Original color of “Hercules” rim spreader - Red. Look!

[jiminbartow]

After removing the old rock hard tires from my split rims, I have been removing the rust around the inside of the rims and re-painting the entire thing with Sherwin Williams “Silver Brite”. The best and most durable industrial silver paint I have ever found. So reflective, you can almost see your reflection. Anyway, I figured while I’m in the mood (mode), I would restore my rim spreader that was caked with dirt grease and rust for every time I use it, It gets me filthy. As the layers have been peeling off with the help of gasoline (to remove the dirt and grease) and muriatic acid (for the rust), I have started noticing a layer of red paint on all surfaces. I was going to paint it gloss black to match my T, but if it was originally red, I can go with that if that is what it was originally. Can anyone confirm that the rim spreader was originally red? Thank you. Jim Patrick

[Humblej]

Rim spreaders were made by many different manufacturers, each had their own colors. Looks like yours was red, good choice to mask the blood. Mine is green, the spreader, not my blood.
I recommend against using gasoline for cleaning, the flash point is too low. I suggest mineral spirits, thats what is used in many parts cleaning tanks, has a higher flash point, less likely to burst into flames, you included.

[Norman Kling]

Many different brands. Some old cars and tools used red oxide primer. So hard to tell if that was the original final coat or not. But if you want red go for it! Black would do fine too. Maybe if you can find out the brand name, someone on the forum would know the original color.
Norm

[Wayne Sheldon]

I have had and used four such rim spreaders over the years. The two I use most often these days are beat up, broken and repaired (before I got them!), and I have not found any paint to tell what color they were. I also have two fairly nice original ones that I have had for a long time. One of them was a medium/dark green originally. The other was a dark red, just about the same as yours.

[Erik Barrett]

I have had two NOS ones in original box with instructions. One is green, one red.

[George House]

Erik, If you could type the instructions for use here it would be very helpful. I learned to use a rim spreader by ruining a rim. Since then I’ve had occasion to share my experience on this Forum a multiple of times once I learned the correct utilization. But I’ve never read instructions.

[jiminbartow]

I found what I believe is the proper color for my rim spreader and painted it today. Deep rust encased the tool. As the rust gradually came off, the letters on the handle appeared…”Hercules Prod. Co., St. Joe, Mich., USA”. Here are a few photos of the restored rim spreader. I also found a photo of the original instructions for the Hercules rim tool. Jim Patrick

[1923Touring]

Very nice Jim. Do you happen to have additional information regarding the manufacture of that rim spreader or the factory?

[OilyBill]

Thanks very much for posting the instructions! This is the first set of instructions I have ever seen for ANY rim spreader tool.

Although these apply specifically to this brand of rim tool, I think other brands would be used in a similar or identical fashion. I think the principles of shrinking the rim to remove it, and expanding it to push it back in place, are probably universal to all rim tools, as they all have to accomplish the same job, and nearly all rims work just as described with this set of instructions.

If someone has knowledge of a rim that should be treated differently, perhaps they can post that info here as well.

[jiminbartow]

Thank you. No, Joshua. I’m afraid I know nothing about this tool other than what I have posted and learned by using it. Regarding the instructions, it looks like the screw portion is positioned 2” from the joint and to contract the rim up to the stem hole by turning the crank clockwise, but not beyond (so as not to get in the way of the stem when it pokes through the hole) and once the tire is on, the rim tool is repositioned so that the screw portion is positioned several inches further away from the joint to expand the rim by turning the crank counter-clockwise to snap the rim closed. I found that this worked better when the rim is tapped by a rubber mallet as I turned the crank. This makes a lot of sense. A very useful tool when safely mounting tires onto split rims. Inevitably, the stem will start to angle away from the rim tool as the rim is closed. It can easily be straightened before air is applied, by tapping the lug the stem is angled toward, in the opposite direction with the rubber mallet. When the stem is upright, air it up. Do not use a steel hammer. Thank you for looking. Jim Patrick

PS. I use the rim spreader on the back side of the rim so that any scratches caused by the rim spreader are on the back side of the rim, minimizing touch ups. I still touch up with “Silver Bright” to minimize rusting.

[George House]

Thank you Jim. Thats exactly what I was looking for.