A Light Recovery Trailer from Downunder

[Sam Scholz]

Hi fellow MV tragics,

I've been playing with wheels. Managed to get some 7.50 x 18 tyres in good condition, so I have been cleaning up some rims and fitting them up. The original size tyre is 10.50 x 18 and is only available (in Australia) in an agricultural tyre which has limited road speed and a very poor wear rate on hard surfaces. So the 7.50 x 18's are going to have to do for now. The 16 ply tyres will go on the rear axles and the 14 ply will go on the front wheels.

So, after disassembling the wheels I purchased, I removed the tube/liner and cleaned them and re-assembled them. The picture below shows the fitting of the liner to the tyre following the fitting of the tube.

LRT Remove liner 18 inch rim 12 2019.JPG


The next problem which I did not anticipate was the mis-alignment of the studs. These I "massaged" with a large soft-faced hammer.

LRT 18 inch rim studs alignment 12 2019.JPG



Then drop the tyre onto the rim inner followed with the rim outer. . . .

LRT 18 inch rim fit outer rim to tyre 12 2019.JPG



. . . . and then the nuts which had been chased with a 1/2" UNF tap. I was a bit surprised as I expected BSF from a Commonwealth country!!!

LRT 18 inch rim nut fitment 12 2019.JPG



Finished them with a torque wrench set to 60ft/lb. I got the setting from a generic torque chart that gives torques for each size for coarse and fine threads.

LRT 18 inch rim nut fitment torqueing to 60flb 12 2019.JPG



And then I could fit three rims to the LRT more-or-less permanently. I am seeking another 3 or 4 18" 6 stud rims to complete the LRT in 7.50 x 18 wheels.

That is all for now. I wish for you and yours a happy Christmas and prosperous and peaceful 2020.

Enjoy.
Sam.