Access to Spare Tyre without Opening Backdoors

[PeterInSa]

Have a Storage box on the back of our Sprinter for such things like Fishing gear, tools, outdoor chairs, 4lt of diesel etc etc. The problem is that if i have a puncture have to undo 8 bolts that bolt the storage box onto a frame so can remove the box and open the doors to get access to the Bolt heads that allow me to lower the spare.

Looked at making a swing out box, pivoting/hinging on one side with an adjustable wheel as per seen on trailer on the other side of the box. Also considered putting the box on hinges to roll forward over the towbar.

But have found that with the doors closed can put a 19mm (from memory) socket with a 3/8 drive, the drive about 120mm long and with this I should be able to trurn the (spare) bolt heads and get at the spare.

The problem I have at the moment is that I tightened said bolts up so tight with the Sprinters tool kit when i last changed tyres that am loath with my 3/8 socket set to unloosen in case I break the wrench.

Peter

[Altered Sprinter]

Have a Storage box on the back of our Sprinter for such things like Fishing gear, tools, outdoor chairs, 4lt of diesel etc etc. The problem is that if i have a puncture have to undo 8 bolts that bolt the storage box onto a frame so can remove the box and open the doors to get access to the Bolt heads that allow me to lower the spare.

Looked at making a swing out box, pivoting/hinging on one side with an adjustable wheel as per seen on trailer on the other side of the box. Also considered putting the box on hinges to roll forward over the towbar.

But have found that with the doors closed can put a 19mm (from memory) socket with a 3/8 drive, the drive about 120mm long and with this I should be able to trurn the (spare) bolt heads and get at the spare.

The problem I have at the moment is that I tightened said bolts up so tight with the Sprinters tool kit when i last changed tyres that am loath with my 3/8 socket set to unloosen in case I break the wrench.

Peter
Peter you broke a MB wrench:wtf:

Have you considered the perfect alternative to a flat tire.
Fact the likelihood a total blow out is next to none considering you have an eight ply tire casing.
If per-say you were unfortunate to encounter a flat tire;It would likely be from a sharp object such as fencing wire saddles, or a small piece of sharp steel.

Ij the latter most flats are slow leaks,as to the object that penetrates the tire, would in part act as a bridging seal.

Tyre: The safest and quickest solution would be to use a Handy professional flat tire repair kit that inflates,repairs any tire in a matter of minutes.You don't need to jack the van up just pull out the object plug it..{Not always required} and pump up with a tire compressor H/D, adding the slime from the kit.

This gives you time to get to a tire shop for removal of damaged tire and professionally repair if inner tire is damaged,which may require scrubbing and a new patch to reinforce the inside of the tire if damaged, mainly because you ran the tire flat to the road.:bash:
Simple effective used by truckers world wide,especially in the outback.
Richard

[PeterInSa]

Richard,
Going to Tassie from Adelaide noticed a going flat back tyre, did the usual spit on the valve thingo and the air bubble topped, bought a valve repair kit could not buy the valves separately, went back to the servo to jack the wheel up and replace the valve, then noticecd that the air was leaking out from the hole where the valve stem fits into the tyre. Bugger...

Camped behind a garage after jacking up the back wheel and stayed there the night, next morning removed the tyre and brought it over the road to a Goodyear dealer who replace the valve for $5, he informed me the problem was probably caused by the organisation who fixed up a puncture in the tyre a week prior.

I asked them about using slime and their reply is do not use it, as it removes the coating from the wheel (have steel wheels) and then the tyre does not seal properly and you have to put a tube inside the tyre.

Peter

[Altered Sprinter]

Richard,
Going to Tassie from Adelaide noticed a going flat back tyre, did the usual spit on the valve thingo and the air bubble topped, bought a valve repair kit could not buy the valves separately, went back to the servo to jack the wheel up and replace the valve, then noticecd that the air was leaking out from the hole where the valve stem fits into the tyre. Bugger...
Hence: slime it seals it ask a long haul truck drover.Trucker to a Yank:smilewink:

Camped behind a garage after jacking up the back wheel and stayed there the night, next morning removed the tyre and brought it over the road to a Goodyear dealer who replace the valve for $5, he informed me the problem was probably caused by the organisation who fixed up a puncture in the tyre a week prior.
That was EXACTINGLY!..Why I suggest a sealant.

I asked them about using slime and their reply is do not use it, as it removes the coating from the wheel (have steel wheels) and then the Tyre does not seal properly and you have to put a tube inside the tyre.

Peter
Hi Peter,well not all slimes are the same as I have used since 1972.
But Please Note: I did say as a temporary fix, till professionally repaired,
Some times not always an inner-tube is required for a tubeless tire as to a few reasons ,the rim is out of round or the rim is DAMAGED FROM RUST CORROSION, and the tire wont seal to the rim, as to the tire deflating or at low air pressure being driven with for an extended distance.

