>>> I learned to work on these wheels in the Army, many of the list readers
have not had
>>> that training which is the reason I put this subject up for discussion.
Well, I never worked for that corporation but I did work for a company that
specialized in heavy, high and wide hauling. I've been coast to coast 16
feet wide and 155 feet long (the same load, not two different ones). I've
carried 100 ton loads through mountains (with 128 tires underneath) and
every weekend I hauled 3, 12 cylinder GM Electromotive diesel engines (16T
each) with the air brake compressors packed around them anywhere they would
fit for good measure (and extra income) from Newark, NJ to Houston, TX.
I've loaded anchor chain and drill rod to the point that I had to run
175psi in 16 ply Goodyear SBRs just to keep the rims from cutting the
sidewalls (and to not look so overloaded). Over the years, I've had a flat
or two or ten which I've changed on the side of the road.
>>> Please, let's hear more from you guys about your SAFE way of changing
split-rim wheels.
I'll bet millions of tires are mounted each year and trucks travel billions
of miles on them without incident, for the most part. Statistically, heavy
truck tires, even split rims are relatively, maybe even extremely safe.
Even though they are a small percentage, many of the horror stories you
hear are true and are, almost always, caused by human error or worn out,
defective equipment.
I'm sure there are plenty of guys, on this list, who are perfectly capable
of doing their own tire work. But there is no real benefit to dabbling in
this, if you're not one of them. If you don't do this all the time, you
have no experience to rely on to decide when a lock ring or wheel is
damaged and unserviceable or is approaching or past its useful service
life. You don't have that 6th sense that something just doesn't feel
right... that it didn't go together, exactly, the way it usually does. And
you probably don't have enough tires to mount to acquire that sense.
Besides getting the lock ring to seat properly and not kill yourself,
immediately, or someone else, later, when it launches while parked a show,
there are other considerations. If you don't install the flap properly and
have the valve stem aligned and protruding properly, or if you have some
abrasive or grit in the package there is an excellent likelihood you'll get
a flat a mile down the road. (Don't ask how I know that.) You'll ruin the
tube, maybe the tire and surely everyone's good time. Do this once and you
could pay for all the tire mounting and dismounting you'd probably ever do
on your MV.
In my opinion, is that if this isn't your profession, take your split rims
to a local, professionally run tire store, like a Goodyear or Firestone
dealer that specializes in truck tires, not a truck stop. Truck stops
don't attract the upper crust. You won't find ex-NASA guys changing tires
in a truck stop. You don't want to rely on what you learn there and you
don't want to go down the road on a tire mounted there. If you're stuck on
the road you may have no choice but if you're sitting at home, trying to
decide how to deal with your splits, find the most reputable tire dealer
you can and become a regular customer. If you do get stuck on the road,
when you get back go to your reputable tire dealer and have him breakdown
the repaired tire and reassemble it.
If you think I'm being overly cautious consider this... even Alan Bowes
hasn't weighed in on this one yet!
JP
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