Is this a CCKW rim.

[tankdriver]

I have a M5 3" anti tank gun being restored. I want to put new tires on it but the tires are foam filled, and the tires will have to be cut off. This will be VERY expensive to do. Like a grand. So I thought I'd just replace the rims, but not sure what they used.

Here is a shot of the rim. Is this a CCKW rim?

Thanks

 

[NDT]

Nope, looks like a M8-M20 armored car rim. Worth a bunch of money. Take it to the woods one night and set it on fire. Won't hurt the rim.

 

[gimpyrobb]

$1k!!!?

Time for some good 'ole boy engineering!

 

[tankdriver]

Well, it is a restorer. They had to do this to a 37mm tire and it took 2 guys over a day to cut the tire off of the 37mm rim. He says the 3" tire and rim weighs over 200 lbs, so he is figuring 2 to 3 guys to handle it and 2 days labor. Adds up quick.

 

[NDT]

Sounds like you are getting scammed.

 

[dawico]

Well, it is a restorer. They had to do this to a 37mm tire and it took 2 guys over a day to cut the tire off of the 37mm rim. He says the 3" tire and rim weighs over 200 lbs, so he is figuring 2 to 3 guys to handle it and 2 days labor. Adds up quick.

A grand sounds high. I know a few rednecks that will get it done for a case or two of beer.

Or give them to my kids to play with for a few days. Of course the rim may be ruined in the process.

I would definitely get a few other quotes or do it myself.

 

[Piper Cub]

Drill a hole in the sidewall, stick a metal cutting sawzall blade through the hole and cut towards the rim. Do that a couple times on both sides and tires pop right off.

 

[tankdriver]

Sounds like you are getting scammed.

He is restoring 37mm a 57mm and a 3", and making repo breechs for the Shelby County Historical Comm, for just the old welded up live breeches alone.

He's a good guy, but it is a business and he has to make money. He is doing the tires by the hour, but the grand was for both tires, new tires, new tubes, and having the local farm tractor company mounting the new tires on, which gave him a price of 165.00 for that. They refused to touch the tires on there at all.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Bring it up here, I'll do it for less!

 

[Al Harvey]

This may be a dumb question, but doesn't the bead unbolt? If it does that should help a lot in cutting the foam and getting it off.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Yup, I was thinking once that ring is removed, the hydraulic bead breaker would get the tire to move.

 

[Al Harvey]

That was my thought process too. I'd help you try and get them off if Gimpy is too far from you.

 

[gerrykan]

If it is like a Dodge combat wheel, the bead-lock ring and the wheel overlap and rust binds them together sometimes making the ring very hard to remove.
Safety note: Make sure there is no air in the tire before unbolting the ring.

 

[NDT]

He is restoring 37mm a 57mm and a 3", and making repo breechs for the Shelby County Historical Comm, for just the old welded up live breeches alone.

If the BATF finds out he is doing breech switcharoos with DOD owned monuments he is going to wish he was never born.

 

[tankdriver]

If the BATF finds out he is doing breech switcharoos with DOD owned monuments he is going to wish he was never born.

These are not DOD owned. I had TAPCOM do a search, and they show they never donated, loaned, or gave City of Memphis anything. Even "The Memphis Belle" was purchased as scrape by the city of Memphis. This was checked out when the city 1st pulled them from Confederate Park, and I was going to use this as pressure to find out where they were.

Since they are free and clear, the City did a resolution to donate them to the West TN Military Vehicle Collectors, and we donated 3 to the Shelby County Historical Commission. And since neither of us are a branch of the Government, they were going to have to be further di-milled. We could have gone with the holes and bars, and keep the original breech, or have a repo breech made that can not be made live. We went with the repo breech.

It is made out of plate steel, and no hole. This is photos of the one for my 57mm. The 3" will not even slide open.

 

[Al Harvey]

Figured I'd go ahead and post an update, was able to help tankdriver get the tires off the wheels. I had to call in some help from a local guy with a large tire machine. The biggest problem with getting them off was the metal beadlock in the wheel, it was rusted/seized to the wheel. Well that and the fact they had probably been on there since just after WWII. lol

 

[tankdriver]

Thanks Again for your help. It is really appreciated.