The Ford Barn

34fordy · 02-12-2023, 06:28 PM

I stopped in a local tire shop that has been here for at least 75 years. No one is over 50 years old and most under 30. I had a 1936-39 wide 5 rim in my hand. The oldest fellow was quick to expound on his great wisdom. "That is a Volkswagon wheel". It appears to me I will be dismounting and mounting tires. Maybe I will buy one of those HF changers and make an adapter. Always like a new project. Keeps me young (and sore) I guess. LOL

Reds34 · 02-12-2023, 07:13 PM

I believe that the old bugs did have the same bolt pattern as the wide fives. My neighbor has a trailer with a 36/37 rear end and VW wheels.

Red

Kube · 02-12-2023, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 34fordy

I stopped in a local tire shop that has been here for at least 75 years. No one is over 50 years old and most under 30. I had a 1936-39 wide 5 rim in my hand. The oldest fellow was quick to expound on his great wisdom. "That is a Volkswagon wheel". It appears to me I will be dismounting and mounting tires. Maybe I will buy one of those HF changers and make an adapter. Always like a new project. Keeps me young (and sore) I guess. LOL

I mounted a set of 17" a couple of years ago. I placed a heavy-duty plastic garbage bag over the rim. Pushed the tire down (by hand), inserted the tube, filled with a bit of air, then pushed the other bead down.
Remove the bag.
The first one took about 15 minutes. After that, I did the remaining four in about 45 minutes.

34fordy · 02-12-2023, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reds34

I believe that the old bugs did have the same bolt pattern as the wide fives. My neighbor has a trailer with a 36/37 rear end and VW wheels.

Red

The VW bolt pattern was a couple inches smaller.

tubman · 02-12-2023, 07:51 PM

I bought a cheap imported manual tire changer from Northern Hydraulics about 20 years ago. It is probably the same as the one HF sells. It took a bunch of modifications to work well, but I finally got it right and it turned out to be very useful.

It's very convenient to have your own machine; just be careful who you tell or you will have a constant stream of visitors.

GB SISSON · 02-12-2023, 11:06 PM

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I have an old Coates Tireman. All manual, but it makes the job almost effortless after doing so many on my knees with tire irons. I paid 80 bucks at the portland swap meet and it came with all the tools. On Thursday a couple of friends came by and used it as one guy wanted the tires, other the rims. For me living at the far end of a remote place, it's a social benefit as well. Mine won't do the dually offset wheels so Gonna try the Kube's garbage bag trick as I do them on the shop floor. Get us a pic of the wide 5 adapter when it's done.

Mart · 02-13-2023, 05:40 AM

If you are making a wide 5 adaptor the Bolt circle is 10-1/4". I made one and thought it was 10" and wondered why the wheel wouldn't go on.

richard crow · 02-13-2023, 07:27 AM

get an old front drum it can be held in a tire machine

alanwoodieman · 02-13-2023, 09:19 AM

my son works for firestone/bridgestone and they have a tire machine that clamps the rim, not the center-is uses a plastic shoe so it does not make the rim--also they have sort of a clamp system to break down the bead

Tim Ayers · 02-13-2023, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reds34

I believe that the old bugs did have the same bolt pattern as the wide fives. My neighbor has a trailer with a 36/37 rear end and VW wheels.

Red

They did have a very similar looking rim early on

deuce_roadster · 02-13-2023, 11:18 AM

I bought a Coats 10-10 air operated machine for $80 at a swap meet from a guy who dismantled gas stations many years ago. He had a whole trailer load of them. Still works great and I bought a couple of plastic accessory tools for using on chrome or aluminum wheels. In this state, studs have to be off by April 1 so twice each year I hear from friends needing to switch. I told them to buy a pair of extra wheels and we won't have to dismount/mount/balance all the time!

slowforty · 02-13-2023, 02:58 PM

Remember to remove the studs, When preparing Road Kill.

scooder · 02-13-2023, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 34fordy

I stopped in a local tire shop that has been here for at least 75 years. No one is over 50 years old and most under 30. I had a 1936-39 wide 5 rim in my hand. The oldest fellow was quick to expound on his great wisdom. "That is a Volkswagon wheel". It appears to me I will be dismounting and mounting tires. Maybe I will buy one of those HF changers and make an adapter. Always like a new project. Keeps me young (and sore) I guess. LOL

I'm sure they can still change a tyre, even if they don't know what the wheel is off.
The machine they use doesn't know what the wheel came off.
Martin.

36and63 · 02-13-2023, 04:30 PM

Speedway sells an adapter - I just gave my local tire shop mine to borrow when I had them do my wheels/tires on the 36.
it worked really well and they were able to use it to balance them too.

Pat

34fordy · 02-13-2023, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scooder

I'm sure they can still change a tyre, even if they don't know what the wheel is off.
The machine they use doesn't know what the wheel came off.
Martin.

Most "they" do not have the right equipment to hold the rim with such a large center hole. "They" do not have adapters to hold the wheel for balancing. That is why you have to come up with an adapter. The newer machines will hold the rim but not the balancers. IMHO

Newc · 02-13-2023, 05:35 PM

Adapters were sold by Dick Spadro. The speedway ect. adapters have 5/8" lug studs for circle track wheels, but will work. Old topic here. Newc

51504bat · 02-14-2023, 09:54 AM

Easy way to determine if it's a VW or wide five wheel. A wide five will go over your head but a VW won't. Of course some heads may vary.

