changing tyres on split rims
 

I would like to learn how to change tyres on my Iveco split rims. Has anyone got any advice or a link to a photo step by step guide? I am also going to shot blast the rims and wonder if it will be a problem to hand paint them whilst in pieces?

Graeme

Be careful, be very, very...........................
 

Hi Graeme

if you do a search you will find plenty of previous threads on split rims, here's my advice for what it's worth.

Quote
"I would like to learn how to change tyres on my Iveco split rims. Has anyone got any advice or a link to a photo step by step guide?"

I will have a look over the weekend for anything in writting, however one very strong piece of advice when changing tyres with split rims is to place the wheel in a strong bag/net or to place two strong straps in a cross around the rimwheel when airring up, as they have a tendency to 'pop' under pressure, the rim could then come away from the wheel at seriously high velocity - enough to take you head off, so be very careful.

Quote
"I am also going to shot blast the rims and wonder if it will be a problem to hand paint them whilst in pieces?"

Should be fine to hand paint them or get a paint shop to spray them - shouldn't cost much.

Will let you know if I find anything in print.

Good luck

This link might be of some use :
Split Rims

Split rims
 

Graham, Here are some pages on changing tyres in split rims:http://www.tyrepliers.com.au/Instruc...age12.htmChris

Trying again
 

Graham,Tyrepliers Bead Breakers Tyrepliers Bead Breakers Tyrepliers Bead Breakers Chris

straps
 

thanks for the tips, really helpful. what straps does anyone use to put around the tyre? I am thinking that a couple of roof rack straps would be simple, are they strong enough?

graeme

easy and safe IME
 

In my experience taking tyres off split rims is not half as difficult or as dangerous as it's made out to be - although it is certainly heavy work but the utility of in-field repairs makes it nearly worth it. Sometimes I feel there is an often repeated urban myth surrounding the risk of split rims - maybe there was a badly designed brand of rim once that took a couple of heads off. As long as everything is seated correctly as you re-inflate what can go wrong? It takes no more common sense care than jacking up a vehicle safely (statistically much more dangerous I bet).
I have taken apart splits on land cruisers and lately on a M.A.N 8-tonner with 18 years rust behind an OE tyre that all-up weighed more than me. It took two of us an hour of hammering but technically the M.A.N rims were easier than the TLCs maybe because all the bits were bigger.
(VW MAN 8136 FAE tyres and tanks if you are interested)
You prise off the retaining ring (always tricky on TLCs I found), bash down the rim ring to break the rust seal, lift it off/lever it out with lube, lift off the tyre, repair it and reverse the procedure with a bit of lube if necessary. No need for tyrepliers (tho I did need them on the Toyota). When reinflating splits there is nowhere near as much pressure required as there is to get a tubeless tyre (or some motorbike rims I've known) into the seating well of the rim. In the desert I watched a couple of guys and repair a giant 14.00 R20 tyre without even taking the wheel off the hub: just jacked it up, ring and rim and tyre pulled off, patch it yet again and on again in about 20 mins.
However, it's definately better to get familiar with the job in the garden than on the road.

Good luck with the sand blasting and painting. I had to do it on the rusty TLC rims but still received endless punctures (it could have been old, tired tyres) and will be going through it all again for the M.A.N's new tyres on old rims. Even blasting could not get to the bottom of the rust - I'll try grinding before repainting this time - it can only make for a nice loose fit!

Chris S (at Matt's)

split rims
 

Driving tubeless from Netherlands to Cape Town along West coast with ZERO punctures. Driving back along east coast with reasonably worn tires, we had 5 puntures. So in total 60.000 km we had 5 puntures. All of them were repaired with plugs from the outside, a 10 minute job! Driving with others with split rims, they had endless puncture, in some cases 6 per week or so. How come? Because they had split rims!! For a TLC or for any small 4WD the split rims suck! They are like a self fullfilling prophesy, it is easy to repair the tube with split rings but yes, you will have too repair them many times because they are the bloody cause of the puncture to the begin with! Water and dirt get into the rim, rust cannot be prevented and the rust flakes cause the punctures. If the rims are well coated on the inside, it should be better. But also replace the valve support plate on the tube by stainless steel plates. The ferro plates rust like crazy.

For big truck tires? I don't know. Maybe its necessary to have split rims but I guess the same principles apply here too!

