Because of the interest of a long time SDC'er in seeing these photos more widely shown, I am posting pics and comments about a set of wheels 2 of our local SDC club helped another member in mounting the 2 piece Firestone RH-5 rims. This is not a how-to set of instructions, but it is a rare set of pics showing the steps in how these rims are mounted. Because I helped, I didn't shoot video, but took many pictures and wrote what happened along the way and some points we learned in the process. Your limbs may vary, I am aware of the hazards of what we took on and if one of our members hadn't done this himself, I can see how things might have been overlooked along the way. It was an interesting process.
I am attempting to get the photos to be widely viewed on the FB Studebaker Addicts group, but in the meantime, I'll take a stab at it here. More text and instruction will be available on those photos when I get them up.
The tools we used were a long tire iron (2 if you have them), sledge and wood block, large pipe clamps, heavy chain and hooks, and wheel grease. (A good deodorant and/or shower will be advised as well) There were 3 of us around 160# to 200#.
SO, set out your rims and lock rings in pairs. One thing we learned, that I don't recall in any of the threads about these rims is, there are 2 sizes of rings and rims. One set of rims is wider than the other and has a corresponding smaller lock ring so that the rims end up being the same size. 6" or 6.5". Ralph noticed the height difference in the rims when they were painted which led us to notice the different widths stamped on the locking rings. Gary is applying a layer of grease to the inner lip of the rims where they meet the locking rings (also greased). Set the tube in place with the tire liner and be sure to tuck in the tube, minimize any creases or folds in the tube and the liner around the tire. Place the rim on the ground and set the tire/tube down into the rim slot with the valve stem opening. Try to get the valve stem centered in that opening best as you can, but, if it's off, after the tire is resting on the rim, you can adjust the position by moving the liner and stem into better position.
With the lock ring, note there is a notch with 2 rivets above it (Picture #7), place the lock ring with the notch 180* opposite the valve stem. I didn't get a good enough image of it, but before you install the rims, note the inner lip of the metal of the lock ring. At approximately 10 and 2ish, if you look, you will note that the material from the lip is notably thinner at those 2 areas, but then fattens back out around the ring up to the notch. That thinner area is what allows you to, once the bottom of the ring is set into the rim around the area of the valve stem, lever the upper section of the ring onto the rest of the rim and secure the wheel and tire.
So, start by, setting the lockring in place, notch opposite the valve stem, press down on the ring around the area of the valve stem. Once we had the ring attaching to the rim at the valve stem, Gary watched the opposite side of the rim, as Ralph and I stood on the edge of the lock ring to press it into place and, as it fell down below the edge of the rim, we would move from one side of the ring to the other, levering it down. (this is where no personal space issues are helpful, as well as showering) The first one we did, went in fairly easily, up to the points where the material starts to thin around the ring.... Part 1 end.
I am attempting to get the photos to be widely viewed on the FB Studebaker Addicts group, but in the meantime, I'll take a stab at it here. More text and instruction will be available on those photos when I get them up.
The tools we used were a long tire iron (2 if you have them), sledge and wood block, large pipe clamps, heavy chain and hooks, and wheel grease. (A good deodorant and/or shower will be advised as well) There were 3 of us around 160# to 200#.
SO, set out your rims and lock rings in pairs. One thing we learned, that I don't recall in any of the threads about these rims is, there are 2 sizes of rings and rims. One set of rims is wider than the other and has a corresponding smaller lock ring so that the rims end up being the same size. 6" or 6.5". Ralph noticed the height difference in the rims when they were painted which led us to notice the different widths stamped on the locking rings. Gary is applying a layer of grease to the inner lip of the rims where they meet the locking rings (also greased). Set the tube in place with the tire liner and be sure to tuck in the tube, minimize any creases or folds in the tube and the liner around the tire. Place the rim on the ground and set the tire/tube down into the rim slot with the valve stem opening. Try to get the valve stem centered in that opening best as you can, but, if it's off, after the tire is resting on the rim, you can adjust the position by moving the liner and stem into better position.
With the lock ring, note there is a notch with 2 rivets above it (Picture #7), place the lock ring with the notch 180* opposite the valve stem. I didn't get a good enough image of it, but before you install the rims, note the inner lip of the metal of the lock ring. At approximately 10 and 2ish, if you look, you will note that the material from the lip is notably thinner at those 2 areas, but then fattens back out around the ring up to the notch. That thinner area is what allows you to, once the bottom of the ring is set into the rim around the area of the valve stem, lever the upper section of the ring onto the rest of the rim and secure the wheel and tire.
So, start by, setting the lockring in place, notch opposite the valve stem, press down on the ring around the area of the valve stem. Once we had the ring attaching to the rim at the valve stem, Gary watched the opposite side of the rim, as Ralph and I stood on the edge of the lock ring to press it into place and, as it fell down below the edge of the rim, we would move from one side of the ring to the other, levering it down. (this is where no personal space issues are helpful, as well as showering) The first one we did, went in fairly easily, up to the points where the material starts to thin around the ring.... Part 1 end.
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