. A 2 or 3 piece rim is most dangerous as it is being inflated (and also somewhat if deflated due to blow-out on the road). As a result, they should be inflated in a cage or at very least with chains to prevent the ring from flying if it slips off the rim.

Comment, the rim shown with a 5 stud attachment might be a 10 bolt rim with 5 hole reinforcement plate with studs in alternate holes in the rim (usually on the front axle).

[Tony Smith]

Another "fail" is any corrosion or lack of a sharp edge in the lock ring groove, or loss of tension in the lock ring itself.

Note that some types of abrasive blasting can change the temper of the spring of the lock ring, leading to a poor fit.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Also, clean the rims of tyre remains and strike them like you would do a bell. If cracked or severely corroded, they will not sound like one.

[rob love]

The condition of the ring and the channel are the unique considerations to these type of rims. Channel should be clean and the edge reasonably square. The rings must not be "sprung" or distorted. That is to say, when fitted back onto the rim, they should spring back flat into the channel. On top of that are the regular considerations: cracks, weld repairs, elongated mounting holes, excessive rust....any of these are a reason for condemnation of the rim.

When I was in Kandahar, the tire guys were fixing a very large (about 6 feet in diameter by about 3 feet in width) heavy equipment tire. They had it laying on the ground, with one guy holding the air hose and filling the tire. Three other guys were all leaning over the tire (ring facing up) and one guy was hammering on it, trying to get the ring back in to the groove, as it was part way out. I put a stop to their work and had them deflate the tire, which they did after putting a very large set of forklift forks over the ring.

I will always feel like I saved three to four lives that day.

[Paul Singleton]

In my opinion the most dangerous truck wheels were the centre split type used up to the early or mid 1960’s. I know that General Motors used them but I am not sure about other manufacturers. I hated working with them as they would blow apart regularly when on the truck especially if the truck was overloaded.
These rims split in the middle, there were two dimples marking where to start prying them apart. The locking part didn’t go all the way around as the rim needed a spot to allow disassembly. Also in the winter the sand and salt would collect in the rim at the split and cause rusting.

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

I found a set of six 8.25 R20 tyres and rims for sale at a good price on an online free classified advertising site. The tyres were just about brand new when taken off a wrecked Mitsubishi truck.

It makes you wonder why people outlay the cost of a new set of six tyres, then not very long afterwards, they decide to take sell the truck to a wreckers?

I will shortly take the Mitsubishi wheels to one of the local tyre places and get the tyres stripped off the rims. Then to sand blast, then paint my Chevrolet 1940 rims. Once this work is done I will see if anyone local will fit the tyres to the rims.

Kind regards
Lionel