Well, i finally decided to tackle blowout i had, luckily while it was sitting in the garage. While i was dismounting the blown out tire, rust was coming out of the tire to form a nice little mess on the floor. When i got the tire off, i was greated with a surprise. I decided to change the other rear tire because of the severe dry rot it had too, and not as bad but the rust is there.

I guess a full sandblast of these rims are in order, now to find someone to do it for me.......

Also, the rim that blew out, does not have the 4 lugs on it, rather it had 4 sepreate U-shaped clamps that hold it on to the wheel. My guess its not a model T rim, it looks a little different from the others too, any ideas? the locking mechanism is more like a hinge that goes together and you put the pin in it to hold it together. these are 21" wheels

--chad

Chad,

They look like Model T rims to me. Are you talking about the 4 lugs that hold the rims on the wheel or the lock that holds the splir rims together. Help me out guys. Am I missing something?

Mike

Sorry mike, this is the wheel in question, it was the rear one in the above pic

--chad

Chad, show us the rim in the back of your picture, and show us the lock assy.
the rim in the front looks like a regular ford rim , at least from the angle of the photo.
looks like normal rust to me, seen worse. a good wire brush and some elbow grease is cheaper than paying to have them sand blasted.

These are the clamps that hold it on, the rim goes onto my T wheel no problem.

this is the clamp part of the rim

Those clamps look like the ones I had on a 1928 Dodge. Except they didn't have the long bolts. There were short bolts on the Dodge. Maybe they are Kelsey-Hayes.

Mike

I have one of those that was on my T when I got it. The only difference is that it is not split. It uses the same mounting brackets. ??

Chad:

The U shaped brackets are correct for 1919 to 1922 closed model Ts.

I have never seen a split rim like you have.

It is some what difficult to hold a rim with the U shaped brackets and if they slip they will eventualy cut the valve stem. I believe that is why ford finally went to the pressed brackets sometime in 1922.

Using the wheel itself to alighn the tabs on the rim, what would be the chances of me tig welding a set of tabs on to the rim to make it like a regular wheel? I dont see any harm in that myself, but always looking for opinions, id buy another rim if they weren't astrinomically priced in my opinion.

--chad

Chad, I'd post in the classifieds and see if someone will trade for the one you need. It would be a shame to modify a good rim like that (especially if it turned out that it didn't work out right).
Bob

If I were you, I'd get rid of the split rim and use a demountable rim. Besides, it doesn't look like a Model T rim. I could be wrong on that point though. You didn't say what the year of your car is. That would determine the diameter of your wheels.
Rog

I have a set of these rims with the hinge and pin type lock which came on my 1927 Canadain Model T They are 21 inch but they have the lug tabs on the rim. The Holes on each side of the split are for a rim spreader sort of shapped like a big mouse trap. Possably this typr of rim was standard on Canadain cars???? Anyone from the North help us out???

Sherman Wetherbee wrote:

"I have a set of these rims with the hinge and pin type lock which came on my 1927 Canadain Model T They are 21 inch but they have the lug tabs on the rim. The Holes on each side of the split are for a rim spreader sort of shapped like a big mouse trap. Possably this typr of rim was standard on Canadain cars???? Anyone from the North help us out???"

well, that might explain it somewhat as the car is canadian. but you said yous does have the tabs on it.

Im not sure what to do at this point, as i dont even know what year exactly the rim is from. If someone reading this post knew and wanted to trade for a regular rim, then yes, id do it.

At this point, i just want the car back on its 4 tires again, so unless someone contacts me about a trad, i think i will make my own lugs and weld them on. Then maybe down the road pick up another rim and use this odd ball as a spare.

My other dilema is i called Langs on lunch time to order a new tube for the one tire that blew out and they are on some type of gallactic backorder. It figures, cant even get something simple like a tire change done.

--chad

My 1926 rims were new old stock and each has Hayes written vertically on the left side of each lug. Kelsey and Hayes evidently merged after 1927. The Hayes rims can also be identifed by a real short screw with about a half inch head that holds the lock tab in place. Don Lang sells new screws.

My 1927 T roadster had Firestone rims. I only knew they were Firestone after I sandblasted the inside area. Firestone and the 4.50/21 size were stamped there in large letters. The lock tab on these rims looks like a large arrow pointer and turns to lock.

Another spare rim that I have has a small circle with a K in the center on that tab. That rim uses the same short screw as the Kelsey rim. I suspect that may be a Kelsey rim.

The rims were also made by Ford and at least one other company. Those markings are not known.

