Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

Greetings,

I'm going to be replacing some tires on my 733 Phaeton with chrome steel rings holding them in place.

Does anyone know of tools or techniques to do this? The last time I did this years ago, it consisted of having someone stand on the sidewalls to try and get the rings back on.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Gene Wescott

I have done this many times with a spoon type tire iron I purchased from Harbor Freight. I use two of them one to support and move around the ring and the other to pry it off. Going back on I walk around the rim and stomp the ring back down with heavy boots. There is a couple of YouTube videos on this method. These can be dangerous to inflate however a 40 lb pressure car tire and a 100 lb truck tire are not the same. I point the tire at the wall when reinflating them in 10 lb increments. I also pound on the ring with a rubber mallet just to make sure the ring is seated properly. I think people have problems with these rims because they use a tire that is not specifically made for a lock ring installation. One tire that works well is the Firestone Balloon tire. As they inflate they push the ring into the slot. The wrong tire may push the ring outwards causing the ring to come off. I understand these are still made in the original molds used in the 30's.

Thanks so much for the information. Where did you find the tires, Coker?

Yes I am told Coker owns those molds also.