15" Mercs
Moderators: User administrators, Moderators
-
Al Housman
- Registered user
- Posts: 190
- Joined: 27 Feb 2007, 23:05
- 80-90 Mem No: 11858
- Location: Oswestry, Shropshire
15" Mercs
I had hoped to use some 15" steel merc rims on a Doka which will be used to carry up to its limit of firewood(not at speed obviously) on and offroad.I read somewhere that they are not up to the job weight wise(rims not the Doka).Any similar experiences/solutions?Al
-
syncroand101
- Registered user
- Posts: 1567
- Joined: 27 Sep 2005, 18:42
- 80-90 Mem No: 500
- Location: Somewhere in my Syncro
-
Al Housman
- Registered user
- Posts: 190
- Joined: 27 Feb 2007, 23:05
- 80-90 Mem No: 11858
- Location: Oswestry, Shropshire
-
syncropaddy
- Registered user
- Posts: 887
- Joined: 17 Oct 2005, 22:46
- 80-90 Mem No: 1019
- Location: Gorey, Co. Wexford, Ireland
Says to me, don't drive up 9" kerbs at 60 mph 
That's not a wheel-rim load failure, that's an impact failure ... prob. would look prettyy similar if same impact when fitted to a Merc, when load-rating would be within spec...
However, nothing wrong with a really stong wheel, load rated correctly - though might just mean your suspension mounts would be smashed instead of the wheel
That's not a wheel-rim load failure, that's an impact failure ... prob. would look prettyy similar if same impact when fitted to a Merc, when load-rating would be within spec...
However, nothing wrong with a really stong wheel, load rated correctly - though might just mean your suspension mounts would be smashed instead of the wheel
The 80-90 Tech Wikipedia Your 1st port of call
Syncro Kastenwagen / 16" Kombi Camper
Syncronaut No. 1
-
syncroand101
- Registered user
- Posts: 1567
- Joined: 27 Sep 2005, 18:42
- 80-90 Mem No: 500
- Location: Somewhere in my Syncro
[img:800:600]http://www.club80-90syncro.co.uk/webpic ... ithAxe.JPG[/img]
Maybe I am being a bit sentimental about them, but honestly... I've now done every event bar one since the first Coney Farm with Macho 205s and Merc 6 1/2 x 15 x ET37, had eight in all and have kept six for myself.
That's 3 Devon lanes(:shock:) with a scuffle thrown in for good measure, 3 SPs, countless CFs, the Dales, the Coast to Coast, and a few outings around Herts, Beds, Cambridge and Essex.
Have had no flats, just one very slow puncture (no rim damage, just sand between bead) same set of 6 tyres, barely taken a club to the rims until last Saturday (above), when two needed moderate attention
One with a stick between the tyre bead and rim (holding pressure), was let down, pulled out, rim straightened with club, re-inflated (seal still holding) and could barely see the damage after... [Mat supervised & encouraged the quick fix, thanks]
The axe sorted the other one out nicely, with a bell ringing sound that started to get on people's breasticles after 5 minutes I think (nice axe Doug, ta!)
In total, about 7,500 miles and a lot of hours off road, including many stone steps and varied stone surfaces....
Time lost en-route due to wheels and tyres = ZERO
Time spent maintaining them... 2 hours max after 2 1/2 years just this last weekend (others had flats en-route and bent rims)
And if the front wheels did hit something really hard, I've got two spares on the load-bed ready to be swapped pronto. They can be cleaned inside and out with soapy water and quickly dried off and sprayed with WD40 to stave off corrosion and the welds can be easily inspected at the same time.
How could I knock them, in all fairness
So, bearing in mind it's a 2 tonne Doka and not a 2.5 tonne Camper when its off-roading, I'd say they're a viable option for Syncro pickup trucks at least.. but if I see or hear of evidence that a loading or fatigue failure has occurred, they'll be weighed in fairly promptly. When they fold up on impact like in that picture they absorb a lot of kinetic energy - I'm not worried by that.
I can't speak for the other Merc Rims of 6" and 31 ET...
Bear in mind I also have a strong aversion to large increase in unsprung mass from standard...
Maybe I am being a bit sentimental about them, but honestly... I've now done every event bar one since the first Coney Farm with Macho 205s and Merc 6 1/2 x 15 x ET37, had eight in all and have kept six for myself.
That's 3 Devon lanes(:shock:) with a scuffle thrown in for good measure, 3 SPs, countless CFs, the Dales, the Coast to Coast, and a few outings around Herts, Beds, Cambridge and Essex.
Have had no flats, just one very slow puncture (no rim damage, just sand between bead) same set of 6 tyres, barely taken a club to the rims until last Saturday (above), when two needed moderate attention
One with a stick between the tyre bead and rim (holding pressure), was let down, pulled out, rim straightened with club, re-inflated (seal still holding) and could barely see the damage after... [Mat supervised & encouraged the quick fix, thanks]
The axe sorted the other one out nicely, with a bell ringing sound that started to get on people's breasticles after 5 minutes I think (nice axe Doug, ta!)
In total, about 7,500 miles and a lot of hours off road, including many stone steps and varied stone surfaces....
Time lost en-route due to wheels and tyres = ZERO
Time spent maintaining them... 2 hours max after 2 1/2 years just this last weekend (others had flats en-route and bent rims)
And if the front wheels did hit something really hard, I've got two spares on the load-bed ready to be swapped pronto. They can be cleaned inside and out with soapy water and quickly dried off and sprayed with WD40 to stave off corrosion and the welds can be easily inspected at the same time.
How could I knock them, in all fairness
So, bearing in mind it's a 2 tonne Doka and not a 2.5 tonne Camper when its off-roading, I'd say they're a viable option for Syncro pickup trucks at least.. but if I see or hear of evidence that a loading or fatigue failure has occurred, they'll be weighed in fairly promptly. When they fold up on impact like in that picture they absorb a lot of kinetic energy - I'm not worried by that.
I can't speak for the other Merc Rims of 6" and 31 ET...
Bear in mind I also have a strong aversion to large increase in unsprung mass from standard...
The 80-90 Tech Wikipedia Your 1st port of call
Syncro Kastenwagen / 16" Kombi Camper
Syncronaut No. 1
-
toomanytoys
- Trader
- Posts: 2872
- Joined: 11 Oct 2005, 18:37
- 80-90 Mem No: 41
- Location: Boston area, South Lincolnshire
I have the Merc ET 31 6J's on my DOKA, only used for the offroad events (well a bit of in between too) but not a lot of road miles with a set of Black Star Guyane 205/70's.. I agree with Clive.. if on an empty pickup fine as long as you know they are not as strong as the proper thing..
The pic of the bent one is of the other type of Merc rim.. supposed to be stronger thant the ones I have and most of the french club run them.. there is an alternative available here too, thats stronger (but I havent tracked them down) could well be the same as the "proper ones"
I did bend a rim at very slow speed at CF.. on a rock sticking out of the wall of a gully.. so I am weary of this situation now.. If a set of "toughies" come up at the right price I shall upgrade, especially if I can sort the situation here about running different sze wheels and tyres...
The pic of the bent one is of the other type of Merc rim.. supposed to be stronger thant the ones I have and most of the french club run them.. there is an alternative available here too, thats stronger (but I havent tracked them down) could well be the same as the "proper ones"
I did bend a rim at very slow speed at CF.. on a rock sticking out of the wall of a gully.. so I am weary of this situation now.. If a set of "toughies" come up at the right price I shall upgrade, especially if I can sort the situation here about running different sze wheels and tyres...