Why Shops Refuse These: Mounting the RH5 "Widow Maker" Rim

In this episode, DPGladius tackles a heavy-duty challenge on the 1958 Chevy Viking 60 dump truck. We’re diving deep into the wheel wells to remove a stubbornly rusted brake drum and—most controversially—remounting a Firestone RH5 "Widow Maker" rim. The Firestone RH5 rim is legendary in the vintage truck world, and not for a good reason. Known as the "Widow Maker," these multi-piece wheels earned their reputation through a design that can fail catastrophically under pressure. Many mechanics have lost their lives to these setups, leading most modern shops to refuse to touch them. What we cover in this video: Brake Drum Removal: Watch the struggle and the strategy behind pulling heavy iron off a 60-year-old workhorse. The Firestone RH5 Debate: Why are these wheels so dangerous? We discuss the mechanics of the "Widow Maker" and why they are so feared. Service by the Book: We attempt to follow the original Firestone service instructions to the letter, ensuring the locking mechanism is seated as intended. Safety First: Beyond the vintage manual, we implement modern safety measures to mitigate the risks of working with high-pressure split rims. DISCLAIMER: This video is for educational and documentary purposes only. Working with multi-piece rims is extremely dangerous. We do not recommend attempting this at home without professional equipment and safety cages. 🚛 About the 1958 Chevy Viking 60 The Chevy Viking 60 was a staple of American infrastructure in the late 50s. Restoring these medium-duty trucks requires specialized knowledge, heavy tools, and a lot of patience. 🕒 Timestamps: 0:00 - The Challenge: 1958 Chevy Viking 60 1:20 - Wrestling the Rusted Brake Drum 4:45 - Inspecting the Firestone RH5 "Widow Maker" 7:10 - Why They Call It a Widow Maker (Safety Risks) 10:30 - Step-by-Step Remounting per Firestone Manual 15:00 - Adding Extra Safety Layers 18:25 - Final Assembly and Thoughts 🔧 Tools & Resources Used: Heavy Duty Jack Stands Vintage Firestone Service Manual High-Torque Impact Wrench Patience (and a lot of PB Blaster!) If you enjoy vintage truck restorations and heavy machinery, make sure to: ✅ SUBSCRIBE for more Chevy Viking 60 content! 👍 LIKE the video if you learned something about split rims. 💬 COMMENT below: Would you run Widow Makers on your rig, or are they destined for the scrap heap? #ChevyViking #VintageTrucks #WidowMaker #FirestoneRH5 #TruckRestoration #SplitRims #1958Chevy #MechanicLife #HeavyDuty