how to remove a truck from what was its final resting place?

[41/53dodges]

anybody know how to tell the difference?

[PatS....]

I was told that these are widowmakers:

And these, on my 61 Dodge, are not:

However, all the city tire shops have refused to work on either. I have spoken to a few rural shops on the phone and they just say yes, bring them in, we work on them every day.

I will be switching out the spindles on the 61 for the spindles and discs off my motor-home, so I won't have to deal with the 17 inch rims and tires, and the 46 Fargo is now my nephews so it's his problem now (and he knows everything)

[norrism1]

Widowmakers have an outer ring that is pounded on to lock the bead. I've seen one come off during install of tire when putting in air and almost sliced the top of the installers skull off when the ring it blew off the rim. He lived but never came back.

[41/53dodges]

seeing as i am screwed there, could one just weld the split ring to the rim and do it like a normal 1-piece rim?

[Dodgeb4ya]

The rim that started all the split rim/ring trouble is called a Firestone type RH5° 2 piece- it's a split in the center design of the rim. It uses a 5 degree interference angle fit- thats the weak spot of this rim. They also can get rusty and the tire shop guy did not check/clean the 2 rim pieces at this critical area and did not use a cage either upon inflation. The rest is already known! This type of rim is dangerous. Replace it with a better type.

Any big truck rim/tire repair should only be done by a knowledgeable person capable of doing this type of work in a proper safe manner! Always inflate with a safe way to restrain a possible explosive rim separation, and always stand off to the side of these type of wheels/rims when inflating-you will only lose an arm or leg! I use chains and or a backhoe front loader bucket for safety when I do all my off truck tire repair work. I always check for excessive rust and rim damage-bent rings ect. Most of our old Dodges up through 1953 at least use a plain 2 piece RH type rims. Single ring on the outside edge of the rim.

A profile pic of the "Widowmaker" Firestone RH5°. Also a pic of a "safe" plain RH rim on my 4 ton showing the silver outer split ring.

I'd just get that old dodge drug up to and on a trailer with a whatever will do it-and get it home then worry about the wheels and tires. Never weld on rims!

Bob

[41/53dodges]

thats the other thing, im not sure its worth hauling a trailer the 250 miles up to niellsville just so i could haul it to my property 1/4 mile up the road. if i put on a decent set of wheels, could i just tow it back to the property?

[maurice wade]

Watch for snakes! Last summer a buddy and I dug a 48 Desoto out of a pasture. We were all under the car, jacking it up, changing the wheels so we could winch it up onto the trailer. On the way home my buddy stopped at a cafe, on the way back to the car he noticed a snake had streached out on the back bumper of the car.

[Niel Hoback]

Niellsville? What a great name, they even spell it right!

[41/53dodges]

not sure if thats the correct spelling, but its close,

and i have never seen a snake around this thing, but i do have to watch out for the randomly assorted turds

[norrism1]

dodeb4ya.. Last time I worked at a tire shop all those split ring types had to be aired up in a steel cage for safety. That was 35 years ago.

[PatS....]

thats the other thing, im not sure its worth hauling a trailer the 250 miles up to niellsville just so i could haul it to my property 1/4 mile up the road. if i put on a decent set of wheels, could i just tow it back to the property?

If you're only going a 1/4 mile and have a tractor, don't worry about the tires, just drag it slowly. If the tires come off, they come off. Get it home and then you have all kinds of time to deal with it.

I don't really think you could do much more damage than being sunk into the dirt for eons.

[Dodgeb4ya]

dodeb4ya.. Last time I worked at a tire shop all those split ring types had to be aired up in a steel cage for safety. That was 35 years ago.

Thats right -they (tires/rims) still should always be in a cage at a repair shop---Unless you are at home and don't have or want a cage, then there are other safe ways as to safely inflate these multi-piece rims. I have heavy equipment to place over the rim/tire assemblies with 1/2" chain in and out through the hand holes. Then use a lock on inflation Chuck-it's all safe.

Bob

[1949P17BC]

Get it up in the air, make sure no stumps or rocks are in the way. Speaking from experience and major dents in the back of my truck from broken chains, the bigger the chain the better, the more chains the better. Dragging it could be the best thing for it, should break loose all of the rust. One other little tip, if possible and you get it the pavement, drag it a little, stop and see if you lossen the lugs. ALSO be carefull if you drag on the pavement, and anything is locked up or dragging, the county might have something to say about digging a trench! Good Luck, sounds like fun. If I was closer I would be in on the party

[greg g]

If you you get it moved it won't be in its final resting place!!! Good luck.

[41/53dodges]

thanks! i'l need all the luck i can get!

and it will be dragged on grass and gravel, and i know who runs the local grader, so i should be ok there. there are no stumps or rocks in the way, just large anthills

[BobT-47P15]

When you finish dragging that big ol truck over 'em, they'll be smaller ant hills.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Be sure to bring along your chimpanzee-he will love the ants you stirred up!

[41/53dodges]

would it be a better idea to use the blade on the tractor to flatten them?

BTW- that looks kinda like my uncle!

Edited January 5, 2010 by 41/53dodges

[greg g]

no sense pi$$ing them off any earlier than necessary.

[41/53dodges]

i think they are hard to piss off, because a friend of mine left them a "present" due to the lack of toilets in the woods, and they enjoyed it. besides, i could light them on fire with old oil. sounds like fun to me.

[1just4don]

If this were MY project,,,do you have one of those two wheel dollies? or any small trailer even for front end?? then get back end up high enough to clear all bumps with 3 point hitch.(even if it takes a few tries)

If this tractor has a loader put round rolling poles or whatever under the frame part with wheels off ground.

OR hook the loader to back,lift and back where your going,,its easier than it sounds

OR find another tractor loader neighbor for hire and have them hook and lift front some,,one follows other.

We hauled 40 foot joists home once by chaining a small trailer to joist most of the way back and front end to pickup box. Down the road at 40mph.

try rocking front end back and forth if it pulls hard and doesnt turn. getting the back end high enough is the trick tho

[41/53dodges]

okay, now does anybody know how to get the brake drums off?

and are the driver side lugs on these big trucks right-handed or left-handed threads?

[aero3113]

Is there a L or a R stamped anywhere?

[BobT-47P15]

Or......I wonder if anyone on the truck side of the forum would know.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Is there a L or a R stamped anywhere?

Yes there is a left and a right for the wheel studs and nuts on the bigger 1-1/2 ton and up Dodge trucks. Left side lug nuts usually have slight notches around the outer edges of the lug nuts. On the rear duallys you should see a raised "L" or "R" forged into the end of the inner square lug nuts too.