cruiser Posted November 5, 2008 Share Posted November 5, 2008 I had a problem with a flat a while back on my Rimor Europeo. Couldn't get enough clearance with the jack to remove the back wheel, (the wheel arch panel was in the way) had to go to the local dealer and they needed to use their trolley jack to get the height required. So I purchased an aerosol tyre inflator (large size!) for the next time. I was wondering if anyone had used one and what their experience was? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted November 5, 2008 Share Posted November 5, 2008 So far, I've had to use them in anger twice. Once a flat tyre (rear) on a motorbike, caused by a nail. Removed nail, added the sealant, rode carefully to a garage to get the puncture properly plugged. Worked a treat. Once in a car. Returned to car park to find tyre flat, late at night. Could not see cause, couldn't be a**ed to change wheel in the rain and dark, so put in a can of sealant, drove slowly to nearest well lit petrol station, examined tyre but could find no cause for the flat, then pumped up tyre to full pressure with their air line. Worked a treat. I keep a large (car size) can in the motorbike. Two large size cans in the car, and two large size cans in the MH. My only other observation would be that one can, even a big one, ain't really enough to get anything like enough air into a tyre. If you're going to carry it, carry two large cans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rapido-lass Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 The only problem with these forms of dealing with punctures rather than changing the tyre, is that many places will not repair a puncture after use of these substances. They say it renders the tyre irrepairable (mainly because it is a horrid time consuming job to scrape out the yuk and prepare the tyre for repair). In my view when I had a recent problem with my wheel, I kept pumping it up until I was able to get to the garage. It cost me a little time and inconvenience, but compared to the price of a new tyre....... I know what I would do again!! Most tyres with a puncture go down slowly, and therefore pumping it up and driving slowly to the garage isn't a problem. If the tyre is that badly punctured, even the can of magic won't be able to do it's magic and it'll still be flat - A totally different situation. I know that a lot of vans come with no spare tyre, just the compressor and can of magic sealant (No warning telling you of the problem of getting the tyre repaired afterwards and the added expense) but I personally would think very carefully about using it. Hope this helps anyone making a costly mistake if they can help it in the future Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 Not really man enough for the job, why not have 'Ultraseal' or 'Tyresafe' or similar perminantly installed in your tyres then you will never get a flat, and if the tyre man does not like it he can just wash it out.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 Anti-puncture tyre sealants, while undoubtedly a good idea, will be no help if a tyre is seriously damaged or a tyre-valve fails. That's when a spare wheel earns its keep, but, as cruiser discovered, it's often difficult, verging on impossible, to change a motorhome's rear wheel without garage-standard equipment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranger Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 Hi cruiser, how about driving your punctured tyre up onto your levelling chocks? That may give the required height...............Or if you can get your spare wheel out, lay that flat and drive up on that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigal55 Posted November 6, 2008 Share Posted November 6, 2008 Ranger - 2008-11-06 9:21 PM Hi cruiser, how about driving your punctured tyre up onto your levelling chocks? That may give the required height...............Or if you can get your spare wheel out, lay that flat and drive up on that.thanks for the tip, its funny how the bleeding obvious isn,t :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 An intriguing tip from Ranger but, as far as I can see, the only time it might possibly help is if the punctured tyre were completely flat and the jacking-point were too low for the standard jack to fit under it or for the jack to obtain sufficient leverage to lift the vehicle (and, if the tyre were that flat, you certainly wouldn't want to drive on to the spare wheel!) When there's a problem changing a coachbuilt motorhome's rear wheel it's usually due to the wheel-arch's design causing the top of the wheel to be shrouded. The more the top of wheel is masked by the motorhome's bodywork, the greater the likelihood there will be difficulty extracting the wheel from the 'wheel-box' above it. If the jacking-point is beneath the rear axle itself, then jacking up the vehicle just moves the wheel further into the wheel-box. You really need to jack on the chassis itself (which may well not be a good idea to begin with and will probably require a jack with a lot more 'height' than the one that comes with the vehicle). With a heavily loaded motorhome, using two jacks is preferable - one beneath the axle to lift the punctured wheel/tyre high enough off the ground to allow clearance when the spare wheel is fitted and the other to lift the chassis enough for the punctured wheel/tyre to be removed from the wheel-box and