Combat rims - round 2


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Posted by Chris Davis - Centerville, UT on Friday, April 15, 2005 at 2:47PM :

Last time I posted a progress report on my WC51, I was complaining about how difficult it was to break down WWII combat rims.

Well, my sons and I took apart four old combat rims that I picked up over the years, but didn't come with the truck. All were difficult, some more so than others, but all required the use of a saws-all to remove the tire. We developed a system, so it wasn't so bad on the last couple, but an interesting thing happened when I finally got to wheels mounted on the truck.

I took the first one off the WC51, removed the valve stem and let the air out, then used an impact wrench to loosen the ten nuts holding the ring on. They came off easily, and as each came off I threaded it back on a turn or two by hand as a safety measure. Well, the impact wrench turned the last one off quickly, and the ring immediately separated from the rest of the wheel, moving up an inch to rest against the other nine nuts.

This scared me! I thought somehow I left air in the tire.

I checked the valve stem... it was really out. I tapped the tire, it was really flat... then I realized gravity had simply pulled the wheel down away from the ring. I undid the nine bolts and lifted the tire and ring easily off the wheel. After that, the ring required a couple pries from the tire bars, but basically came right off the tire.

The interior of the wheel was pretty clean, with very little rust. The deserts of CA are a great place for old war horses to go to die... no rust!

I wondered if I had just lucked out with this one, but the second wheel came apart almost as easily. Since these wheels are the first real work I'm doing on the truck, I'm taking it as a good omen.

For clean up I sandblast the ring and rim, then paint the interior sections with POR 15, and prime and paint the exterior. Re-assembly has been a snap... combat rims are a lot easier to put together than the split ring wheels. (I guess having an air impact wrench speeds things up.)

Two wheels to go, then I can start taking the truck itself apart.

(I had to do the tires first to get the five 11.00 x 16 radial tires out of the bed of the truck and make room for the real work. Joys of a small garage.)

Chris Davis
Centerville, UT



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