WHEELS, RIMS AND TIRES RIM, WHEELS AND TIRES GENERAL The  Occupational  Safety  and  Health  Administration  (OSHA) has  established  rules  and  regulations  pertaining  to  servicing Multi-Piece Rim Wheels. The  text  herein  refers  to  selected  excerpts  from  the  OSHA standard.    For  complete  details,  refer  to  the  complete  OSHA standard 1910.177 to ensure compliance. Basically, the regulations state that it is up to the employer to provide    employee    training    to    instruct    all    employees    who service  multi-piece  rims  in  the  safety  hazards  involved  and safety procedures to be followed. The employer shall see that no employee services multi-piece or single  piece  rim  wheels  unless  trained,    and  demonstrates and   maintains   the   ability   to   service   multi-piece   rim   wheels safely. This shall include the following tasks: 1. Demounting of tires which includes deflation. 2. Inspection of components. 3. Mounting   of   tires   which   includes   Inflator   with   re- straining device. 4. Use of restraining device. 5. Handling of wheels. 6. Inflation   of   tires   when   a   wheel   is   mounted   on   the vehicle. 7. An  understanding  of  the  necessity  of  standing  out- side the trajectory both during inflation of the tire and during inspection of the rim wheel following inflation. 8.   Installation and removal of wheels. OSHA  also  states  the  type  of  tire  servicing  equipment  to  be used. 1. Restraining device (inflation cage). 2. Clip-on-chuck with enough hose to permit employees to     stand     clear     of     potential     trajectory     of     wheel components.  An in-line valve with gauge or pressure regulator   preset   to   a   desired   value   must   also   be provided. 3. Current charts must also be posted in service area. 4. Current rim manual containing instructions for types of rims being serviced shall be available in service area. 5. The employer must assure that only tools recommended in the rim manual are used to  service multi- piece rim wheels. WALL CHARTS National  Highway  Traffic  Safety  Administration  (NHTSA)  has prepared  two  charts  which  are  to  be  posted  in  the  rim  wheel service   area.      These   charts   alert   service   personnel   of   the hazards involved when working with multi-piece wheels. One  chart  is  called  ’Safety  Chart"  which  illustrates  the  proper safety precautions to be followed when servicing truck and bus multi-piece wheels. The second chart is called ’Matching Chart" which provides the guidance of various wheel makes and components which can be safely interchanged. These  charts  are  available  to  all  persons  who  service  multi- piece wheels as follows: Individuals who service such wheels may obtain a single copy of each chart, without cost, by writing to the General Services Division/Distribution, National High- way Traffic Safety Administration,  400  Seventh  Street,    S.W.    Washington,  D.C. 20590. Establishments  and  other  organizations  desiring  these  charts may order same in any quantity desired from the Superintendent   of   Documents,   Government   Printing   Office (GPO) Washington,  D.C.    20402  at  a  cost  established  by  the GPO. The GPO ordering number for charts are: Safety Chart #050-003-0315-8 Matching Chart #050-003-00316-6 CARE AND MAINTENANCE Wheel   rims   should   be   periodically   inspected   both   on   the vehicle and during tire changes for cracks, loose wheel studs, worn mounting holes or being bent. Disc  wheels  (Figures  2  and  9)  have  rims  which  are  integral with  the  wheel  itself;  the  important  thing  to  note  is  that  the wheel  stud  nuts  must  be  kept  tight.    This  means  they  should be    inspected    and    tightened    at    regular    intervals.        When checking  the  mounting  studs  and  nuts  on  dual  disc  wheels (Figure    35),    the    outer    nut    should    be    backed    off    before attempting  to  tighten  the  inner  nut.    Try  all  cap  nuts  after  the first  trip  or  any  wheel  change.    When  properly  installed,  they should remain tight indefinitely. Cast   spoke   wheels   (Figures   1   and   6)   have   rims   that   are demountable  with  the  tire;  the  rim  clamp  nuts  should  also  be kept tight.  Rim and tire to wheel alignment should be checked frequently  to  make  sure  the  tire  Is  running  true.    Some  left- hand   thread   nuts   can   be   identified   by   the   small   groove machined  around  the  flats.    Left-hand  studs  can  be  identified by the letter "L" stamped on the head.  Use left-hand nuts on the left side of the truck. CTS-4148A Page 18