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Posted By Discussion Topic: tires/wheels for 49 ford     tubetype 09-10-2013 @ 3:26 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 41 Joined: Apr 2013 what is meant by the term "widow rims/splitd rims"? Do tire repair shops still work on these? supereal 09-10-2013 @ 7:34 PM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 6819 Joined: Oct 2009 This term applies to the rims that have a separate outer ring to hold the tire on the rim. They had a bad habit of flying off when the tire was inflated. If a safety cage wasn't used, the ring became a missle capable of serious or fatal injury. As the rims aged, and became rusty, the probability of that happening increased. I had a 3/4 ton truck with those rims, and saw a ring fly off and break out a shop window. I was certainly glad not to be in the way! They have been obsolete for years, and only brave shops will touch them now. tubetype 09-12-2013 @ 5:15 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 41 Joined: Apr 2013 Thank you for the explaination. Can I see this rim from the outside or inside of the wheel? tubetype 09-12-2013 @ 5:15 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 41 Joined: Apr 2013 Thank you for the explaination. Can I see this rim from the outside or inside of the wheel? tubetype 09-12-2013 @ 5:15 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 41 Joined: Apr 2013 Thank you for the explaination. Can I see this rim from the outside or inside of the wheel? flathead4rd 09-12-2013 @ 6:38 AM reply profile send p.m. New Member Posts: 169 Joined: Oct 2009 The rim is on the outside. They were usually used on truck or semi trailer tires. I changed a few back in the 50's but it was a very scary process when inflating the tire. We would reach thru the center hole of the rim from the back side incase the rim blew off. This would avoid a broken arm at minium. I once saw one blow off of at semi trailer and travel at least a hundred feet. Thank god they don't use them any more. Or do they? 49fordv8f4 09-12-2013 @ 5:56 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 60 Joined: May 2010 Tubetype, Ford used Budd wheels on its 3/4 ton and larger trucks until about 1947 or 1948. They had a solid removable ring that was on the outside of the wheel on the 3/4 and 1 ton trucks and on the outside of the front wheel of the 1 1/2 ton. The rings were between the wheels on the rear with duals. The rings were not split and had to be stretched as they were installed. If the wheels and rings were in good condition they were very secure. The later trucks about 1948 until sometime in the 1960's had what everyone calls widowmakers, or Firestone RH5 wheels. These wheels actually split in the middle of the wheel. There is a raised area in the center of the wheel that would be in the back side of the wheel on the smaller trucks and the front wheels of the 1 1/2 ton. The raised area would be facing out on the rear with duals. There is some misinformation out there about these wheels such as, the rings can just blow off anytime or if the ring is turned on the wheel it will slip right off. They can be very dangerous wheels but if they are in good condition they are safe if properly assembled. The removable ring has to be stretched on like the earlier wheels so if the are assembled properly they can't come off. They are harder to tell when they are properly assembled. There are probably very few of the RH5 wheels from the late 40's into the late 50's that would be safe to use as the locking surfaces usually have a lot of rust on them. Actually rusting the locking surfaces away in places. I have a set of 6 RH5 wheels for my 1949 F4 that I would still use but I bought a set of 19.5 tubeless wheels off of a Dodge motorhome so I can run radial tires. The 8R19.5 tires happen to be the same diameter as the 7.00-20 tires that were on my truck. I hope this is helpful, Mark Poley What model 1949 ford truck do you have? tubetype 09-12-2013 @ 6:47 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 41 Joined: Apr 2013 Looking at a 1949, F4. and wanted to be sure that the wheels were safe. Ive heard some horror stories about split rims. Thank you all for you input. The several questions I have ask the forum have saved headaches and money.

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