Re: Flying lock rings off the rims
Post by elwenil on Aug 10, 2006, 7:34am
Agreed, it can be done by yourself but the danger is very real. Attention to detail can save your life. A tire shop can do them in most cases but with me, they won't touch them so I have to do them myself or transport them 60 miles to another shop. Wrap a good sized chain around the rim and tire through the holes in the rim. Not just one loop, but through several or all of them and secure it with a bolt. The military recommends a clip on chuck with a remote fill valve at least 10' from the chuck. Clip on the chuck, flip the rim face down and fill it up from a distance. I think most guys will flop the rim down on it's face a few times to make sure nothing is going to fly apart. It can be done safely, you just have to take the proper precautions. Remember that this design was used because it is possible to mount tires in the field.
And just to impress on you the force involved, about 12 years ago there was a guy near here that had apparently laid the rim face against a wall thinking that would protect him. It came apart and hit him and slit his throat to the bone. He bled to death before anyone could even make it to a phone.