Cheers,

Noel Di Pietro
exploreafrica.web-log.nl

truck split rims
 

I don't actually agree with Matt about the procedure involved though he is right that it's much easier to change a tyre on a truck if it's got split rims. I have 14.5 r 20 MPT tyres on my truck and spent a couple of hours practicing at my local truck tyre place the other day because I wanted to see if I could replace a tyre on my own. I was told whatever you do you DON'T use any grease or lubricant on a split rim because the last thing you want to do is reduce the friction between the retaining rim and the wheel. Sure clean off all the rust etc by wire brushing or sanding but never lubricate it. Grease also makes it harder to tell if the rim had seated properly. The guy who showed me what to do had a lot of experience on split rims going back to when the were common on trucks like Bedford TKs in the '60s and he clearly knew what he was talking about. He also told me that if you don't have a cage when you're inflating the tyre up to pressure after it had seated then use a couple of strong ratchet straps over the wheel. To be honest I thought he was being a bit over the top until he told me what had happened when one ring did let go..........

Ratchet straps are also invaluable if you can't get the tryre to seat on the rim either-just put it round the circumference and tighten as hard as you can.

Q

Hi Quintin. It was actually Chris Scott using my account. (he was stat at my desk and used my computer etc...)
anyway, I have to agree though, that split rims are very easy to change and if you make sure everything is ok, then all will be fine. and I think you do need lube, otherwise the rim can catch and not slide fully home. If the sections are not in the correct position THEN there could be a misalignment problem, and the split ring could easily fly off taking your hand with it!

BUT, without a doubt, tubeless is the way to go. Much better in every way.


Cheers,
Matt, just about to finish the last of a very nice bottle of Echo Falls white wine...

Just for interest, I run 255/100x16 Michelin XZL's (excellent) on my Iveco 40.10 camper, before that some horrible rigid cast iron Turkish Petlas crossplies, and before those well-worn Mich XS sand tyres. All were tubed using the proper heavy duty Mich tubes as the wheels don't have rubber 'O' rings needed for tubeless tyres.

I have changed all these tyres myself very easily, the (very) heavy duty military split rims have never looked likely to fly apart on inflation as long as you make sure the rim and ring are seated properly using normal common sense (I still put a ratchet strap on just to be sure though I'm getting to feel a bit silly doing it now). The rims were wire brushed and hand painted years ago and never seem to acquire more than a bit of surface rust. (I only painted the visible surfaces).

And in nine years and thousands of miles on all types of surfaces, not one single puncture or any other tyre-related problems.

Perhaps I'm lucky so far and have just tempted fate by writing this post.........!

Nigel

I was told whatever you do you DON'T use any grease or lubricant on a split rim because the last thing you want to do is reduce the friction between the retaining rim and the wheel
Fair enough Q, that makes sense. The rim we were working on was very rusty tho - and they will all be getting cleaned up later to avoid using lube (Matt, are you listerning - but the bottle down and get on it!!)

Ratchet straps .... round the circumference and tighten as hard as you can.
This is more of a tubeless mounting last measure no? Never actually tried it as I always imagined the difference it would make would be minimal, esp on a chunky truck tyre.

Ch

"Ratchet straps .... round the circumference and tighten as hard as you can.
This is more of a tubeless mounting last measure no? Never actually tried it as I always imagined the difference it would make would be minimal, esp on a chunky truck tyre."

Sorry for the misidentification Matt-I must learn to read one day!

I found it impossible to get the tyre (mine are all tubeless) to seat even with one of those neat thingies that tyre places have which dumps a load of air in the gap between the tyre and the rim. I toyed with the idea of the 'petrol + run like f**k' method but as the tyre cost a small fortune and discretion being the better part...etc I tried the ratchet strap instead. It gives the wall just a bit extra width and provided you can 'jiggle' the rim about a bit (if you see what I mean) and you've got enough air going into the rim, it will seat.

Time for a nice glass I think............

Q

Yes, new tubeless tyres can be a REAL pain. When they are new they are usually packed together and the beadings are really close together, so they are no where near the rim!! lighter fluid (or petrol) would work and would be great fun!!
But if you put too much in you'll blow the whole lot sky high...

No wine for me tonight, but maybe a cheeky small bottle of Stella later...

bead breaker
 

Thanks again for all the tips. Does any one of you use a bead breaker? if not how do you break the bead and if so which one do you use. My tyres have not been off for a while so might it be an idea to go to a tyre bar? they are looking pretty rusty too!