the spare wheel to be inserted. Even when the jacking-point is not on the rear axle and the wheel can 'droop' when the vehicle is raised, things aren't necessarily straightforward. One forum member owning a Eura Mobil Profila told me that, when he had the valves on his motorhome's rear tyres swapped, the job took about an hour per side as the wheels were so difficult to remove/replace. This was despite the work being performed professionally and garage equipment being available. It's perhaps worth saying that this Profila was based on a Mk 6 Transit and the bodywork's design involved massive shrouding of the rear wheels. When Profila moved to the Mk 7 Transit the design of the rear wheel-arches was completely revised so that the wheel was totally exposed and the problem eradicated. There was a trick to changing the rear wheels on my 1996 Herald via the standard jack and, if you didn't know it, you'd have a helluva job changing the wheels. My present 2005 Hobby is worse, as the coachbuilt body obstructs access to the spare-wheel's wind-down mechanism and the reinforced rear springs prevent the vehicle being jacked at the logical position shown in the Ford Transit handbook. So my advice to any motorcaravanner who feels that he/she might ever want to carry out a DIY wheel change is to practice the exercise so that any potential problems can be identified before the task needs to be carried out 'in anger'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BGD Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 One other small tip about getting extra height which I remember is to drive that side of the vehicle onto the kerb (if you can find one!) so that the flat wheel is just on the kerb, parrallel to the road....then you may have a better chance of getting your jack under the axle in the gutter. It just might help someone......... And just a thought about Ultraseal/Tyreseal products: They absolutely WON'T mean that you'll never have a puncture again. Sure, they'll reduce the likelihood, but if the hole is too big they'll not seal it. Probably worth considering as a prevention method, but not a cure-all I'm afraid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silicongyro Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 Derek You suggest that jacking under the chassis "......may well not be a good idea to begin with and will probably require a jack with a lot more 'height' than the one that comes with the vehicle....". A fair comment but this may confuse those of us with Motorhomes mounted on Alko chassis. This chassis when fitted to Fiat units has special rear jacking points designed to accommodate the standard Fiat jack - and those should be used to jack up the rear, and not the axle. My experience of two rear wheel punctures indicates that a total flat is quite likely - since by the time you have realised something is amiss with the handling, enough distance has been covered to trash the tyre. Even then the Alko chassis has enough clearance to allow the Fiat jack to be inserted, and the jack raises the 'van enough to drop the wheel on the suspension, and be comfortably clear of the road. Totally agree that a dry run is well worthwhile ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alf Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 Hi I have had an easylift air jack for 25 years it is still as good as new and the firm still trades see air-jacks.com This works by putting a hose on your exaust and is a 34 inch plastic jack that will lift 4000kilos to 28 inch max when flat you can slide under a 2 to 3 inch gap I put a car mat on the top to protect it. i would not get under the vehicle with just this support but on grass etc a 34inch circle takes some pressure I have also seen one used to jet a bogged down wheel out of a mudbath. regards Alf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alf Posted November 7, 2008 Share Posted November 7, 2008 I have just looked how much easylift air jacks are now they have gone to a price that is out of most peoples price range having googled I found a draper equiv the AJ3 this will lift 3 tonnes at about £45 just slip under a jacking point ot axle and put funnle on your own or a helpers exaust you can control the lift by the tap at the pipe entry to the lifting bag. Alf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted November 8, 2008 Share Posted November 8, 2008 alf: Air-jacks have been discussed occasionally in the past. I think this was the most recent thread: http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=3137&posts=6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alf Posted November 8, 2008 Share Posted November 8, 2008 derek. I missed that one it is easier to use another vehicles exhaust or your own with you with the adaptor and valve and soneone stood outsie with their hand on accelerator to control revs BUT a few trial lifts is important to gain experiance with the air jack and it is wise to use a couple of old rubber car mats to avoid sharp edges. Also vent bag and pipe and put in a bin bag to avoid fumes when done. If wild camping on softish ground no conventional jack will be much use. mine has had little use but I try it a couple of times a year. We have used it more for other Motorcaravans and Caravans who stand in amazenent in the speed of the lift. Regards Alf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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