Being driven mad trying to find tyres

Being driven mad trying to find tyres

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ChemicalChaos

Original Poster:

10,360 posts

159 months

Saturday 4th October 2014
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Evening all,

I'm after a set of 6.50-16 tyres, or their metric equivalent of 165/R16.

They are to go on a small tarmac utility tug with a top speed of 5mph, so on-limit grip isnt really an issue.

the common consensus for people with vintage cars running 6.50 tyres is to upgrade to 205r16, which are the same height but 1.5 inches wider. this is fine on a car, but this tug has dual wheels and so the width has to remain fixed. The height must also be the same, as not all the tyres will need replacing (unless i find a whole set going stupidly cheap).

The problem is, these vintage sizes seem to be nudging 80-100 quid new, which cannot be justified on a vehicle that will do about 2 miles a year up and down a concrete apron. However, all the ones on ebay are totally ancient - I'll happily use stuff up to 10 years or so old, but something that has been in a barn for 20 years is likely to be just as dangerously cracked, perished and brittle as 3 of the 4 rear tyres on it at the minute. This is not safe - the tyres have to be in good shape, as the vehicle weighs nigh-on 5 tons and thus the tyres are run at maximum pressure whilst it is driven around. It will be driven in a public visiting area so the risk of an old tyre exploding cannot be taken.

I've scoured all the usual sites such as camskill, and I might even try visiting secondhand tyre shops looking for a used/bald but young tyre.

has anyone got a) a set of nearly-worn-out tyres of the right size, or b) any recommendations for bargains that I may have missed on my searches?

thanks in advance,

matt

ChemicalChaos

Original Poster:

10,360 posts

159 months

Sunday 5th October 2014
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Anyone?

shred2bits

56 posts

114 months

Sunday 5th October 2014
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ChemicalChaos said:
Anyone?
How can something that does 5mph and 2 miles a year be dangerous?

E30M3SE

8,465 posts

195 months

Sunday 5th October 2014
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anonymous-user

53 months

Sunday 5th October 2014
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shred2bits said:
ChemicalChaos said:
Anyone?
How can something that does 5mph and 2 miles a year be dangerous?
Because as he mentions, the Tug weighs 5 tons and the tyres are kept inflated to maximum pressure.
Old, perished or cracked tyres may possibly blow out during use.

I wouldn't like to be near a high pressure tyre when it decides to expire...

Krikkit

26,500 posts

180 months

Sunday 5th October 2014
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Could you use some hubcentric spacers to give you a bit more room on the double-wheel axles? Space the outside wheels out a few mm and you would open up a few more width sizes.

195/75/16 van tyres look like the best bet at the moment - plenty of those around for <£50 each new.

These look a pretty good match on willtheyfit, 110 load rating too (>1 ton each) http://camskill.co.uk/m91b0s514p60195/Nexen_Tyres_...



Edited by Krikkit on Sunday 5th October 20:34

shred2bits

56 posts

114 months

Sunday 5th October 2014
quotequote all
Need pictures or its just another ph fantasy ÷)

750turbo

6,164 posts

223 months

Sunday 5th October 2014
quotequote all
shred2bits said:
Need pictures or its just another ph fantasy ÷)
Do your homework before spouting pish.

He is not everyones cup of tea, but a troll he is mostly not...

ChemicalChaos

Original Poster:

10,360 posts

159 months

Sunday 5th October 2014
quotequote all
shred2bits said:
Need pictures or its just another ph fantasy ÷)
Of course, I'm definitely making this up for the good of my health. rolleyes

Background is blurred to avoid giving away the location of the workshop yard it's in.





E30M3SE said:
Thanks for your effort, however...
The first link is for a 6.5" wide x 16" tall lawnmower tyre listed under the american sizing system. Rather a bit smaller and fatter than I need!
The second link opens a site entirely in German with very limited functionality?!


NinjaPower said:
Because as he mentions, the Tug weighs 5 tons and the tyres are kept inflated to maximum pressure.
Old, perished or cracked tyres may possibly blow out during use.

I wouldn't like to be near a high pressure tyre when it decides to expire...
yes


Krikkit said:
Could you use some hubcentric spacers to give you a bit more room on the double-wheel axles? Space the outside wheels out a few mm and you would open up a few more width sizes.

