In a message dated 12/12/01 12:53:58 AM Central Daylight Time,
A762x54mm@aol.com writes:
<< Tire repair on the Dayton wheels is pretty simple, tools to make repairs
should be part of all M35 tool kits when making an OTR trip.
Tire hammer, two tire irons, an anti freeze bottle with some water/dish soap
and pack an extra tube along with the patches. It is faster to just replace
the tube. All this can be stored in a container smaller than a footlocker.
But be sure to find out what punctures the tire, or you will probably be
fixing it again soon! >>
Having done my share and then some of heavy truck tire changes (In my college
days, was low man on totem pole at tractor-trailer leasing company shop),
while I won't agree with Gene's statement that it is simple (my assessment
would be that if is a pain in the assessment), it can be done. BUT if you
are going to attempt to do this yourself, to the above list of items I would
add several feet of stought chain, and a lock. Run the chain criss-cross
around the tire and rim and lock it secure before inflating the tire. The
function of the chain is to retain your head and limbs in the event the lock
ring becomes unseated during tire inflation. The ring, and in some cases
part of tire casing, can fly off, and this is with fatal force. Tire shops
use a cage for this (I recommended the chain in an attempt at keeping it in
the originally referenced box). Myself, I'll leave the tire hammer, both
tire irons, soap and chain at home, and stick an extra fifty bucks in my
pocket for emergency tire repair instead. Maybe because I live in a rural
area, and it doesn't take the same level of tragedy to be news, but every
couple years around someone becomes newsworthy by either being killed or
badly hurt working on split ring rims without a safety cage.
Besides, since my trucks are shown without cargo, I figure I gotta have five
flats before I MUST have a tired repaired on the road. I can first put the
spare on the ground, then starting singling out the rear duals.
And yes, I have had flats on MVs while traveling, so this is not just theory
for me.
My .02,
David
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sun Jan 06 2002 - 22:26:51 PST