Re: split rims

[Gunt0009@domain.elided]

Hello digesters,


   I'm new on the list but I thought you might want to read the most
frightening tire mounting story I have ever heard.  A friend of mine ran a
shop while he was in Germany with the Army, and there was a certian amunition
truck that used tires basically like farm tractor rear wheels (the actuall
model of vehicle has long since left my memory), replacing these required all
work to stop in the shop and everyones full attention. As they would chain the
tire onto the anchors in the floor of the shop, next they would remove the
core of the valve stem and spray just a little bit of ether starting fluid
(Note: he emphasized to me that is was "just a bit").   After that they would
take a flaming rag that was tied to the end of a twenty foot pole and touch it
to the valve stem their by seating the bead for a split second, then one man
armed with air chuck, he said it was always the "new guy", would inflate the
tire.  This went on without a hitch for a very long time, until some soldiers
in the motorpool, who had to wait two weeks for one of these tires to be
replaced, saw through a window how it was done.  This is where it all hit the
fan.  They did it all by the book except for three critical things:  1. They
did not chain the rim to the floor  2.  they used an entire can of starting
fluid.  3.  The soldier with the air chuck was sitting on top of the tire.
Once the fluid was ignited the tire left the ground and hit the ceiling of the
garage killing the man with the air chuck instantly and crushing the cabs of
two trucks.  And I thought I was in bad shape when the hydraulic arm of a
mounting maching popped of the bead and slugged me in the jaw.

Mike Gunther

1980 scout turbo diesel
Mpls MN