NEW Track grip tyres, British WW2

[RMS]

Hi all 

I know a few years ago the subject of new track grip was looked into and sadly was a dead end.

I have been looking into again but going down a slightly different route and basically it can be done. To produce a batch of new 900x16 track grips a possibly 10.50x16 provided  there is sufficient interest to warrant the exercise. The guys Im working with have already made their own Jeep and GMC tyres with their own mould and the tyres have turned out great. Tyres would need to be made in batches of 250 to make it financially feasible. The final cost is not known at the moment as it will all depend on quantity etc. as indication of price a GMC tyre comes in around the £145-165 mark and a 900x16 will use slightly more material. 

It wont happen overnight but if we feel there is a enough interest to do so then the project will start. 

Ideally the tyres would be sold in batches of 4 or 5. i have started a poll to judge volume of interest. 

EDIT = i have added  11.00 x 20 and 9.00 x 13 as we have a serious enquiry for a large number of them already. 

Cheers

 

Baz

Edited March 30, 2018 by RMS

[REME 245]

Just a suggestion but if you want the to get the most orders the two sizes to go for are 900X16 and 1100X20.

[Lauren Child]

another vote for 1100-20 please

[RMS]

Ok thanks for the feedback, didn't consider 1100-20's, is this QL size?   will look into it and add it to the poll. 

[REME 245]

All British and Canadian 3 tonners and Daimler and Humber Armoured Cars used 10.50 X 20 during the war.  This size was replaced by 1100 X 20 in the 1950's which everyone uses now.  You also have post-war 4 tonners as well and the Green Godess Fire Engines.

There are other war-time tread patterns so it does not have to be Dunlop Trac-Grip pattern, but they need to look good if people are going to pay a premium.

 

[Lauren Child]

I thought 1100-20 had come in before the end of the war, but I could be wrong.

 

It fits just about anything big an British.  QL, CMP, Green Goddess, you name it.

Edited March 29, 2018 by Lauren Child

[Richard Farrant]

On 25/03/2018 at 6:29 PM, REME 245 said:

All British and Canadian 3 tonners and Daimler and Humber Armoured Cars used 10.50 X 20 during the war.  This size was replaced by 1100 X 20 in the 1950's which everyone uses now.  You also have post-war 4 tonners as well and the Green Godess Fire Engines.

There are other war-time tread patterns so it does not have to be Dunlop Trac-Grip pattern, but they need to look good if people are going to pay a premium.

 

According to the 1945 edition of the War Office publication, Data Book of Wheeled Vehicles, the 10.20-20 tyres were shown as being replaced by 11.00-20 at that time.

[RMS]

On 3/25/2018 at 6:29 PM, REME 245 said:

All British and Canadian 3 tonners and Daimler and Humber Armoured Cars used 10.50 X 20 during the war.  This size was replaced by 1100 X 20 in the 1950's which everyone uses now.  You also have post-war 4 tonners as well and the Green Godess Fire Engines.

There are other war-time tread patterns so it does not have to be Dunlop Trac-Grip pattern, but they need to look good if people are going to pay a premium.

 

I see 11.00 x 20 tyres are available at the moment for around £250- £275, so we'll see what can be done. needs interest though so pass the word. 

[David Herbert]

You might want to consider that the Trac-Grip name was a design that evolved over time. In fact the first ones (in the 30's I think) were just continuous bars that went all the way from one side of the tyre to the other with no link to the next bar. They were slightly S shaped and at a slight angle which presumably made them a bit quieter.

Then they changed to the general design we know but kept varying the shape of the shoulder. Some have the extension of each bar hollowed out where it is on the side of the tyre. Some have a little bite out of alternate bars at the shoulder and alternate bars longer than the ones between them. Later tyres have plain, solid extensions to the bars on the sidewall and relatively square shoulders, which gave way to more rounded shoulders. Eventually some larger sizes had gaps in the bars about 1/3 of the way from the middle of the tyre, I think to give more even wear.

Once you start looking for these differences on period photos, they are easy to see so I won't post pictures here but no doubt everyone will have different preferences !

David

Edited March 30, 2018 by David Herbert

[RMS]

Hi, David

i have a couple of tyres to use as a pattern one is the 30's style and the other is a WD stamped WW2 period tyre. so a final design will be WW2 style. 

[Adrian Barrell]

The Dunlop name is Trak Grip, no c. Presumably, that is a registered name.

[RMS]

Yep we wont be using any current names on the design, were thinking maybe WD with the Crows foot.

[rampant rivet]

Just caught up with this post, I'd be interested in a set of four 900. X 16 trakgrips to fit British rims please.

[64EK26]

Will the 900x16's be for WW2 British/Canadian Rims, the reason I as is that most of the War time rims are actually 16.25" in diameter. I believe that post war ones as used on Ferrets etc are 16" diameter.

[REME 245]

Others can confirm but I would assume that most British and Canadian 15cwt's currently fitted with 9.00x16 Trackgrips are using post war production Ferret type Tires without problem.

[Pete Ashby]

A number of people are using Ferret tyres including my old 12 cab Chevrolet C15A however the beads need to be trimmed or the rims turned down ( an option I decided not to take) so I ground out the bead using an abrasive buffing wheel on a drill, a messy and time consuming operation.

Pete 

[DFC1943Fl.Lt.]

If any one wants some 9.00x16 for a Ferret I’ve got some, 7 actually, 2 on rims, 2 with tubes, one which is brand new never been fitted and the other 3 just tyres. All in good condition. I’m thinking of selling them, just wondering what sort of price to put on them. 

[MB1944]

Hi Pete

I am glad you chimed in with that info. Having seen this thread I was wondering about the size of the rims on the Chevy, so now I known.

Best regards

John

[landrover nick]

if the tread pattern matches  the attached scan i will take a set of five for my Bedford MWD restoration and would think there should be a lot of intrest from other early Bedford owners

[Richard Farrant]

I am surprised no one has suggested the 7.00-18 Track Grip tyre as fitted to the Daimler Dingo as they are unobtainium.

 

[Andrew Rowe]

I will second that, I would think you could sell a couple of hundred Dingo tyres without too much effort.

[Adrian Barrell]

I'm not so sure, armoured vehicle owners are notoriously tight.....😀

I wonder what minimum quantity would be seen as viable? Obviously tooling costs, which will be substantial would have to be amortised over the one batch. 

[RMS]

On 4/5/2018 at 7:36 PM, 64EK26 said:

Will the 900x16's be for WW2 British/Canadian Rims, the reason I as is that most of the War time rims are actually 16.25" in diameter. I believe that post war ones as used on Ferrets etc are 16" diameter.

yep the  originals for British rims were slightly bigger, its an age old debate about fitting 16" tyres and there is no definitive answer. i have fitted dozens of tyres on British rims without any problems as have many others, some others have had problem and some people have the wheels turned down a touch on a lathe.

To keep costs within reason we would use an existing  new carcass and have the them moulded with the pattern required so they will most likely be 16". To make a the carcass from a scratch as well would raise the final price significantly. 

[RMS]

30 minutes ago, Adrian Barrell said:

I'm not so sure, armoured vehicle owners are notoriously tight.....😀

I wonder what minimum quantity would be seen as viable? Obviously tooling costs, which will be substantial would have to be amortised over the one batch. 

We will look into it.  previously we have found that a batch of 250 warrants the project. we will concentrate on the popular sizes to begin with. but if demand is there anything is possible  

 

[tyler]

I voted for 10.50 x 16, but would also be after 9.00 x 13 for the Beaverette.