Steel Wheel Help - Split/Lock Ring Wheels

[pearlsnaps]

I recently picked up a completely all OG 1970 K10 Stepper that hasn't seen day light in 25 plus years. It has 7.00-15LT tires on it and Split Rim/Lock ring wheels (all five including the under bed mounted spare). My question is would these have come on the truck originally? There is not a wheel option listed on the glove box sticker to state otherwise. The wheels are super skinny (15x5.5 I think). Would these wheel have had dog dish caps? The clip attachment point is 8" clip to clip.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

Zach

[JimKshortstep4x4]

I am not aware of wheels like the ones you have being used on a 70's truck. Dog dishes for the 70's snapped onto nubs instead of clips. I wonder if they are not off an earlier truck.

Jim

[Grumpy old man]

I've seen them on early 70's 3/4 ton camper specials and cab and chassis trucks 16.5 x9.50. VERY Dangerous RIMS to change and re inflate ,Always use an inflation cage or chains run thru the rims and sealing rig as they where famous for coming apart and seriously injuring or killing people . NOT worth the potential problems . with so many other options today .Watch some videos on you tube and then you'll scrap them .

[michael bustamante]

its cool that you found some vintage wheels in great shape but they are very dangerous to mount wheels on from what ive read seen and heard. the rings can pop out and seriously hurt someone and disfigure a face. i dont know if you would find a shop that would still mount tires to these rims.
most of the kids that work at discount tire have probably never even heard of split rims!
i bet those rims are from a late 50`s or early 60`s half ton pickup

[cdowns]

remove and save the clips for the hubcaps and deep six the wheels

[Stocker]

Dunno about their originality.... but as others have said, most tire shops won't touch 'em, and for good reason. If you're not well trained, they can be deadly. OTOH, tires have been changed countless times over many decades on that type of wheel. If you MUST keep them, look for a shop that changes big rig tires. They should have experienced people and the right safety equipment, and won't think twice about doing it for you.

[65standard]

I decided not to use my original split rims. I found a guy that could change tires on them, but the added cost of inner tubes and liners it just isn't worth the hassle.

[motorcritter]

I've got a set on my '72 C20 parts truck- 16" Firestone rims with some ancient 7.50X16 rags. Not sure what I'll do with them, I know they'll fit on to my scrap trailer rather easily. The truck also came with a set of 8-lug 15" wagon wheel rims. Those may have some value, to someone, for some reason.
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[factorystock]

Originally Posted by pearlsnaps

My question is would these have come on the truck originally? Would these wheel have had dog dish caps?

It is very possible. Some wheel designs were carry over from earlier years. The '69 thru '72 hubcap will not fit that rim, however the '67 thru '68 hubcap with the 7 5/8" back side opening will. This is the exact same 15" 3 piece wheel on a '68 C 10. It was the "heavy duty wheel" option.

[mike16]

its an older rim sombody has put on the truck. probably took the other rims in trade because shops wont deal with split rims. not as dangerous as the myth implies but should be respected at a distance by idiots.

the six clips that hold the hubcap on date it as a 55 and earlier rim. so it is neither origonal nor correct for your current truck. best as others say to dx the rims and get new or correct rims

[Grumpy old man]

I'm not sure of the exact dates they stopped using them but I remember changing them as a kid and my father taught me to always wrap a good chain thru the rim a few times before inflating them just in case the split rim jumped out of the seat ,LOTS of horror stories back in the early 70's of guys getting whacked and dieing inflating them .

[MARKDTN]

Originally Posted by Grumpy old man

I'm not sure of the exact dates they stopped using them but I remember changing them as a kid and my father taught me to always wrap a good chain thru the rim a few times before inflating them just in case the split rim jumped out of the seat ,LOTS of horror stories back in the early 70's of guys getting whacked and dieing inflating them .

My '74 F250 had them and we found non-split to replace them with. I have never seen a 15" version, so that must be early as stated above.

Watched a guy inflate one off a 2-ton truck in a tire shop in the early '80s by laying it on the floor and standing inside it (no cage). I still get nervous thinking about that. With a cage to inflate and some common sense they can be used, but I don't see any upside to using them.