Widening rims

[Mith]

I'm going to be upgrading the rear tyres on my tractor, from 23x8.50x12 to 26x12x12 (same as Kubota BX I believe).
I have ordered a pair of Carlisle 8 ply AG tyres. I need to widen the rims from the 7" wide they are now, to 11" to accomodate the much wider tyres.
Just thought I'd put up a post showing how I am doing it. Hopefully it'll work out and I'll have some nice straight wide rims, but if all doesnt go to plan and I end up with wonky wheels you can all have a good laugh

First job is to remove the old tyres off the donor rims. A quick job for my big bead braking tool
(First pic)

I welded some angle sticking up from a bit of plate around the rim. The tops of the angle is at the height the top of the rim will be at when it is widened. I'm hoping this will keep the rims stright when I weld them back together with the extra material inbetween the 2 halves.
(Second pic)

Next to try and draw a straight line around the rims where they need to be cut. Thought about measuring, but changed my mind and went with attaching the rim to a gearbox, holding the pen in the vise and rotating the rim. Straight as an arrow!
(Third pic)

And then cutting, straight as I can. Looks OK so far.....
(Fourth pic)

I'll update as I go along.

 

[bczoom]

I'll update as I go along.

Hey, you're teasing us!!!

I am assuming you measured to make sure you can get 26" tires in there.

 

[Doc]

Mith,
What are you going to put in the wheel to widen it? Do you have a 3" strip of steel the same gauge as the wheels that you can weld in there or what? If so how will you bend it?? Sounds like a quite a challenge to me.

All looks good so far.

 

[Mith]

Brian, they will fit inside all the stuff that I cant cut off.
The tyres will add width to the tractor, so I'm planning on making a new wider seat pan and fenders so there is more room on the operator area.

Doc, I'll be adding 2 2" wide steel strips to each rim, making each one 4" wider. I have access to a ring roller, so I'll work out how long the strips need to be, and then roll them into circles, and weld them in place. Thats the task for tomorrow.

Cheers

 

[bczoom]

Brian, they will fit inside all the stuff that I cant cut off.

Ahhh, I see. It's one of those types of projects.

Sounds like a lot of fun, but as Doc noted, it sounds like quite the challenge.

 

[Doc]

Doc, I'll be adding 2 2" wide steel strips to each rim, making each one 4" wider. I have access to a ring roller, so I'll work out how long the strips need to be, and then roll them into circles, and weld them in place. Thats the task for tomorrow.

Cheers

Kewl Mith. You got some kool tools .....and you know how to use them.

 

[OhioTC18]

Now making that weld airtight

 

[bczoom]

Now making that weld airtight

We'll know as soon as he mentions the word "tubes".

 

[joncowcare]

How will you hold the strips in place while you weld them to the rims ?
I'm trying to visualise how you'll maintain an equal space whilst you weld them, the slightest bit of heat distortion will put both rim sides out won't it ?
Sorry if it seems a daft question . . .
Jon

 

[Mith]

Doc, its actually at the local college, I just drop in when there aren't any students working. And as it turns out, today was the first time I used it

Inner tubes are my 'final solution' as it were. I'll weld best I can, then probably cover the welds in JB weld or the equivalent here, then a thick coat of paint. I'll be running lowish pressures, so hopefully they'll hold air.

Jon, I'll hold them by hand and tack them in place, because of the shape it shouldn't distort.


The spacer rings to be welded in. I havent welded the loops shut yet.

 

[Doc]

Sounds like you have a well thought out plan for accomplishing the task at hand. You make it look & sound easy buddy......but I know better.

 

[Mith]

Doc, I'm not sure if it will work, but its the best idea I've had so far....

Got my tyres today. 8 ply, so no more punctures. I'm not looking forward to trying to get these on the rims....

 

[Jim_S]

so no more punctures

 

[Av8r3400]

Rims of this size can't be more than more than $50 (£30-ish) each.

I applaud your ingenuity, Mith, but personally my time and safety (from an exploding wheel under pressure) is worth more than saying "I built my own wheels."

Just my worthless opinion.

 

[Mith]

Av8r, if only they were that cheap. I know that 7" wide rims are about £150 ($300) so I dread to think what 12" wide ones are.
A pair of 26x12x12 tyres and rims is over £400 ($800) See about half way down the page

1- Tacking together
2- Welded
3- Size comparison
4- I say!

I have them pumped up to 20psi, and I'll leave them overnight to see if they go down. I cant get the whole of the bead to seat, both tyres have a little area where it hasnt set quite correctly, I've had them up to 30psi to try and get them on, but no go. Even the washing up liquid soap didnt work. Might have to take them off and reseat them.

 

[Mith]

so no more punctures

yes, I have just doomed myself

 

[Mark777]

???


I NEVER said this...but a short shot of starting fluid between the tyre (tire) and rim, toss a match......yep BINGO. Seated beads. It works every single time for me.....is it dangerous? Not so far (wear hearing protection) and I learned it from a truck tire shop that does it that way on many thick casings for tractor and truck tires.

I really like the way you extended the rims. You must have used something to true them up and ding them to align (like with a dial indicator?) before the serious beads were applied...right??

They look awesome to me, and I find great satisfaction on home made, fabricated stuff when I make my own. And it's almost always better than store bought items anyway.

 

[Mith]

Hmmm, Mark, I think I might stop short of doing that. Tyres were too expensive to take the risk.

I used the jig thing (1st pic in post #15) to align them. Seeming as its a low speed rim I didn't see it necessary to get it that accurate.

As I'm sure you can see, I too really enjoy fabrication. I bought the steel I need for a backhoe this morning, hopefully that will be this winters project

 

[BoneheadNW]

Mith-
Aside from the fun of making the rims, what is the advantage of wider rims over your duallies (sp?) that you had on one of your tractors?
Bone
P.S. By the by, I was thinking of you as they had a Bob Marley marathon on the radio this afternoon.

 

[Mith]

Bone, the duals tend to get clogged up with mud when its wet, and then you just slip and slide about. These should do better. And also, these are 26" tall, whereas the duals were only 23".
Wish we had Marley on the radio, its all this modern crap


Still cant get one side of one of the rims to seat. I really don't know what to do about it. I just put it on, maybe a bit of use will soften it up.
I dont want to fill them before I have that bead seated, so it needs to be done soon, but I just dont know how to do it?
Mark's ether idea is starting to become more attractive, but I'm still to nervous to do it. If anyone has any more detailed directions, such as exactly what to do I might be a little happier about giving it a go.