Assembling wheels

AA Ford Discussion Group relating to the repair and restoration of your AA Ford.
Stakebed
Posts: 1223
Joined: June 14th, 2007, 7:29 pm
Body Type: Grainbox
Model Year: 1929
Location: Illinois

Assembling wheels

Post by Stakebed »

Hello all,

whats the best way and proper way to assemble the AA rims/wheels? Specifically the 29 concave dish style if it makes a difference.

I have new tires, tubes, and rim flaps. All the rims have been sandblasted and painted with por15 with a topcoat of industrial rustoleum. Lockrings the same.

Ive heard of different methods of coating everything in baby powder to getting everything slick with armor-all to aid in assembly and to ensure the innertube doesnt get pinched.

Do you stuff the inner-tube inside the tire and drop it on the rim with the rimflap on it already?

I know of the dangers of inflating tires on these type of rim so I plan to only put about 5lbs of air in them just to get the innertube inflated some before I take them to a local truck place that has the proper tire cage for final inflation. How much air do you guys run?

Thanks!
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Chris Haynes
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Body Type: 82A
Model Year: 1930
Location: Camarillo, CA

Re: Assembling wheels

Post by Chris Haynes »

Put the tube and the boot inside the tire. Put it on the rim with the valve stem in the hole. Install the snap ring in position. Now come the important stuff. If you don't have a cage to put your wheel into to fill with air is would be best to take it to a truck tire shop and let them fill it with air. If not take a few pieces of heavy chain and put them around the tire and through the center hole of your rib. Use bolts to make them tight. With the snap ring side of the rim facing away from you reach your hand through the center hole of the rim to add air. Make sure the snap ring is correctly seated in the rim before removing the chains.These snap rings can be deadly.
Stakebed
Posts: 1223
Joined: June 14th, 2007, 7:29 pm
Body Type: Grainbox
Model Year: 1929
Location: Illinois

Re: Assembling wheels

Post by Stakebed »

Should the snap rings fit snugly on the rim? seems mine I have to squeeze it together about 1/2" to have it fully seated in the rim...
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1crosscut
Posts: 877
Joined: December 25th, 2010, 7:22 pm
Body Type: 82-A
Model Year: 1929
Location: Lincoln, NE

Re: Assembling wheels

Post by 1crosscut »

I wouldn't use Armor All. Take a small container to the place you are going to have air up the tires and get some tire lube from them. Odds are they will fill up your container for free. They get the stuff in bulk so a little bit is easy to get. Even if you have to throw them a few dollars it is well worth it as it works well and is made for tires.

The lock rings should mount up pretty close and the tire getting aired up will push them into place. Perhaps yours got stretched a bit when taken off.

Resist the temptation to put even a little air into them. Let the boys with the cage do the dangerous stuff.
------------
Dave
KimVanOrder
Posts: 753
Joined: August 11th, 2013, 4:25 pm
Body Type: 82-A Platform
Model Year: 1928
Location: Hamilton, Mich.

Re: Assembling wheels

Post by KimVanOrder »

I have 6:00 X 20s. I run 34 psi. I never have a load on the truck, Just me going to the coffee shop at a blistering 28 mph.
KVO
Dec. '28 AA
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Neil Wilson
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Joined: February 5th, 2003, 9:42 pm
Body Type: 82-A/89-A
Model Year: 1930
Location: Boulder, CO
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Installing AA Tires

Post by Neil Wilson »

I have always installed my tires on AA wheels. I wrote a one page Word document description of my procedure. It can be seen/downloaded at https://app.box.com/s/ibi7u5o12t3fv93gzt78lrukq1cdwyqn
Regards, Neil Wilson
______________________________________
aafords.com@gmail.com - use this email for contact
https://aafords.com/
Stakebed
Posts: 1223
Joined: June 14th, 2007, 7:29 pm
Body Type: Grainbox
Model Year: 1929
Location: Illinois

Re: Assembling wheels

Post by Stakebed »

perfect Neil! In step 5 it says the tire should be seated on the lock ring and rear of the rim. My tires are new and were shrunk wrapped so the beads of the tires are touching each other. Will like your directions say with inflating the inner tube minus the core "poof" the tire out so it stays on the lockring?

