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Being still new to the split rim/ring design, what happens when a flat occurs with a model AA? Loud explosion? Damage to the truck? Nothing? The wheels are the things that make me take pause with the truck.

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Should just go flat without anything exciting happening.

The dangerous part of a flat is inflating the tire after fixing it. Take the tire to a shop that does truck tires and have them inflate it in a specially designed cage just for doing this.

Don't inflate them yourself. Let a pro do it.

This way you can keep your head attached to your body like it should be.

Nothing really. I had a rotten tire blow out when I aired it up to move my truck. The rims are safe with proper care. Don’t use a rim or ring badly rusted or damaged. Make a remote inflating device: 10 or 12 feet of air hose with clip on chuck and tee with gauge and ball valve on other end. Use a quick connector to attach to your regular compressor hose. Just don’t stand over the tire while inflating. Make sure ring is seated. Inflate to about 15 lbs. and check that ring is correctly seated. Pump and deflate two or three times to unwrinkle tube, (ball valve and quick disconnect makes this easy), and then inflate to proper pressure. You can wrap a chain or cable around through tire and rime holes a couple times as a precaution. These tires are easier to mount than on a car. You can find some videos on them on Utube. Yes they can be dangerous but are fine with a little caution.

Good deal. Thanks guys. Eases my mind some with young kids around. There is a truck shop 10 miles away with a cage so if I ever need to inflate a tire I'll take it there.

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Having to spend a month working in my units tire shop in Viet Nam I learned one very important thing. Always be on the inside of a split rim wheel when airing it. If the ring decides to take flight is is going away from you.

Glad your going to use the services of the tire shop.

My uncle Bill while inflating one had a lock ring break loose on him many years ago. Knocked out every one of his teeth and broke his jaw in at least 4 places. Was very lucky to have survived.

Once properly aired up these tires are quite safe.

You may find that some truck tire shops will not even touch these older rims because they don't have the OSHA required numbering that matches the rim and lock ring as compatable. We had wall charts that had to be checked before assembly due to insurance reasons.

Of course the wheels on our AA's didn't have these, but there is something you have to look out for. According to the Ford Service Bulletins dated July 1932, two different wheel assemblies were used in the "BB" production. One used a split type lock ring and the other a solid one. The angle where they fit in the groove of the wheel differed from 70 degrees to 90 degrees. I've found some of these later wheels that should have had the solid rings, but incorrectly had the split rings installed. This could have been a disaster if a tire was mounted and aired up. Check the date, if you can read it on the center section between the bolt holes, to make sure somebody didn't switch some of these different "BB" wheel components with "AA" ones to make them look correct.

Keith

Good information, Thanks Keith

I once took a wheel snap ring tire and tube to a tire shop for mounting. They refused to mount it without a flap. OK, sell me a flap.' We can't sell you a flap because our flaps have an off centered valve hole and your tube has a valve stem in the middle of the tube." I suggested cutting a second hole in the center of the flap , but they refused that too. I wound up mounting it myself. I usually mount these and partially inflate with a hand pump, check how the ring is sitting, etc. I NEVER fully inflate at the beginning. I usually put on the snap ring and jump around on it so it can seat. This is with NO air in the tube other than enough air to make the tube round. I take my time. Best, Ed

When the rim lip and ring are in good shape there is no reason to fear these rims. That being said, years ago I connected a snap on connector to a six-foot hose connected to my inflator; then you can stand behind or to the side when you inflate the tire.

I think you can damage a split ring by driving on a flat tire. Only a guess. Ive installed new tires and inflated tires for my AA Stake Truck by laying them split ring down under the wheel while inflating. The last time I did it the tires had been off the truck for a long time and I wasn’t sure about the tube condition, I ran a metal bar across the tire and rim, put a long bolt down through the center into a thick welding table. I don’t think I would take a chance inflating a tire that had just gone flat, while it was on the vehicle.