# Schwinn rims



## eryauch (Dec 17, 2010)

Looking for some help. I have conflicting info on what rims would be correct on a 1946 Autocycle. One book says S-2 rims were not made until 1948 and that drop centers would be correct. Another says S-2's were possible for that year. Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Eric


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## aasmitty757 (Dec 18, 2010)

S-2's came out in 48 and were NON knurled.....that's right...no knurling. But they did say S-2.....so as not to be confused with Lobdell flat type rims that Schwinn was also using around the same period....So if you ever restore a 48 Schwinn, you can use either ...Drop centers, Flat lobdells or the "new" S-2 with out the knurling, in 49 they went to knurled.


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## kenji (Dec 19, 2010)

i'll jump on this thread
i just relaced a s2 with out knurling on the outside 
but it had some on the inside...
Schwinn scriped hub


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## PCHiggin (Dec 19, 2010)

*Schwinn Rim Question*

This kinda goes along with the o/g post,not tryiong to hijack the thread. Did they start making S-4's and 5's for their tandems and lightweights in '48? I'm just curious as to when Schwinn started making that stuff in house. Thanks.

Pat


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## spook1s (Dec 12, 2011)

This seems like a great thread to put ALL of the Schwinn rim related information!

Can anybody enlighten me on the difference between S-2 and S-7 rims?? Are S-7 rims for smaller 1.75" tires? (middleweight)... 

When you guys talk about "knurling"...  Is that the stripe of lines that run up the center of the rim?

I'm looking for a correct set and want to know what I'm looking for.


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## old hotrod (Dec 12, 2011)

The all original 46 b4-6 I bought recently came with chrome drop centers. The all original 41 DX I have came with flat side stamped "Lobdells" if that helps confirm anything...


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## island schwinn (Dec 12, 2011)

my 46 also has lobdell flat hookbead rims.i had a 48 with dropcenter wheels.

as far as the S 7 wheels,they will not fit 26x2.125 tires or 26x1.75 tires.they are schwinn specific and require 26x1-3/4 tires.they are slightly smaller in width than S 2 wheels.the knurling is the ridges in the center of the rim.


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## silvercreek (Dec 14, 2011)

I've been struggling with the term "Schwinn Approved." I have yet to find information (if it exists) that identifies the brands and descriptions of the Schwinn Approved rims factory installed on 1978 Paramount’s. I find it a bit strange that with all of the Schwinn experts around nobody has seen the need to have collected that information. At least I haven’t found it yet.


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## mruiz (Dec 14, 2011)

My 1946 Majestic has painted drop centers with black out hubs.
 Mitch


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## PCHiggin (Dec 15, 2011)

*Schwinn Rims.....*

Hope this helps a little. S2s are their "heavyweight" or ballooner rims.THEY DO NOT REQUIRE SCHWINN SPECIFIC TIRES.They take 2.125" tires from ANY MAKER.They also have the same bead seat dia as other brands ballooner and middleweight rims.They will also accept 1.750" middleweight tires from other brands. S5s and S6s are their "lightweight" rims.They are  the same with respect to the tires they use.THEY USE SCHWINN SPECIFIC 1-3/8" TIRES AND MAYBE SOME BRITISH VARIANT.The S5 has a "drop center" design and the S6 is flat.Schwinn also made a "narrow" S6 for some 10 speeds, Varsity,Conti. etc.THEY USE 1-1/4" TIRES FROM ANY MAKER,THEY ARE NOT SCHWINN SPECIFIC. S7s are their "middleweight" rims.THEY USE SCHWINN SPECIFIC 1-3/4" TIRES.They have a larger bead seat dia.  than any other brand middleweight 1.750" rims AND THOSE TIRES WILL NOT FIT ON AN S7.Hope this is a bit clearer than mud


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## chucksoldbikes (Dec 15, 2011)

*hello*

my 2 cents they make a 26x2 x1m3/4 that  fits the s=7 midle weight  theyer about as  big as a balloon tire i put  some on my typhoon looks great  u can get them at your local    bike shop they may have to order them chucksoldbikes


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## PCHiggin (Dec 15, 2011)

*I Have A Set Of  Those....*



chucksoldbikes said:


> my 2 cents they make a 26x2 x1m3/4 that  fits the s=7 midle weight  theyer about as  big as a balloon tire i put  some on my typhoon looks great  u can get them at your local    bike shop they may have to order them chucksoldbikes




Made by Kenda/Pyramid or some importer selling the same thing under a different name.They look great on my black '62 Typhoon with chrome S7s.They are Schwinn specific as well.


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## GenuineRides (Dec 15, 2011)

*knurling*

A quick reference to visually help is that Schwinn S-2 rims have double "train tracks" or knurling that run parallel along the circumference of the rim along with the center Schwinn Tubular S-2 stamping (later Stingray 20" had side S-2 stamping alone closer to the edge and even later in the 1980's had no stamp, applies to S-7's too, about 1969 they went to side stamped and later no stamp).  EXCEPTIONS: first year version S-2's (1948) which have no knurling (still center stamped Schwinn Tubular S2) and EXCEPT for 1990's reproduced S-2's from Schwinn which only has single knurling down the center, and EXCEPT 1971 only 20" S-2's which had single knurling.  Exercise bikes had a 20" rim that looked very similar to a S-2 but it was unique to exercise bikes only, don't be fooled it is slightly narrower. Early S-2's were stamped S2 whereas later they became stamped S-2...confused yet???  There's practically an entrire science to Schwinn rims alone, hence the lack of much published info because there were many slight changes, AND what I have listed may not be 100% correct either, whew... 

Schwinn S-5's have a pronounced raised center with single knurling, S-6's replaced those in the mid 1970's and are flat profile with a single center knurl, and S-7's are a similar flat profile which came on the scene in the late 1950's with only a single knurl.  S-3's (is there such a thing?) & S-4's (for tandems) I'm not really sure.  And I don't know what they exactly called the early 1 3/8"  Superior branded rims.  From what I was told by a machinist the knurling is produced by a gear "feeder" which grabs the metal and pulls the rim through a progressive die during the forming process, for what it's worth...

GenuineRides


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