I used to work in a tire shop. Changing large truck tires for big rigs has it's safety challenges. Especially the old split rims. This video shows the value of an inflation cage. 1min 15sec

We had the split rims in the service and witnessed one go pop. Fortunately cages were mandatory.

I wonder how many still know how to break them down by hand?

I still remember how to break them down by hand. I also know a way to safely inflate one without a cage in a pinch , not the preferred method but doable if you have no cage available. A cage is the best and safest method.

That's impressive. I've never had to deal with those, and never want to.

Can add me to that list, some of our implements still use split rims. Brother and I was just talking about how few folks know how to work a split rim as we changed a tube out a few weeks ago. For that matter, I expect a lot of folks wouldn't know what a tube was for other than taking to the lake.

We fix 90% of our truck tires. Got rid of the last split rims last year. I’ve been breaking them down since I was a kid. Scared me then and scares me now.

Ditto. I'm not scared of much. But I've never liked working with split rims.

Changed a lot of those when I worked in the mine. We changed them on the Cat 631 d tractors and 988 loaders. Couldn't use a cage because we changed them out while wheel was on the machine

We had some big stuff like scrapers and loaders that had to be done that way. It was a full platoon job to swap put that rubber. D7 blade made for a nice cage.

Ralph Nader named the split rims 'widow makers"..
I spent 6 years doing truck tires, tractor tires, combine tires. That makes a man old real fast.

We used forklift to change them. The new tires could be a real pain to get to take air sometimes. Inflated to 95 psi if I remember right

Wasn’t there a trick with WD 40 or something like that ...that when sprayed in the tire and ignited.....it sealed the tire on the rim. Saw my friends do it a few times.

Ether.

I've done it , a bit dicey but fun and a bit dangerous.....lol

U can add me to the list. 115 pai

I got tired of warning people at the shop when they filled up the split rims for the forklift. We finally switched to solid tires.

Wow

When i worked at Pollack Steel I'd help out in the shop sometimes when yard work was slow. I was always told to stand off to the side when inflating split rims. That way you only lose a hand or lower arm instead of your life.

It was a neat way of getting it done......until someone looses an eye....

As far as the widow makers or safety split rims, around here I dont think anyone here did them after the mid nineties.