GaryU. · 02-14-2023, 03:05 PM

34fordy, Have the Dick Spadaro adapter for you to use to use free of charge. My shipping to you at no charge and return to me on your dime. My new tires are are being mounted and balanced by my local guys this week. Always willing to help a fellow 'Barner.

Fritz · 02-14-2023, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 34fordy

Most "they" do not have the right equipment to hold the rim with such a large center hole. "They" do not have adapters to hold the wheel for balancing. That is why you have to come up with an adapter. The newer machines will hold the rim but not the balancers. IMHO

Its true. When I owned early VWs, nobody could balance the wide five VW wheels. They could mount them, but not balance them.

02-12-2023, 06:28 PM	#1
34fordy Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Fort dodge, Iowa Posts: 825	What the heck is that? I stopped in a local tire shop that has been here for at least 75 years. No one is over 50 years old and most under 30. I had a 1936-39 wide 5 rim in my hand. The oldest fellow was quick to expound on his great wisdom. "That is a Volkswagon wheel". It appears to me I will be dismounting and mounting tires. Maybe I will buy one of those HF changers and make an adapter. Always like a new project. Keeps me young (and sore) I guess. LOL

02-12-2023, 07:13 PM	#2
Reds34 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Eastern, CT Posts: 527	Re: What the heck is that? I believe that the old bugs did have the same bolt pattern as the wide fives. My neighbor has a trailer with a 36/37 rear end and VW wheels. Red

02-12-2023, 07:51 PM	#5
tubman Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Minnesota, Florida Keys Posts: 10,321	Re: What the heck is that? I bought a cheap imported manual tire changer from Northern Hydraulics about 20 years ago. It is probably the same as the one HF sells. It took a bunch of modifications to work well, but I finally got it right and it turned out to be very useful. It's very convenient to have your own machine; just be careful who you tell or you will have a constant stream of visitors.

02-12-2023, 11:06 PM	#6
GB SISSON Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Orcas Island Washington Posts: 4,952	Re: What the heck is that? Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) I have an old Coates Tireman. All manual, but it makes the job almost effortless after doing so many on my knees with tire irons. I paid 80 bucks at the portland swap meet and it came with all the tools. On Thursday a couple of friends came by and used it as one guy wanted the tires, other the rims. For me living at the far end of a remote place, it's a social benefit as well. Mine won't do the dually offset wheels so Gonna try the Kube's garbage bag trick as I do them on the shop floor. Get us a pic of the wide 5 adapter when it's done. __________________ Owner/Operator of 'Jailbar Ranch' on the side of Mt. Pickett. Current stable consists of 1946 1/2 ton pickup turned woodie wagon with FH V8, 1947 Tonner Pickup (red) mostly stock with exception of a cummins 6at turbo diesel, 1946 Tonner Pickup (green) with 226 cu in 6 cyl flathead, 1979 Toyota landcruiser wagon, completely encased in 1947 Ford Jailbar sheet metal. Ok, cornbinder rear fenders..... 'Rusty ol' floorboards, hot on their feet' (Alan Jackson)

02-13-2023, 05:40 AM	#7
Mart Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Solihull, England. Posts: 8,756	Re: What the heck is that? If you are making a wide 5 adaptor the Bolt circle is 10-1/4". I made one and thought it was 10" and wondered why the wheel wouldn't go on.

02-13-2023, 07:27 AM	#8
richard crow Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 1,770	Re: What the heck is that? get an old front drum it can be held in a tire machine

02-13-2023, 09:19 AM	#9
alanwoodieman Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: upstate SC Posts: 2,967	Re: What the heck is that? my son works for firestone/bridgestone and they have a tire machine that clamps the rim, not the center-is uses a plastic shoe so it does not make the rim--also they have sort of a clamp system to break down the bead

02-13-2023, 11:18 AM	#11
deuce_roadster Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Shelton, WA Posts: 3,800	Re: What the heck is that? I bought a Coats 10-10 air operated machine for $80 at a swap meet from a guy who dismantled gas stations many years ago. He had a whole trailer load of them. Still works great and I bought a couple of plastic accessory tools for using on chrome or aluminum wheels. In this state, studs have to be off by April 1 so twice each year I hear from friends needing to switch. I told them to buy a pair of extra wheels and we won't have to dismount/mount/balance all the time!

02-13-2023, 02:58 PM	#12
slowforty Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Tinley Park Ill Posts: 1,062	Re: What the heck is that? Remember to remove the studs, When preparing Road Kill.

02-13-2023, 04:30 PM	#14
36and63 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 212	Re: What the heck is that? Speedway sells an adapter - I just gave my local tire shop mine to borrow when I had them do my wheels/tires on the 36. it worked really well and they were able to use it to balance them too. Pat

02-13-2023, 05:35 PM	#16
Newc Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 2,489	Re: What the heck is that? Adapters were sold by Dick Spadro. The speedway ect. adapters have 5/8" lug studs for circle track wheels, but will work. Old topic here. Newc

02-14-2023, 09:54 AM	#17
51504bat Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: SoCal-Redlands Posts: 3,026	Re: What the heck is that? Easy way to determine if it's a VW or wide five wheel. A wide five will go over your head but a VW won't. Of course some heads may vary. __________________ Making the simple complicated for over 30 years.

02-14-2023, 03:05 PM	#18
GaryU. Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Beaver Dam, Wisconsin Posts: 821	Re: What the heck is that? 34fordy, Have the Dick Spadaro adapter for you to use to use free of charge. My shipping to you at no charge and return to me on your dime. My new tires are are being mounted and balanced by my local guys this week. Always willing to help a fellow 'Barner.