Is this a "Split Rim"?

[Studioman]

Sorry guys, I'm not sure I know what a "Split Rim" is...

I am assuming it's the rims that are two piece, split down the center?

These are two piece, but the tire-mount area is one piece, and the bolt "mounts" are a separate piece.

Basically::: Are these "Split rims"? (I don't think they are, but wanting confirmation).

[Melody Ranch]

No. Those are not split rims. A split rim is held together by a separate ring, split, which is easily seen on the outside of the rim.

[perryg114]

No that is a crusty old conventional rim.

Perry

[Morgan guy]

There are two types of locking rims on older tires. One is the split rim as described above and the second is called a locking rim which has a separate ring that is not split but is hammered back into place on the rim. Most tire shops either don't know what the two are or if they do they will not work on them. They have to have the split ring or locking ring removed while the whole tire is inside a welded cage. Several people have been killed when the rings were removed when not inside a cage.

[Jim Foster]

Most wheels in use today are "drop center". That is, the center of the rim drops toward the center of the circumference allowing the tire to be mounted when the portion of the wheel that retains the tire is an inch more in diameter than the opening in the tire.
Split ring wheels have a lip around only the inside of the wheel to retain the inside bead of the tire. The outside of the wheel is the same diameter as the opening of the tire, allowing the tire to be slipped onto the wheel. The outside edge of the wheel has a groove to hold a ring made of spring steel that has a split allowing it to be stretched onto the wheel and into the groove, to hold the outside bead of the tire. Some rings do not have the split and must be driven onto the wheel and into the groove.

I hope this is a clear explanation. It's the only one I have.

[Studioman]

Thanks again guys!

I'd love to see a pic of a split ring wheel...

I was originally wanting to go with an Aluminum wheel, but now leaning towards the "old school" look.


THANKS for all the never ending info!

[Tireman9]

Originally Posted by Studioman

Thanks again guys!

I'd love to see a pic of a split ring wheel...

I was originally wanting to go with an Aluminum wheel, but now leaning towards the "old school" look.


THANKS for all the never ending info!

http://vintageairstream.com/wp-conte.../SplitRim1.jpg


Real easy. I simply used "The Google"

[J. Morgan]

Same wheels as yours, cleaned and painted with stock style caps. I like them.


1/2 Ton 4WD Truck, 72 Sovereign Hensley Arrow

[youngpeck]

Originally Posted by Studioman

Thanks again guys!

I'd love to see a pic of a split ring wheel...

I was originally wanting to go with an Aluminum wheel, but now leaning towards the "old school" look.


THANKS for all the never ending info!

I'd think twice about using split rim wheels. I have them on an old military trailer and it almost impossible to find tire shops willing to work on them.

[Foiled Again]

Originally Posted by youngpeck

I'd think twice about using split rim wheels. I have them on an old military trailer and it almost impossible to find tire shops willing to work on them.

Painted rims and baby moons ARE really vintage.

Split rims kill people. That's why no one wants to touch them. They aren't a one-piece thing, and when a tire is being filled any piece which fails leads to explosive decompression of the tire - sometimes flinging a bolt or other component of the rim into the mechanic's body. NOT cool under any circumstances.

NOTE ON "Authenticity" - I live near Williamsburg Virginia - a beautiful and educational place to take your children and selves particularly if you aren't interested in "Disneyfied History". One feature of colonial homes was that cedar shakes were the most commonly used roofing material. To make them look more elegant, socially conscious owners didn't use ones that were straight across on the bottom - but had the extra labor of having that edge cut in a gentle curve. Quite beautiful. Cedar shakes grow moss in a moist climate like eastern Virginia and need to be replaced on a shorter than normal lifespan. One day while visiting I noticed an "authentic" roof being repaired and spotted the very authentic looking shakes that were actually made out of cast concrete! The silvery gray looks like an aged shake and the slightly porous concrete will grow a nice crop of moss - and the things will last 50 years - they fail when the nails rust out! Concrete won't curl up. The real thing warps if it isn't meticulously mounted on slats so that moisture on the bottom side can dry! Real Cedar lifespan is 10-20 years, cost to make them look like hand split is significant. Cast concrete... make the molds and pour them by the thousands!

AUTHENTIC got trumped by labor cost... and by safety too. Imagine one house catching fire and sparks flying to a neighbor's 10 year old cedar shake roof... Woof! Instant inferno.

[youngpeck]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

Painted rims and baby moons ARE really vintage.

Split rims kill people. That's why no one wants to touch them. They aren't a one-piece thing, and when a tire is being filled any piece which fails leads to explosive decompression of the tire - sometimes flinging a bolt or other component of the rim into the mechanic's body. NOT cool under any circumstances.

