I burned 5 off. Babysit'd them a couple hours using a garden hose to keep the steel cool. Worked good. Suggest you do it at night when the wind is favorable. Read they did this in VN.
I had a guy do a couple. He had a 250 ton press with a huge table of maybe 6 or 8" think steel. His trade was solid fork lift tires. He used a back up ring to keep the wheels from getting stressed. Said he had to use WD40 and work them up and down a bit. Cost was 50 ea. After talking to him I felt he knew what he was doing and would stop work before damaging the wheel.
I know of a person that used a fecent truck tire shop. They said 'no problem we do em all the time...' When the gentleman came back he was given a destroyed wheel and told 'Don't ever bring another one here again'.
I made a press and did 4. 20 tons is not enough. I had a 4 or 5 ft bar in the 20? ton bottle jack (went way over capacity). I expected an explosive failure and/or splinters. Say what you want about Chinese but they sure know how to make a bottle jack. On 2 I had to cut the cables. There are 3 on each side. With press maxed out I drilled a hole just outside the wires (next to wheel/ ring) then put a gas welding tip in the hole and burned it. Once you start the fire you can turn off the acetylene, Blowing pure O2 in hole makes it a mini blast furnace. The steel gets exposed, turns red, then burns away when you direct the O2 at it. Same as if you were using a cutting torch. The tip will probably overheat (turn red) You may want to keep a cup of water near by so you can cool it. If you don't you will probably melt the end off. Expect a very loud bang each time a wire is severed. Cut a 4x4"hole or flap in sidewall with a circular saw. This will act as a vent and prevent an explosion should the area inside wheel become full of explosive gas/ rubber vapor mixture. In the confined area it can generate enough force to rip apart the tire. I read someone got killed, crushed skull, by a tread flap when a tire exploded on a wheel he was welding on.
If mounting run flats you will need a press to put the ring on. The beads are 4" each. On a 10" wheel there is only 2 inch available before the sides touch. The lock rings safety ring is about 1-1/2 wide.
Modern radials like Goodyear AT2A's are easy to mount
Let me know if come across a spare lock ring. I have a spare set of wheels, they are really nice but for one ring. It is pretty beat up. Jim