195/75/16 van tyres look like the best bet at the moment - plenty of those around for <£50 each new.

These look a pretty good match on willtheyfit, 110 load rating too (>1 ton each) http://camskill.co.uk/m91b0s514p60195/Nexen_Tyres_...
Thanks Krikkit, I have thought of spacing it with washers on the threads to fit the 205/80s I mentioned - however, as you can see from the picture, the rear hub is an old-fashioned spider type and spacing would then mean there isn't enough thread for the nuts (unless I got the world's largest hub spacer made for me at exorbitant cost! frown



E30M3SE

8,465 posts

195 months

Sunday 5th October 2014
quotequote all
ChemicalChaos said:
E30M3SE said:
Thanks for your effort, however...
The first link is for a 6.5" wide x 16" tall lawnmower tyre listed under the american sizing system. Rather a bit smaller and fatter than I need!
The second link opens a site entirely in German with very limited functionality?!
Does this link work?

http://www.mytyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?dsco=110...

cptsideways

13,535 posts

251 months

Sunday 5th October 2014
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Surely you can use solid tyres on that? Forklift sizes maybe

SV8Predator

2,102 posts

164 months

Sunday 5th October 2014
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ChemicalChaos said:
That weighs FIVE TONS?


ChemicalChaos

Original Poster:

10,360 posts

159 months

Sunday 5th October 2014
quotequote all
E30M3SE said:
It does indeed, but they are about double the price of most of the ones I had found. Thanks anyway, though



cptsideways said:
Surely you can use solid tyres on that? Forklift sizes maybe
Good idea, I'll look into it - I might be able to pick up a worn-out set. I'll need to check if the rear rims are split though, if they are not then you can not get solids on them.


SV8Predator said:
That weighs FIVE TONS?
Yup. The majority of the bodywork is 1" steel plate. The front apron is about 1.5". The rear wings are cast steel, 2" at their very thinnest point and are a 1-piece casting that goes all the way round the back of the vehicle.
I haven't seen the chassis yet but I imagine it's similarly hefty.

She's a heavy girl!

tiffx19

140 posts

152 months

ChemicalChaos

Original Poster:

10,360 posts

159 months

Sunday 5th October 2014
quotequote all
tiffx19 said:
Are they tractor tyres?

Still, they would work well enough even if they are a bit meatier than the current truck-type radially grooved tyres. Good spot!

northwest monkey

6,370 posts

188 months

Monday 6th October 2014
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No idea where you'd get them from, but what about trying the sort of place that deals with forklifts etc? They look similar to something you'd get on one of those.

Jungheinrich (sp?) etc.

anonymous-user

53 months

Monday 6th October 2014
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ChemicalChaos

Original Poster:

10,360 posts

159 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
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A bit of an update... having shown a lot of the info to the people in charge of the funds for this project, things have been umming and aahing a bit. However, in the meantime I've been informed that LTI Taxis run 175 R16 tyres, which will easily fit being only 10mm wider each. New plan therefore is to find some bald taxi tyres from a fitter's depot. Are there taxi-specialist tyres and maintenance places, or do they normally just use ATS/Kwikfit etc like the public?

mgtony

4,014 posts

189 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
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Because of it's weight, will it need specialist tyres with reinforced sidewalls? Even vans need these and they shouldn't run on car tyres.
Hope this doesn't further complicate things! biggrin

daveenty

2,357 posts

209 months

Saturday 25th October 2014
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How far from Skem are you? I noticed your profile said Liverpool/Cheshire...

Carrylift Material Handling are a forklift dealers in West Pimbo (Nissan main dealer in fact) but they also do loads of other stuff including older stuff, so have loads of spares, including old scrappers. May be worth contacting their service department? I have a mate who works there so I could ask him for you if you wanted. Also FMC forklifts in Stockport may have stuff like this.

Would it be feasible to convert the twin wheels to larger/wider singles? Just a thought... Is it a Trachma by the way? Used to see a lot of them in Toulouse where they were used for towing aircraft parts about. In fact we developed a training course for them smile