NOTE ON "Authenticity" - I live near Williamsburg Virginia - a beautiful and educational place to take your children and selves particularly if you aren't interested in "Disneyfied History". One feature of colonial homes was that cedar shakes were the most commonly used roofing material. To make them look more elegant, socially conscious owners didn't use ones that were straight across on the bottom - but had the extra labor of having that edge cut in a gentle curve. Quite beautiful. Cedar shakes grow moss in a moist climate like eastern Virginia and need to be replaced on a shorter than normal lifespan. One day while visiting I noticed an "authentic" roof being repaired and spotted the very authentic looking shakes that were actually made out of cast concrete! The silvery gray looks like an aged shake and the slightly porous concrete will grow a nice crop of moss - and the things will last 50 years - they fail when the nails rust out! Concrete won't curl up. The real thing warps if it isn't meticulously mounted on slats so that moisture on the bottom side can dry! Real Cedar lifespan is 10-20 years, cost to make them look like hand split is significant. Cast concrete... make the molds and pour them by the thousands!

AUTHENTIC got trumped by labor cost... and by safety too. Imagine one house catching fire and sparks flying to a neighbor's 10 year old cedar shake roof... Woof! Instant inferno.

You live in a wonderful area. I always enjoy visits to your neighborhood. Williamsburg and its surroundings are "must-see" for all Americans.

I luckily found a small tire shop in Salt Lake City that will work on my split rim wheels. The owner won't let any of his employees near them--in fact he makes them stand outside the work bay when he's dealing with them. And he says he told his wife years ago he'd stop working on them! I don't know what I'll do when he retires.

Just to complicate matters, there is also a special rubber bladder (can't remember the exact name for it) that goes between the innertube and the wheel inside the tire. I don't know if all split rim wheels require this setup (bladder and/or innertube), since I have the military tires on my (military) trailer, but these bladders have to be specially ordered, and they are not cheap.

So why do I keep these tires and wheels, that are worth more than the trailer? I used to pull it off-road to collect rock, and it and they are great for that. But I hope I never need work on these wheels and their split rimss outside of the Salt Lake Valley--I'm afraid I'd be stuck.

[featherbedder]

Many semi trailers and some trucks use split rims. The tire shop that I use is large retread and new tires including some heavy equipment tires that are huge. This co. is located in several states with many shops and does many split rim tire jobs, as all truck tires they repair or mount new are inflated in cages that I believe is mandatory by osha rules. They have never had fatal or serious injuries because no short cuts taken. I would never put split rims on any thing.........

[J. Morgan]

Split rims have not been put on any new highway vehicles in decades.

Too dangerous....


1/2 Ton 4WD Truck, 72 Sovereign Hensley Arrow

[dannydimitt]

Yep, split rims are still in use, there are literately thousands of container chassis on the road in the US running 10.00 / 20's and every one of them is mounted on a split rim wheel. Worked on hundreds of them at the gas station where I worked during high school. Some have a detachable rim that is one one solid piece , most of the detachable rims on the the little 15 and 16 inch wheels are split in half at one place . take a look at the wheels on a big modern truck crane , probably has something in the order of a 16.00 R 25
tubeless tire on it that is mounted on a split rim. Yes there are tubeless split rim wheels all over the place , the wheel splits apart and uses a big O ring to seal the gap.
most of the rim failures can be traced to not cleaning the rust , dirt and **** out of the contact areas where the rim meets the wheel and it sure helps to preseat them by tapping inward with a hammer BEFORE airing up the tire. I still have a 71 Ford one ton with split rims. of course I do all my own tire work tire shop folks simply do not know how to work on them, or any tire if they can't use one of those fancy machines to do the work for them. Can't blame em though wrestling with 1400 / 20 on a Dayton split rim beside the road is a lot of that evil four letter word " WORK "

[dannydimitt]

PS , Have worked with , used , driven , trucks and trailers since back in the sixtys and the only split rim I have ever seen or known of to come off the wheel after the initial inflating were on steering axles after the tire went flat or blew out. and no , I do not wish the small stuff still used split rims.

[Airline]

I used to work at a tire store and change tires on split rims all the time,they are not that hard to do,and if you use a cage they are not dangerous.
Toyota still puts split rims on brand new trucks used in 3rd world countries by the UN and other areas where there are no tire shops.
With split rims you can change a tire by yourself on the side of the road or in the jungle.
Cigarettes and Guns kill more people daily than were ever killed by a split rim ; )

[m.hony]

Old mobile home trailer wheels were split rims, probably the same ones used on inter-modal container trailers. Some old split rims had the rim, then a rim held together by a series of clamps and bolts. Old school buses had them. When did the plural of "bus" become "buses" rather than "busses"? I know when I was in school in the 70's they taught "busses".

[Don.44]

Stay away from Split rims unless your going to change them yourself in the event you get a flat . I have a picture of a split rim and will try to send it . Split rims use tubes an flaps inside and are generally used on vehicles with 6 or 8 ply or more tires . If you run over a nail on the highway the tube type tire will go flat right away but a tubless tire will go a long ways with a nail in it usually . It doesn't seem that I can ad a picture but go to Google and google in Split rim tire . I have changed them from 13 inch to 24 inch and I know they come bigger . My advice is stay away from them and avoid a big headache .
Don

[ALUMINUMINUM]

15 inch Airstream trailer split rim wheel

[SteveH]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b47CJsqFmSM