Kent - tyre fitters/call out (Maidstone area)

[markbg]

Hi,

 

I needed a tyre swapping round on my FOX so I called out Wealden tyres to do it - unfortunately things are not going well - the tyres now punctured and its taking a long while to get it fixed - does anyone know another tyre fitter around Kent that might do call outs to get this fixed? or one close to Maidstone that i can drive down to?

 

thanks

 

Mark

[LoggyDriver]

Has the guy who is supposed to be swapping it done it? If he has I'd be demanding a replacement.

 

Look for an agricultural tyre fitter as they are used to dealing with large tyres.

[john fox]

warning

 

do you still have the original run flat tyres fitted? if yes then I very much doubt any tyre fitter will be able to do it as you need specialist tool to remove the Hutchinson insert which may explain why he punctured it.

 

see Lee's thread on changing his tyres

[markbg]

warning

 

do you still have the original run flat tyres fitted? if yes then I very much doubt any tyre fitter will be able to do it as you need specialist tool to remove the Hutchinson insert which may explain why he punctured it.

 

see Lee's thread on changing his tyres

 

 

The tyres are Michelin XL so they may have run flats - how would we tell - there was a rubber wall inside the tyre but this is quite malleable when you press it - feels more like an inner tube - from the descriptions of the threads I read this run flat seems very hard so there would be no give?

[griff66]

can u do a link to lee's thread about tyre changing

[gritineye]

This one?

 

http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?4185-Fox-CVR(W)-Runflat-Inserts..-HELP!!!&highlight=tyres

[griff66]

cheers.

[Richard Farrant]

The tyres are Michelin XL so they may have run flats - how would we tell - there was a rubber wall inside the tyre but this is quite malleable when you press it - feels more like an inner tube - from the descriptions of the threads I read this run flat seems very hard so there would be no give?

 

 

Mark,

 

Read the link that Gritineye has put up. I worked for the Army in Kent when Fox was in service and there were no tyre companies in the area who could fit these tyres when they were issued as replacement for Trackgrip runflats. You may have to talk to Hutchinson who made the runflat inserts, to find someone with the equipment. It actually converts a normal radial tyre into a runflat by giving wall support and being a beadlock.

[Lord Burley]

 

The tyres are Michelin XL so they may have run flats - how would we tell - there was a rubber wall inside the tyre but this is quite malleable when you press it - feels more like an inner tube - from the descriptions of the threads I read this run flat seems very hard so there would be no give?

The inner flap protects the rubber tube from chaffing on the rim.

[Lord Burley]

Ive never changed a tyre on a ferret or a fox. But used to do many "Giants" as we called them. Basically commercial and JCB tyres on site. The process we used was to have an angled tyre leaver and a large club hammer. With the leaver in one hand i used to place it in the bead. With the hammer in other hand i would work the leaver around the bead with the hammer. Once the bead was broke i would insert two prising bars into the bead and work my way around until the wall of the tyre was off the rim. Then get your hand in and pull the gator out followed by the tube. I would then repeat the prising process again for the other side. Fox and ferret tyres maybe a bit different. But i think the principles the same.

[Richard Farrant]

Fox and ferret tyres maybe a bit different. But i think the principles the same.

 

Mark,

 

These have divided rims, not so easy. Different approach too.

[Lord Burley]

Cheers for the info Richard :thumbsup:

[markbg]

Mark,

 

These have divided rims, not so easy. Different approach too.

 

Hi,

 

yes we did have the tyre off to swap it around - tyre tread was in wrong direction - what a can of worms Ive been off the road for 3 weeks over this with no resolution in sight - Ill try ringing round this weekend

 

cheers

 

Mark

[markbg]

On thinking about this we have removed the rims from the tyre - if there was a runflat would it not be attached to the rims? In which case I dont think i have a run flat at all?

Edited May 12, 2010 by markbg

[john fox]

this page shows the Ferret tyre and wheel construction, but the photos may help explain as the principle is the same for Fox, its just that the hutchinson insert looks different .

