Portable wheel holder for tyre repairs

[Old Techo]

I hope your idea for breaking the beads works because some of them take braking and the jack idea tend to keep slipping off the bead. Geoff

Yes, I know what you mean. I made a special but simple foot to put under the jack. I’ll post a pic tomorrow.

[Old Techo]

I am highly impressed by the ‘air driven’ idiot warning device, behind the nudge bar!!!

I first fitted air-horns to my 1969 GTHO. Since then I have fitted them to every single vehicle I have ever owned. Modern vehicle horns are truly pathetic.

[Tony48]

Just had another look at the last picture OT, and wondering what tune the air horns play,
Edit, oops just noticed the previous post.

[J.REEVES]

Hi OT,
Time for negative vibes!
I think it probably would be easier to work on the removal of the tyre from the rim while the wheel is on the ground than working at an angle on the front of the vehicle.

Fair enough using a jack to break the bead but why not use a trailer mate jack with an adaptor and break the bead with the jack mounted on the van in its normal mounting point on the draw bar. If you don’t use a trailer mate fair enough.

I assume you have one spare on the van and one spare on the vehicle so consider just taking one of those tubeless punter repair kits and a spare tube. I know that many have two spares on the van but really if the tyres are in good condition and you drive sensibly as you would the chances of having two tyres fail before you get to a garage are very unlikely. Not everyone would agree with that but tyres are so good and roads like the Birdsville track is just another road that is gravel and very good gravel on most of it.

That’s all of the negative where is the Prado grill?

JR

[Old Techo]

G’day JR,

No probs with negative vibes, I’m just happy to see your face

I have done a lot of tyre jobs in my life and 2 in the past month. With an aging body and sus back I am now finding it much harder to control the wheel on the ground whilst operating the levers. The hardest part is getting the second tyre bead off the rim. I keep looking around for someone to hold the bloody thing for me whilst I lay into it with the levers. All of my life I have done tyres on the ground. Now I have had a gut full. That was the entire reason I developed my idea as it gave me the second pair of hands I never had and the ability to apply great leverage.

I you have a good think about it the tyre propped at the angle I specifically chose and well off the ground is perfect for access and leverage. It is sort of a poor mans pro tyre equipment, just without the pneumatics. No use of the feet/legs required on the tyre or any bending over.

I have a trail-a-mate jack but it will no longer fit in either of my 2 van clamps due other mods. Also it is of no help when solo in the tug.

The idea for using the jack under from front hitch was merely an adjunct to the wheel holder concept.

I do carry tubes, mushroom patches and plugs. I figured that 1 spare on the van and tug was enough but I have had too much advice about sharp stone punctures and the need for carrying 2 spares each for the tug and van that I am erring on the side of caution. I know that forum advice can be a bit variable but when the Copley caravan park boss reckons I’m silly to tackle the Birdsville track I tend to listen. He and several others warn of many spike-like stones that will pierce new tyres like an ice pick. I just want to be prepared for worst-case.

The Prado grill is out of shot coz the bonnet is up

[Old Techo]

I hope your idea for breaking the beads works because some of them take braking and the jack idea tend to keep slipping off the bead. Geoff

Yes, I know what you mean. I made a special but simple foot to put under the jack. I’ll post a pic tomorrow.

Geoff as promised.

It’s made from some 50 mm x 3 mm flat steel. I put a curve in it to match the wheel radius. When inverted the flat bit becomes the base upon which the jack bottom rests and the curved fin bit is placed on the bead hard against the rim. I rounded the ends of the fin so it wouldn’t cut into the bead.

With the jack angled a little there is no tendency for the tool to slip off the bead. The 50 mm depth of the curved fin ensures the bead is popped before the jack base hits the rim.

[J.REEVES]

Hi again OT,
Never noticed that the Prado bonnet had the grill attached and one of my daughters owns a Prado but never seen the bonnet up.

I understand your points I also have had a gut full of tyre changing but most times I was repairing someone else’s tyres.
The good quality tubeless tyre plug set in most cases will do the job and I know they suppose to be a temporary fix but have always lasted to the end of the tyre life for me. Actually used six plugs in one big hole once and that got me to a garage about 300K away before a replacement was fitted.
Only time you need to take a tyre of the rim is when the thing is cut or torn and any tyre that fails on the van is usually totalled before you know and so is the rim.
I have been looking at tyre monitors for years but still am not sure about their reliability especially on the rough stuff.

I assume you placed the fixed bolt at the bottom as it backs into the RHS square. Would have been good on the top as the tyre rim would just hang and would have been easier to pot the bolt. But the way you have it gives you a little more height.

I once had a leaver type bead breaker that fitted to the front of my old 60 Series it was surprising how much the 60 lifted before the bead started to go so make sure you have the full jack travel available.

I only carry one spare for each but can use either on the vehicle or van and that is not easy to accomplish with special wheel nuts and rim off sets.

Did the track last year was an interesting trip, the biggest problem I found was the cowboys with those off road campers zooming along at 100 plus and spraying rocks everywhere.

Hope you don’t need it, like I said good tyres and sensible driving usually saves lots of damage on everything.

P.S. if you do need to use it don’t slip and put a tyre leaver through the radiator.

JR

[Old Techo]

I assume you placed the fixed bolt at the bottom as it backs into the RHS square. Would have been good on the top as the tyre rim would just hang and would have been easier to pot the bolt. But the way you have it gives you a little more height.

I once had a leaver type bead breaker that fitted to the front of my old 60 Series it was surprising how much the 60 lifted before the bead started to go so make sure you have the full jack travel available.

G’day JR,

Yes height was important but it is still quite easy to align the wheel whilst swinging on the bottom bolt. I hope that is my biggest concern when used in anger

You are correct about lost motion when jacking. What I will do is jack the front of the tug about 3 inches then poke my van wooden blocks under the tug chassis to hold that height. The hydraulic jack I use has 6 inches of lift and easily copes once the tug lost motion has been removed. Of course I have done some tests

[Rolex]

I have been looking at tyre monitors for years but still am not sure about their reliability especially on the rough stuff.

:

JR I’ve been using the Tyredog system for many years and they will take everything you can throw at them.

I move mine from cars to trailers to vans and onto my motorcycles, they have been down many thousands of K’s of dirt roads and tracks, crossed hundreds of rivers and been over 180kph.

They have done it all with ease and have never looked like giving trouble.

[J.REEVES]

Hi Rolex,
Thanks for your reply, yes I think the Tyre Dog is the most likely brand and gets the most positive feedback.
They now have a relay or repeater which receives a signal from the type transmitter and the relay forwards the data to the monitor in the vehicle. That has pushed the price up some but probably a better system.

Over 180 should test them out.

JR