Wheels / Tires: Orignial Rims Problem?

[MyStude_51]

I was at a meeting recently and someone mentioned my original rims on my 1951 Landcruiser. He told me to be careful because those rims tended to split and fracture which is a safety hazard. I didn't know anything about this issue. Is anyone aware of this problem with late '51's. He told me to get Ford rims instead. I do have one Ford rim and that works fine. The original rims do have rivets on the inside and the tire shop put in some tubes because he felt the tire could hold air unless he did. Does that mean I can't put steel belted on my car without using tubes inside. When I mentioned putting tubes inside my steel belted tires, everyone seemed puzzled.
Thanks,
Glenn

[PackardV8]

Yes, under some circumstances, the added stress of radial tires can cause the old Stude rims to split in the bead area.

No, if one uses the radial tire size closest to OEM, say a 185 x15 or 195x15 and normal driving, your rims would probably be fine. The problem comes when oversized radials, 205, 215, 225, are used and then the car is driven hard.

Maybe, your tire guy knows something I don't, but I've never found it necessary to run tubes on passenger rims.

jack vines

[jclary]

I have a '51 Land Cruiser that I have owned now for about 23 years. I have lost track of how many sets of tires I have had on the original rims. However, they are holding air and never had tubes for as long as I have owned it.

[rockne10]

I was just reading an opinion on this last night in the Diamond Back Tire catalog (pdf format).
It's on page 31. Food for thought.

http://www.dbtires.com/2011_catalog/2011catalog_Lo.pdf

[ozarkman]

We had a problem with one of our radial tires not holding air on the Flight Hawk. Turned out the bead area was a little rough from prior rust. The tire shop used a little bead sealer goo, and it hasn't lost any air since.

[Jim B PEI]

The Diamond Back pdf has good info. I would just add my observations. The OEM bias tires were narrow and tall, and effectively limited the handling speed and cornering capabilities of the cars in the period. Changing to radials and taking your first off ramp at a higher speed than you intended--with no bad consequences--gives many a false sense of security. Putting on wider tires with better grip, with higher inflation pressures, and going faster, is just putting more strain on old rims. I have my 49 Kaiser on OEM rims (unrusted and cared for) and bias, but I drive it about 40-55. As a package, I LOVE the (soft billowy) ride, but I slow for corners. The Studebakers all have new (not junkyard) Ford rims with radials, because I drive them faster and harder. YMMV, or course.

One thing to note is that there is an error/oversight in the DB pdf. I have a Peugeot and YES there WERE differences in rims. Some earlier style rims required using a tube with a radial, if changing from bias. Mostly in North America we went from tubed bias to tubeless bias, well before the availability of radials. I would hesitate using a tube with a radial unless it really called for by tires experts/factory advice.....

[Alan]

Some of the early Stude rims of the 50's did not have a safety bead rolled onto the outside of the rim and had rivets. Those are the ones with problems. That and they are only 4 1/2" wide.