47-59 3 Piece Dually Wheel Dismounting

[farmall]

I picked up four 18" dually wheels today for cheap and I want to remove the Armstrongs to clean the rims up and for easier storage.
If I get two more I can persue welding the centers in 19.5" rims.
I am not going to cut up the ones on my truck only to find out it will not work.

The only info I can find on dismounting these is in the Service manual and it is very vague.
No videos, no pics, no exploded views on the net.
I have experience with two piece lockring rims, but not these.

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com...55ctsm1007.htm

Any advice?

[autowrench]

Lube it up well and break the bead thoroughly. You will need to push or shock the outer ring down far enough to allow the inner ring to be pried out of its groove. Then work it up and out of the groove, taking care to not deform the ring. As you would with the one piece rings. You may need to use more than one tool to pry it out of the retaining groove and work it around the wheel. Take it slow. It's much the same as one piece rings, you just have to get the outer ring clear of the inner one to make it happen. The back bead and everything else should be the same as you have done before. Good Luck! I hope you have an inflation cage you can use if you decide to reassemble the tire and wheels later. Hope this helps!
Tom

[mr48chev]

They were cheap because they aren't good for anything except making grinder or vise stands out of.
Truth is the guy you got them from probably got kicked out of Les Schwab when he took them down to be worked on. When they took the split rims off my 71 they didn't even let the tire touch the cement out on the apron, they lifted the wheel and tire off the hubs and carried them to the back of the truck and put them in.

Still the issue with those or split rims has always been what someone before you did to the wheel and comprimised it in the process.

I'd go over them with a fine tooth comb checking for even the least bit of damage. That spot I circled might have some impact damage from the past.

Plus positively use a cage when you air them up if you ever air them up. That is the "unsafe part" airing them up after you have them apart. Maybe not quite as bad as regular split rims but unless you buy extra life insurance make sure that you and all around you are safe when they get aired up.

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

Plus positively use a cage when you air them up if you ever air them up. That is the "unsafe part" airing them up after you have them apart. Maybe not quite as bad as regular split rims but unless you buy extra life insurance make sure that you and all around you are safe when they get aired up.

definitely listen to this, the first gmc i built was a stake pocket 1 ton with those wheels, the guy was fixing it up slowly, one day aired up a low rear tire and it popped the ring, put his hand through the stake pocket! ouch!

[dsraven]

please heed the advice here and/or google the results of when a split rim wheel comes apart. it can easily kill you or maim you for life, or an innocent bystander. nobody is gonna fault you for stacking those wheels up in a place you can see them and talk about them or whatever. there is a really good reason why tire guys will not work on those wheels, besides their age. spend the project money on important things, like those wheels and other safety items like brakes and steering. scrimp on something that doesnt make a real differernce to safety and driveability.
just my opinion but as a heavy duty mechanic I have seen the aftermath of what happens

[mr48chev]

I'm thinking that the instructions are in the service manual. Taking them apart isn't the issue though. The real issue as we said is your safety and the safety of those around you when you air them up. That is when all too many people have been killed or seriously injured since the start of split rims. These aren't as bad as actual split rims but you don't know if someone ever damaged them in the past causing an issue with them now.

I've got a bunch of 20 inchers out here off the cab donor chassis for my build and it was a real challenge to get one apart so i can use it as a base for a piece of equipment I want to build.

[dsraven]

The best idea is like you say in the first post, cut the centers out and weld them into a regular standard size wheel. Well, actually the BEST would be to just buy regular standard style wheels that look like the old ones. Lol.

[Heggart]

Farmall, I have these exact rims and I am wanting to do the same thing. Did you go through with cutting and welding, or did you go with different rims?

Thank you.

[mr48chev]

Those look like 1 ton wheels but if you wanted 1-1/2 ton wheels I have a stack of them that you could have for loading them up and hauling them off. I've yet to figure out how to get them apart without a hassle.

[farmall]

Originally Posted by Heggart

Farmall, I have these exact rims and I am wanting to do the same thing. Did you go through with cutting and welding, or did you go with different rims?

Thank you.

I am still trying to make a deal with a guy on six 19.5s who switched to super singles. I will post when something happens. Wheels make the truck. I will be sticking with these either way.

[mr48chev]

Cutting those is going to take a big lathe.