Removal of a tire casing is messy if filled with slime, But it cleans up easily in a controlled environment. but they do not rust the inner rim unless there is water in it such as tractor and some trailer rigs I've seen and old too. or just plain old rims.
Heck even new ones rust with just air inside of them. air contains water contaminates under pressure PSI being pumped via a compressor...One could say when was a tire or service stations compressor ever cleaned last in tank or filters ????
Most of the slimes additives is base soap.But All I'm saying is the sealant kit and a pro repair kit is a God send in an emergency situation,where Safety or time is an issue.

I'll run a set of photo's up tomorrow for you and show hoe easy it is to fix
Richard

[PeterInSa]

Richard,
re Slime a temporary repair, recently a tyre went flat on our Corrola Seca, bought it to the Tire Repair and after putting in 100lbs of air could not find the leak, and the valve was OK. Diito with the slime, run over a nail, nail not in tyre, put in slime, will tire repairer be able to find the puncture.

Bought a can of this slime/compressed air for daughter just in case, 4 years later still unused, unsure now, if it will work, another reason why I am wary of the stuff.

Also have the puncture repair kit in the Sprinter along with a small compressor, you know the kit with a file to rough up the puncture hole a big needle thingo to insert the leather bootlace and glue and knife to cut the bootlace off level with the tyre surface. Have used this type of kit before and it works for me

Peter

[Altered Sprinter]

Richard,
re Slime a temporary repair, recently a tyre went flat on our Corrola Seca, bought it to the Tire Repair and after putting in 100lbs of air could not find the leak, and the valve was OK. Diito with the slime, run over a nail, nail not in tyre, put in slime, will tire repairer be able to find the puncture. Yes Peter: Please review this very basic prom video;
YouTube - SLiME - In Store Video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EbXUQ3BuKw&NR=1)

Bought a can of this slime/compressed air for daughter just in case, 4 years later still unused, unsure now, if it will work, another reason why I am wary of the stuff.
I CAN NOT SAY HONESTLY WHAT THE USE-BY DATE IS ?
However The last bottle I used in part was six years old,that was on this Sprinter in 2006 ,same tire as this current dated Sprinter picture shows.

On that particular day I picked up on a fencing wire post saddle ,ending up with a leak that would not let me get to the tire shop as to distance.
So as the U saddle nail was easy to spot. and knowing a plug was not going to work that well,just pulled the nail. waited till tire deflated ,and put part of the slime in and plugged it in the two side by side puncture holes fired the old compressor up to re inflate the tire with 60 LLB of air.

As previously quoted this was a temp fix! Based on the known thought,How much internal tire casing damage was there.?

Once tire was removed and the inside of the case was washed out,it was obvious that a section of three inches to 1/2 of an inch of the inner casing had been fractured to a depth of 1/8 of an inch .

It was de-burred sanded and refilled with rubber patch melted, waited to set, then sanded smooth

The tire has not failed to this day, but no slime in it either.

Also have the puncture repair kit in the Sprinter along with a small compressor, you know the kit with a file to rough up the puncture hole a big needle thingo to insert the leather bootlace and glue and knife to cut the bootlace off level with the tyre surface. Have used this type of kit before and it works for me

Peter
Peter there are two ways of repairing a tire , one is to pull a nail if you can find it ,score out the nail hole and glue and patch it,wait five minutes, refill with air and off you go, no slime required.

In saying that; if you can not sea the hole then fill it with slime it does work ,its tire sensor safe does not create "RUST"! unless it's already present within the said rim.
For the girls slime is a no brainier for a sedan basic kit.

After 20 years on my second kit old and worn out, I replaced the emergency tire kit about four months ago.


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This is the complete kit ,bare in mind there are different kits priced accordingly.
note:The kit does not include a solvent based resin glue, so buy a tube if you only intend to glue and plug a puncture.
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This kit has two ways of hooking up to 12V power either direct to a battery or via a 12v outlet.
On this exercise I simply pulled my third emergency power pack and plugged the cigarette outlet in ,the option of either clamps or plug in can be done on the Main supplied compressors cable voltage supply line.
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Once up to 60Lbs that's it,pack up and drive away alive.
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It's ten minute job. quicker and faster than attempting to change a tire on a highway edge or a side road with unstable drainage ditches.
In a slime shell Peter:laughing: the slime will find any leak, and seal it.:professor:
After the time frame of 1972-2012 using both the old slime and the new version. I thoroughly trust and recommend the product; It's proven to be what the manufacture states,providing you follow the instructions and always clean to prepare, you're intended repair surface..

Richard

[PeterInSa]

Richard,

You have a great puncture repair kit,

Peter

[Altered Sprinter]

Thank You Peter, other neat stuff too,but that's for another day
PS Hope you enjoyed your trip to my Island home.
Richard
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