Also, still unsure of the exact year of the car, it is a canadian car, registered as a 20, but looking like more of a 24/25 car as i do research. I have only found a few people to help me out so far, and knowing what is correct for a canadian car of any year is vauge at best. Im not totally going concours restored with the car as it is a cut down touring car, and i did place an ad to trade my 21 demountables for a set of 30's to no replys at all. i just want a nice, stock looking T pick up and thats exactly what i bought and started with.

--chad

Chad for your tube you might try Wallace Wade Tires in Dallas, Texas 214-688 0091

www.wallacewade.com

Bill Harris

Chevrolet used rims with out the lugs in 1920.
Not sure they used split rims though.

Ken Ward. Williamsburg. va

Looking at the second picture, directly across from the split is a welded on piece that should keep it from slipping if it's like the one I have......

I have two 1925s with 21" wheels with fixed lugs of "common" design and a 1926 and a 1927 that use loose-lug 21" wheels, but the lugs are rounded, not square like the ones pictured. I can't remember what brand they are though. Jaxon sticks in my mind, as does Baker, but I can't be sure. I think one of the Stanleys may have Baker rims and that's why it's coming to mind. I don't know. I'm sitting at work bored out of what's left of my mind and posting too much!

yes chuck, there is kind of a tab on the rim which would sit in the the wheel itself and has nothing to do with the way its bolted on. I dont know what it would contact in the wheel to keep from spinning though.

Does one of the bolts go through the slot in the tab, thus keeping it from turning?

Ahhhh, good point, but upon just looking at it, where the clamps were, arent close to where that piece is, and of course the rim cant be turned because the valve stem needs to be in the right spot for the rim and the wheel.

Im really thinking this is something for either another year of T or just another car. Agter much thought this afternoon, i think i will see if i can fab up 4 tabs and tig them onto the rim, and create my own T rim. And then as i mentioned later on, i will pick up another rim and use this one as my spare.

--chad

If you're going to weld some tabs on, you might be able to find a rim that's bent, or too sharp edged to be any good. You could salvage the tabs off it then you'd have the correct chamfer on the holes.....??

First the disclaimer: I am not a Model T expert, nor do I claim to be one, nor do I play one on TV. It is not my intent to put any participant on this forum down, or to suggest that mine is the last word on the subject. If you feel the need to rebuke me publicly, please do so courteously.

Having said that, I believe Sherm Weatherbee has correctly identified the unusual Model T Rim as being Canadian. These rims used a special tool to expand or contract the rim inside the tire. Here are two views of the rim spreader:





Notice that the rim tool has four studs that will fit into the four holes shown in the picture of Chad’s rim. The two handles of the rim tool could be used to exert pressure to either expand or contract the rim.

As I understand it, there were used on some Canadian 25-27 cars that used 21” wood spoke wheels. The rim tool supposedly came as a part of the tool kit for the car.

Respectfully Submitted,

Trent Boggess

Awsome Trent!!! Im still unsure as to what im going to do, but at least we now have an idea about this rim because of yours and Mr Wetherbee's info. Why it doesnt have the 4 lugs on it is still a mystery, but most of us weren't alive that long ago to see and follow the early path of automobiles. Plus the fact that T's were so universal in their parts, who knows what could have happened.

As always, i always appreciate seeing and hearing of such oddball canadian stuff. Like i said earlier, i bought the car for what it was and for my familys enjoyment, not for what it can be or what its worth. Im just trying to research my T as i find it a unique piece to me. I guess thats part of enjoying the hobby.

Thanks again for all your guys help. If anyone has a spare 21" rim or 2 that you dont want an arm and a leg for, please contact me.

--chad

Good luck Chad on the rim. It took me 9 years to get a good one. I bought four wheels and rims and got one good rim, One of my rims was bent, so I was still short one. I also found a real nice one with the tube hole in the wrong place. It was otherwise identical, except made for a Chevrolet. Then I found a NOS rim at Carlisle for $80, but that was 20 years ago.

Dont bother calling Coker either for a tube, I payed for a pair of 21 inch tubes at the Charlotte autofair and after allmost 2 months and after several phone calls and aggrovation they sent me a refund check and said it would be another month before they even saw a 21 inch tube. What they told me is the company that was makeing them went belly up and they were in the process of moveing machineary. My guess is the stuff got put on a boat and the tubes will be comeing back by boat.

I have a 26 Dodge Brothers. the rim looks the same as what I have.

Mack if you need 21 in tubes, I still have some, also a pr of 30 x 3 1/2, have 30 x 3 metal stem, and 30 x 3 rubber stem, also flaps, also 20 in tubes rubber stem, and flaps for the TT, danuser88@socket.net