• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

5 Ton, super single, road side tire change done safely......

Neophyte

Active member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
I'm sure this has been done, though how do you change a 500-600Lb tire on the side of the road (16R20)? I spent a good hour going through our site and couldn't seem to find a thread on this. I'm prepared with an engine hoist, 20 ton bottle jack, 4x4 cribbing, air hose with glad hand, 3/4" impact wrench, lifting chains....but to error on the side of common sense, I thought I'd ask this as a "safety" question (as these tires can not be man handled).

Thank you
 

gimpyrobb

dumpsterlandingfromorbit!
27,786
755
113
Location
Cincy Ohio
I am only running 395s on Hemtt rims, but thats still 400lbs. I made a crane to lift and lower my tires into/from the bed of my truck. I would think the only other way would be to call a tire service with one of the tire cranes on their truck. I bet that one call would cost more than a crane you put in your bed though.
 

EMD567

Driver for the Ga Mafia
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,117
47
48
Location
Aiken SC
Make a good tire "FORK". This is a tool that has a long handle, and two arms that cradle the tire. It allows you to lift, move, and set the tire on the axle.IMGP0213.jpg
In the picture, it is the object in front of the axle with the single rim on the axle. It is about 5' long, with just enough fork to fit around the G177's. Yours might have to have a wider spread, due to the bigger tires.
If you need them, I can take close ups of the one I used(borrowed from the mech. at work).
 
Last edited:

Triple C

New member
546
3
0
Location
NAPOLEON MO
I didn't see safety triangles on that list but not sure it was meant to be comprehensive. I changed a 1400 on the side of the road, but I have a gantry on my 925 that allows a person to lower the spare to the ground and hoist the blowout back up to the bed. Just be sure you don't let the tire fall over, that was the big issue for me, kind of like changing a farm tractor tire. And of course, make sure the vehicle is in as safe a place as you can manage with triangles out etc..... all of which I am sure you know. Where IS your spare?
 

Neophyte

Active member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
I keep the spare at the farm (can load it on a trailer with bobcat, then bring to truck if needed) for the local gravel hauls I've been doing. I've man handled the G177's on my 925 without a major issue, though the 16R20's on my M817 is similar to the 1400's....HEAVY. The only "portable" way I envisioned changing the tire was with an engine hoist (lift the tire off a car trailer). This might just be a "call a professional" to play it safe when needed.

I have a set of triangles and 10Lb ABC fire extinguishers on the trucks.....an absolute must.
 

greenmonster

Member
119
4
18
Location
cody, wyoming
I have changed the tire on the side of the road, I used a harbor freight cheap'o 3/4 socket set and a 20ton bottle jack and a 3/8 socket set. The tire coming off is easy just roll it off and let it bounce since it is flat it is crazy it just kind of plops down. I let the jack down and got the studs close then jacked it back up and it fell in place. The spare going back up on the rack is more challenging. I put the spare tire holder up against the fuel tank like a little ramp then rolled it up the ramp a bit then cussed a lot and pushed real hard and it went up. I almost left it on the side of the road for dead but a little determination goes a long way. We were just outside Nephi on a hill and no cell service and it was just my wife and son and I. I now have a hoist from the boom for next time but the tire change itself was not bad I just stood on the ratchet and broke the lugs loose.IMG950144.jpgIMG950143.jpg
 

Suprman

Well-known member
Supporting Vendor
6,861
696
113
Location
Stratford/Connecticut
I have tried the bottle jack that comes with the truck on the axle area where the tm says to lift from and it will get a flat up but will not lift high enough to get a filled tired back on you would have to let the air out or carry something to put the jack on for extra height. And if you are not on solid ground I don't know what you would do. That's why the military has offroad wreckers
 

greenmonster

Member
119
4
18
Location
cody, wyoming
I have tried the bottle jack that comes with the truck on the axle area where the tm says to lift from and it will get a flat up but will not lift high enough to get a filled tired back on you would have to let the air out or carry something to put the jack on for extra height. And if you are not on solid ground I don't know what you would do. That's why the military has offroad wreckers

+1 I had to stuff flat rocks under the axle and then put my 4x4 under the bottle jack mine did not go up high enough and then I had to air up tire to get it out once I cribbed it. What a pain! But you do what you have to do.
 

zebedee

conceptualizer at large
Steel Soldiers Supporter
1,631
736
113
Location
Central NY
Originally Posted by Suprfknman
I have tried the bottle jack that comes with the truck on the axle area where the tm says to lift from and it will get a flat up but will not lift high enough to get a filled tired back on you would have to let the air out or carry something to put the jack on for extra height. And if you are not on solid ground I don't know what you would do. That's why the military has offroad wreckers"


+1 I had to stuff flat rocks under the axle and then put my 4x4 under the bottle jack mine did not go up high enough and then I had to air up tire to get it out once I cribbed it. What a pain! But you do what you have to do.

Carry some cribbing (short blocks of wood: 2x8, 6x6, 4x4, etc.) Drive the flat tyre up onto the cribbing untill the hub is approx the height of a fully inflated tyre, then crack the nuts loose and jack as TM says. Change is then as easy as if you were doing a rotation of good tyres.

Most horsey types have a small ramp/chock that allows you to drive up the good tyre of a double axle trailer which lifts the flat one for changing - no jack reqd. Axle articulation of army trucks negates this for switching rears but the principle would work for running up the flat to allow standard jack to fit.

Tyre cribbing.jpg
 
Last edited:

deathrowdave

Active member
387
81
28
Location
falmouth, ky
I use a square point long handle shovel to raise the tire and wheel onto the hub !! Sounds strange but it works great and is easy to use saves on the back !!
 

wreckerman893

Possum Connoisseur
15,629
2,054
113
Location
Akenback acres near Gadsden, AL
I'm just too old to wrestle 500 pound tires anymore (the M927 has super singles).
My plan is to use the VISA card with the big limit on it for roadside assistance. If I have an issue at home I can use the 1 inch drive impact gun to get the tire off and load the offending tire with the front end loader on the tractor. Then I take it to my local tire store and they magically fix it.
 

LOBO

Member
33
10
8
Location
Colorado
I have a 20” super single rim with a bad O-ring. I had a tire shop replace the O-ring after I had the rim reconditioned.

The shop is asking me what is the torque value for the rim bolts?

I understand the spec sheet shows the torque settings for mounting the wheel to the truck is 450-500 ftlbs (TM 9-2320-260-20, Para 9-3, e-1).

Do you have a reference for the ten (10) outer bolts to these rims?
 
Top
AdBlock Detected

We get it, advertisements are annoying!

Sure, ad-blocking software does a great job at blocking ads, but it also blocks useful features of our website like our supporting vendors. Their ads help keep Steel Soldiers going. Please consider disabling your ad blockers for the site. Thanks!

I've Disabled AdBlock
No Thanks