So what if....

Post by **Trundler** » 22 Feb 2007, 17:22

I've been a Syncro owner for a few months now, have read all the stuff about wheel sizes, tyre rotation etc and have already rotated my 5 wheels once but a friend recently had a puncture (on a lesser vehicle) and the tyre couldn't be repaired so he had to have a new one. This set me wondering....

What if, after running the Syncro for a few thousand miles, rotating those nice chunky Yokos every 3000, I damage a tyre and neeed to replace it. Do I have to buy a set of five

??

This could potentially make the vehicle VERY expensive to run!

Post by **syncroand101** » 22 Feb 2007, 17:29

The exact same happened to be, I bought a new one and had it buffed down a few mm at a tyre specialist for about £5.. mmm the smell of burning rubber

Post by **Aidan** » 22 Feb 2007, 19:34

as Jake says there are specialists who can skim the new tyre to spec in with the rest of the set - obviously the case won't be quite as run in but as long as the diameter is the same then the vc will be happy and with newish tyres the cases are pretty damm good, it's only once they get old that sun exposure and the rest of the wear and tear take their toll.
Industry recommendation is 6 years, and having seen the state of some spare tyres, that were mint, but old, I'd go along with that, so my spares have only two years left.
I recently worked on a van that was running on three tyres that weren't DOT marked - ie pre 91 and the sidewalls looked like the soles of a very, very old person's feet. They were bay window rims, and probably bay window tyres

Post by **Russel** » 22 Feb 2007, 20:34

I alway rotate 6 so if one is beyond repair u will still have 5.
Ore use a "decoupler"and dont worey ever again.

Post by **chiz** » 22 Feb 2007, 20:35

This is all very interesting. I have not considered this, but I have two spares on the back does this mean that as long as I replaced the burst tyre with a new one and matched its pair with a new one I would be OK?

Post by **toomanytoys** » 26 Feb 2007, 08:34

as long as I replaced the burst tyre with a new one and matched its pair with a new one

Expand please? do you mean new or the spares? as said.. new tyre/s would need to be buffed to the same height as the existing ones..

Any tyre of vastly differing dimension (5mm+) will cause problems.. you should NEVER fit 2 NEW tyres to 1 axle, that will make it even worse..

Only thing I can see you could do, is to fit 2 NEW tyres to 1 side of the vehicle if you really had too.. (ie a new tyre to each axle) this would mean both front and rear axles will still travel at the same speed and the VC wouldnt see the difference..

Post by **chiz** » 27 Feb 2007, 13:15

of course this is what i meant to say. Thanks for all that ,every day I learn something more.

Post by **HarryMann** » 27 Feb 2007, 14:19

Only thing I can see you could do, is to fit 2 NEW tyres to 1 side of the vehicle if you really had too.. (ie a new tyre to each axle) this would mean both front and rear axles will still travel at the same speed and the VC wouldnt see the difference..

Solves the VC issue, but then you could be into other problems, safety, stability, braking etc. ?

Post by **toomanytoys** » 27 Feb 2007, 14:59

Thats why I said "if you realy had to"... Ie.. no other option...
Decoupler sounds like a solution... but last time I even asked opinions about that, I was attacked by a savage dog....

Post by **HarryMann** » 27 Feb 2007, 15:48

So many options to play with, so many grey areas, so many compromises.. even the decouplet solid-shaft is a bit of a compromise, if you like to still have 4WD on tarmac

Post by **toomanytoys** » 27 Feb 2007, 16:47

Yep... it all depends on what you are going to use it for and what you expect it to do and how much cash you splash...

I am just concentrating on getting it mechanically sound, having a play and then seeing what mods I really need..