Sorry for making this sound more complicated than it is but I dont want surprises. What do you recommend lubing the tube with Neil?
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macswoods
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Joined: May 4th, 2009, 1:20 pm
Body Type: 82-A
Model Year: 1929
Location: Wilhoit, Arizona

Re: Assembling wheels

Post by macswoods »

I had the same problem with mounting "NEW" tires that the beads squashed together. I cut small pieces of 2x4s (about 6 per tire and inserted them
in the tires to spread the tires open, I left them sit for a week, when removed the tires stayed open. Put on flaps, inflated tubes slightly and put in tire
then slip over wheel ,put on ring. I used 2 inch strapping thru the holes and added a bit of air. Used a dead blow rubber hammer to tap around on the
ring , more air , more tapping, etc. Worked for me ! Mac..... Mounted 5 tires ,been on truck two years. BUT IN ALL CASES "BE SAFE".
Stakebed
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Joined: June 14th, 2007, 7:29 pm
Body Type: Grainbox
Model Year: 1929
Location: Illinois

Re: Assembling wheels

Post by Stakebed »

hmm good point - going to have to do that I think. Would make it alot safer to inflate if the tire was already on the lockring before any air is added.
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Neil Wilson
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Re: Assembling wheels

Post by Neil Wilson »

Stakebed wrote:perfect Neil! In step 5 it says the tire should be seated on the lock ring and rear of the rim. My tires are new and were shrunk wrapped so the beads of the tires are touching each other. Will like your directions say with inflating the inner tube minus the core "poof" the tire out so it stays on the lockring?

Sorry for making this sound more complicated than it is but I dont want surprises. What do you recommend lubing the tube with Neil?
I have not used any lube on the tubes.

The tube and flap must be installed prior to installing the tire on the wheel. The shrunk wrapped tires presents a problem.

My thoughts - Work the tubes into the tire, then inflated (with cores) to hold the tires open (over inflated so that the tires are open wider than the wheel rim width). Then let the sun do some work to allow the tire to conform to the open condition. Once the new tires remain open with the tubes deflated, then the flaps can be installed and the cores removed from the tubes.
Regards, Neil Wilson
______________________________________
aafords.com@gmail.com - use this email for contact
https://aafords.com/
Stakebed
Posts: 1223
Joined: June 14th, 2007, 7:29 pm
Body Type: Grainbox
Model Year: 1929
Location: Illinois

Re: Assembling wheels

Post by Stakebed »

That would also work - gonna give it a shot.
marcel kristoff
Posts: 32
Joined: October 26th, 2014, 1:00 pm
Body Type: flat deck
Model Year: 1928
Location: Fort St. John, BC, Canada

Re: Assembling wheels

Post by marcel kristoff »

Were you able to get your wheels together? How about posting a pic of them. The concaved dish rims are not very common.
Stakebed
Posts: 1223
Joined: June 14th, 2007, 7:29 pm
Body Type: Grainbox
Model Year: 1929
Location: Illinois

Re: Assembling wheels

Post by Stakebed »

had some setbacks - back on track this week! :D
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dhetch
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Joined: May 16th, 2011, 5:48 am
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Model Year: 1928
Location: Lakeville, MN

Re: Assembling wheels

Post by dhetch »

I have always made sure the lock ring and wheel lock groove are clean and I have the wheel bolted firmly to the vehicle hub (vehicle jacked up) when first filling one of these tires. I only use a hose extension when I fill them so I can be out from under the vehicle and behind the plane of the ring. I start Neil's tap - tap on the snap ring at about 5 PSI. It is OK if it will not stay completely tight at first, it usually will stay seated with a few more PSI to hold it in. You can see how far the shoulder on the ring is from the edge of the wheel to see where it is fully seated with a mirror from behind the wheel. It is all about getting it fully seated without getting anything caught between the ring and the wheel. If you over inflate and then try to tap the ring in, it is possible to pinch a part of the tire, tube, or liner between them and they will be dangerous. I also do not use multiple layers of rust-stop paint and additional coats of regular paint because we are depending on solid metal to metal interlock here. I still don't fully trust the rings until after they have been run on the road for a while.
If I don't have tire lube for mounting tires, I usually use windshield washer juice in a spray bottle.
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1crosscut
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Joined: December 25th, 2010, 7:22 pm
Body Type: 82-A
Model Year: 1929
Location: Lincoln, NE

Re: Assembling wheels

Post by 1crosscut »

Sorry guys but am I missing something here?
Folks talk about how dangerous these tires are to fill up and that they can and will dismember, main and or kill you. All of this is true.
So why are folks willing to wrap chains around them, use long hoses to stay clear, peek around the tire with a mirror and a host of other "precautions".
Why screw around with filling these things when professionals with proper tools and cages are available to do this for us?
I can not imagine that cost is the issue. If we are restoring these trucks and can afford to purchase tires for them surely we can afford the few dollars it might cost us to have it done safely.
Hell of a lot cheaper than a visit to the emergency room or your family purchasing a casket for you.

Okay I feel better now. Stepping off of my soap box.
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Dave
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