Here I am again. Daddy always said if you don't know something, ask, so here I go again. My 54 3/4 ton has the old split rims, what are my options and what do you guys think I need to do to get her back on the road safely?
Take 'em apart and de-rust them then inspect closely for cracks , have them powder coated or re-paint @ home with Rustoleum typ paints , re-assemble and use . I'd chuck them things away ! . -Nate
I've got 17" split rims on my '53 1-ton, and they are fine. I cleaned them up, painted them, and had new tires and tubes installed. Lots of people are afraid of them, but they are actually pretty safe. I've put thousands of miles on mine, and the previous owners drove them for who knows how long. One nice thing about them is that you can actually change a tire yourself, no big expensive tools needed! And I am trying to keep my truck as original as possible. twhite
Fair enough and I've logged thousands of miles on then to when I was younger -BUT- I have also been there when one popped , tossing a full sized truck driver through the air..... I've seen the locking ring go through the windshieled of a '72 Chevy Impala on the I-210 freeway too so don't kid yourself about these old tech and dangerous rims . Anyone who's worked in trucking or a truck shop knows these are at best , a compromise design else they'd still be on all new rigs . -Nate
I currently have 2 centers cut out of the original 17" 3 piece split 8 lug rims at Stockton Wheel Co awaiting welding into 16X6 Radial Ready solid rims. These will be mounted on a 1951 chevy 1 ton truck as soon as they are finished and returned. I plan to mount LT235/85R16 tires on them. I'll let you know the plusses and minuses of this when complete. Jerry