 

the runflat insert is the rubber "donut" which will fill the space between tyre beads, it is not attached to the rim

 

As you have removed the tyre from the rim then can/have you removed a normal inner tube? if yes then you do not have the runflat insert, if no then chances are you have the insert as the tube will be behind it

[markbg]

this page shows the Ferret tyre and wheel construction, but the photos may help explain as the principle is the same for Fox, its just that the hutchinson insert looks different .

 

the runflat insert is the rubber "donut" which will fill the space between tyre beads, it is not attached to the rim

 

As you have removed the tyre from the rim then can/have you removed a normal inner tube? if yes then you do not have the runflat insert, if no then chances are you have the insert as the tube will be behind it

 

We'll have a look if this guy ever comes back again - they still havent received the inner tube yet lol - got a feeling they never will - would it be ok just to remove the run flat from the tyre - I think Lee did this?

[markbg]

this page shows the Ferret tyre and wheel construction, but the photos may help explain as the principle is the same for Fox, its just that the hutchinson insert looks different .

 

the runflat insert is the rubber "donut" which will fill the space between tyre beads, it is not attached to the rim

 

As you have removed the tyre from the rim then can/have you removed a normal inner tube? if yes then you do not have the runflat insert, if no then chances are you have the insert as the tube will be behind it

 

Yep they are run flats - they are going to try and get them off today at the unit although they have never seen them before - we might have to get rid of the rtun flat though and just put in the normal inner tube instead - not sure if I read somewhere that the michelin xl doesnt have enough wall strengh for the weight of the fox and thats why it requires run flats? I'd be surprised if that were true - modern tractors etc dont seem to ne run flast and have much bigger tyres?

 

Any ideas if normal innner tub and no run flat is going to cause a major problem?

[Richard Farrant]

- not sure if I read somewhere that the michelin xl doesnt have enough wall strengh for the weight of the fox and thats why it requires run flats? I'd be surprised if that were true - modern tractors etc dont seem to ne run flast and have much bigger tyres?

 

 

 

That sounds like a remark I made about wall strength, but I did not mean it in the way you are thinking. Think of the Fox in its intended role, a combat vehicle, if a XL tyre had a puncture it would deflate completely, even if it had a bead spacer as the old Dunlop Runflats had, so would not be able to be driven further, whereas with a Hutchinson insert it converts a normal tyre in to a runflat, supporting the tyre somewhat to enable it to get to safety.

[markbg]

That sounds like a remark I made about wall strength, but I did not mean it in the way you are thinking. Think of the Fox in its intended role, a combat vehicle, if a XL tyre had a puncture it would deflate completely, even if it had a bead spacer as the old Dunlop Runflats had, so would not be able to be driven further, whereas with a Hutchinson insert it converts a normal tyre in to a runflat, supporting the tyre somewhat to enable it to get to safety.

 

thanks - I told them this so theyve removed the insert and put a normal inner tube in - to end on a happy note they got the job done and fitting thectyre this afternoon do ill be using them again

 

Thanks for all the advice - invaluable as usual

[Marmite!!]

I fitted new tyres & the inserts are still in the old ones, the only way I can see of getting the insert out is by cutting/damaging it... I contacted Hutchinson in (I think it was) Sweden first & they said they would be happy to help if I popped the tyres over, they told me they had a factory in the UK, contacted them & said no way would they help me out...

 

I have tubes & heavy duty flaps fitted on the two new tyres on one side now, when I've worked a way of getting the RF's out I'll try & re-fit them.. haven't given up yet.

[markbg]

well you could always try Wealden tyres - they did get the insert out in one piece its sitting in my garage at the moment - i think they used compression straps - they did have to take the tyre to the fitting place to do it but they seemed ok - the tyre now has just an inner tube which i think is preferable as if u di get a puncture then u can call out people to fix it on the spot - if you have the run flats in theres no chance of fixing the tyre quickly...

[Paul101Clark]

Have you tried ATS truck tyres at Alesford, they were good with the Bedford TM tyres.

[markbg]

Have you tried ATS truck tyres at Alesford, they were good with the Bedford TM tyres.

 

I hadnt but i will now