If you dream it, we'll make it!
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1906 Trentham Road
KYNETON 3444 VIC AUSTRALIA |
TUBELESS TRUCK TYRES
BY IAN LEE
In the last 30 years tubeless truck tyres have taken over from tube type truck tyres and to most of us a recent major improvement, and something to which the new generation take for granted.
According to an article in the Australian Truck and Bus magazine tubeless truck tyres have been available since 1955.
They were an option on our B Model Mack build sheet, but would not have been popular in Australia because of supply of tyres here.
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The system was different to the tubeless rims of today. The rim known as a Tru-Seal and similar to the three piece conventional rim of that period except that it had a rubber ring to seal which locked between the wheel base and the lock rim. My personal experience with tubeless rims started in 1956 when I fitted them to a 2 ½ litre Riley car on rims designed for tube type rims, some cars at that time had better profile rims, Chrysler as an example with their safety rims.
When turning a corner at too high a speed, two rolled off the rims and I finished up in a ditch with no other real damage other than my pride. Later rims were designed with a different profile. In 1958 I was operating a new twin power Euclid scraper which was one on the first earthmoving machines to arrive in Australia with tubeless rims.
When turning a corner at too high a speed, two rolled off the rims and I finished up in a ditch with no other real damage other than my pride. Later rims were designed with a different profile. In 1958 I was operating a new twin power Euclid scraper which was one on the first earthmoving machines to arrive in Australia with tubeless rims.
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An advertisement in 1953 for safety rims, but few cars had them fitted |
When the time came for the first tyre replacement we were not able to get the tyres off even with 2 CAT D8’s and one Allis Chalmers HD21 with heavy cables.
Some days later a hand operated bead breaker arrived from the USA and it did the trick which three dozers could not.
Some days later a hand operated bead breaker arrived from the USA and it did the trick which three dozers could not.
Most of us do not remember tubeless truck tyres before the early 1970’s and by this time the rim was a drop centre similar to a large car rim.
My first truck with tubeless tyres was in 1976 with the purchase of a new Mack R686 RST 6x4. Cpst $54,486 with tubeless tyres and we quickly changed the trailer over as well and overnight we went from up to five punchers per week servicing our concrete plant at Sunbury which was next to the rubbish tip, to no roadside tyre changes in a year.
Later on we stopped even carrying a spare tyre, we did still get the odd slow leak puncture but this could be changed at the truck base.
Today we take for granted tyre life and service, as an example an AACO semi tipper in the 60’s, mileage to be expected on 900x20 rag type tyres was 15,000 steer tyres, 25,000 drive tyres and 60,000 trailer, today 100,000km to 250,000km is quite common, depending of the type of job the truck is used for.
Some of the areas of hardships that the old time truckers had are often overlooked and we prefer to remember the spirit of adventure and mateship over the ute loads of tyre repairs each week.
My first truck with tubeless tyres was in 1976 with the purchase of a new Mack R686 RST 6x4. Cpst $54,486 with tubeless tyres and we quickly changed the trailer over as well and overnight we went from up to five punchers per week servicing our concrete plant at Sunbury which was next to the rubbish tip, to no roadside tyre changes in a year.
Later on we stopped even carrying a spare tyre, we did still get the odd slow leak puncture but this could be changed at the truck base.
Today we take for granted tyre life and service, as an example an AACO semi tipper in the 60’s, mileage to be expected on 900x20 rag type tyres was 15,000 steer tyres, 25,000 drive tyres and 60,000 trailer, today 100,000km to 250,000km is quite common, depending of the type of job the truck is used for.
Some of the areas of hardships that the old time truckers had are often overlooked and we prefer to remember the spirit of adventure and mateship over the ute loads of tyre repairs each week.
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Lee No.3 Pty Ltd
Trading since 1961 ACN: 005 204 599 ABN: 40 005 204 599 |
For more information please contact Ian Lee on 0428 507 408 [email protected] |
PO Box 614
KYNETON 3444 VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA |
