MTFCA Forum

I am refurbishing a 21” split rim for my 27 Tudor.

I have the rim sandblasted and will prime and paint it tomorrow.

Planning to buy tire, tube and flap from Lang’s.

Any advice on metal stem vs rubber (I have wood wheels)?

I’ve also got a rim lock plate and lock screw.

Is there anything else I’m missing or overlooking?

Thanks!

Is the inside of the rim in good shape? A lot of these are really rusted and when you get one sandblasted all of the flakes of rust come out and you wind up with a thin heavily pitted rim.
Yours may be OK but rims that have been on tires for years and years are usually this way. About 1 or 2 are usually good enough to use out of a pile of 6 or 8. I have a 24 Coupe that uses 21” wheels with split rims and I use the rubber steamed tubes. For me that’s fine. I’m not a purist and most people wouldn’t know the difference unless they have a desire to be totally original.

Do you have or can you borrow a rim spreader ? That’s a tool of the era that can either make your tire mounting task much easier or, if used incorrectly, ruin a rim.

Yes and agree with George! The original rims are only good to a point even in good shape. But they can be fairly easy to get out of round if you really get on one of them trying to mount the tire. I would recommend using a rim spreader and don’t ask me why but years ago I got one out of round and I learned the hard way !
They are pretty stout but not as much as you think.

My rim is nice, round, and not pitted. It’s the only one in a pile of 9.

That’s good! I kept the bad ones in my few that I have left for the rim clips and parts. Good luck!

One important thing to do. When you place a rim on the spare tire rack, be sure the valve and split is toward the top. If you place it with those down, water will get in when the car is in rain.
Norm

Norm has hit on a common problem with T split rims. Water gets in at the split, migrates either side of the split, and sets up rust in the rim under the tyre bead. They can rust very thin for the first few inches either side, and often the rim will blowout at the side. Consequent weld repairs have little metal left to make a solid repair. About the only ones I have found which are usable, have failed elswhere and been withdrawn from service, perhaps due to problems with the latch or the lugs.

Allan from down under.

Good to know but my car never sees rain. I don’t even take her out after a rain so I can avoid puddles. Sunny days only.