70 series split wheels - How to: (1 Viewer)

[ca18sean]

Took some time to document disassembly of my split wheels. I'm switching to some wheel vintiques steel wheels that look similar but get rid of the tubes. If I lived in Australia or somewhere super remote I would keep the splits, but otherwise they're just a hassle in my opinion. Tubeless is the way to go for me. Anyways, here goes:

First thing you'll need is a bead busting tool. There's more than one option, but I found this affordable and it works well - Beadbuster XB-450

https://www.amazon.com/BeadBuster-X...TF8&qid=1535463550&sr=8-1&keywords=beadbuster

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Once you do that in multiple spots to break the bead, work your tire irons between the split ring joint and pull up. Insert a second tire iron into the hole to hold it up. Pry the ring up and hammer it around with a mallet to pop the ring all the way off. Lube helps break the bead and get the ring loose.

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Once the ring is removed, flip the wheel over and break the bead on the opposite side. The backside bead usually breaks easier.

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Carefully remove the inner tube and liner. Here's the whole setup:

Untitled by CA18 Sean, on Flickr

Reassembly is similar to disassembly except with more cursing and hitting with a hammer. Hope that helps someone!

 

[ca18sean]

Despite the title, I think this is a pretty decent video showing reassembly of a Toyota split wheels. The shoe choice isn't great, and I always re-seat my splits with a clip on remote air hose from a distance, but I think the danger of split wheels is blown out of proportion. I haven't seen any posts about Toyota split rims coming apart, that seems to be an older American split rim design flaw. They're incredibly popular in Australia for their serviceability.

 

[joekatana]

If you use a tire machine to break the beads it only takes about 5 minutes to change a tire on the splits. Your bead brake tool is a good tool to have when you are in a remote area but if not a tire machine is your best friend

 

[Avattack]

I drove a fleet service truck for years. Split rims are scary to work with and ARE dangerous if you don't know what your doing. Once we put the tire and wheel back together, we would roll it into a metal cage to air up. On the road, I would slide it (tire and wheel) under my lift gate when I aired it up and gently tapped around the steel ring to make sure it seated properly around the wheel. Always hated working on them. I've heard of guys losing life and limbs working on split rims. Enjoyed your post and stay safe!

 

[ca18sean]

If you use a tire machine to break the beads it only takes about 5 minutes to change a tire on the splits. Your bead brake tool is a good tool to have when you are in a remote area but if not a tire machine is your best friend

One tool I don't have unfortunately! And the tire shops around here hear "split wheel" and shake their heads.

 

[ca18sean]

I drove a fleet service truck for years. Split rims are scary to work with and ARE dangerous if you don't know what your doing. Once we put the tire and wheel back together, we would roll it into a metal cage to air up. On the road, I would slide it (tire and wheel) under my lift gate when I aired it up and gently tapped around the steel ring to make sure it seated properly around the wheel. Always hated working on them. I've heard of guys losing life and limbs working on split rims. Enjoyed your post and stay safe!

No one is saying that those style split wheels aren't dangerous, there's youtube videos that scare the crap out of me. I'm just saying I have yet to see a single post about a Toyota split rim coming apart like that. From what I've read (on the internet of course... lol) the Toyota design is safer than the older American design. Something about the way the ring locks to the wheel as the bead slides up. I'm not a professional tire guy, so I can't say for sure, but I treat any tire with a certain level of caution as I'm seating the bead.

 

[himhj60]

 

[gilmorneau]

Some time ago I found what seems like a good explanation of the difference between the Toyota type wheels (variously known as "lock ring type" and "multi-piece wheels") and the true (and dangerous) split rims of the past. Here it is, cut and pasted:

"Split Rim vs Lock Ring Rim

There is a terminology and resulting misunderstanding problem with this type of wheel. The Toyota type with a wheel and a removable lock ring are classified as "multi-piece wheel" by the US DOT and OSHA. They are NOT classified as "split rims" by the DOT.

I was a truck stop tire repair man for five years back in the 70s when 90% of them were still running on tube-type bias ply tires on multi-piece wheels. This design uses a lock ring to hold the tire bead on one side. The lock ring is nothing more than a snap ring. The lock ring itself is split like a snap ring but rest of the wheel is solid. If the lock ring is seated properly in its groove, as it is aired up it gets tighter.

The true "split rim" is an entirely different design. It also has a lock ring but it (the ring) is solid. Instead, the wheel itself is split. In the common type the wheel/rim was split radially. When you dismounted one of these the two halves of the split wheel/rim were pried on until one side of the split overlapped the other thus reducing the overall diameter of the wheel so you could mount or dismount a tire. When you reassembled it you had to pry on the rim to get the two sides of the split to mate-up and hopefully stay that way when you aired it up. These things were flat-out scary to work on.

Bottom line is that as long as a multi-piece wheel (like the Toyota) is in good condition and you know what you are doing, they are safe. Be advised that if there is a lot of rust or the lock ring is bent or sprung all bets are off and it may not be safe.

The true "split rims" were fairly dangerous even when in good condition. So much so that DOT banned them, and insurance companies told tire shops not to service them.

Eventually the on-highway truck industry converted to tubeless tires on conventional drop-center wheels people and tire shops forgot about the different styles of multi-piece vs split rims. Now all wheels like these are incorrectly called "split-rims" and unless your local tire man has been working on them for 40 years he will not know the difference.

Like 99% of folks, he believes all multi-piece wheels are "split-rims" and will not lay a hand on one.

You need to run tube type tires on a wheel like this, you also should have a "flap" or liner between the tube and the wheel. If you run radials with a tube, the tube needs to be a radial tube.

I would run Toyota lock ring wheels if I had a set and I would service them myself. If they are not rusty they are simple to break down and reassemble."