Just wondering which way to spec our new grader regarding wheel rims? As all the new machines in stock at Cat, JD and Komatsu all have three piece rims as standard equipment it is fairly pricey to be switching to one piece rims just because. It doesn't burn as bad if you are ordering in a new build but will add 2 to 3 months for machine delivery. The last couple of Volvo's I have been operating have had one piece rims and I prefer them as I can run a lot lower air pressure and not have bead leaks or trouble. With a rear mounted wobbly dangling off the back end all summer the last thing I want is tire issues of any kind. I know years ago we had lots of trouble with rim/bead leaks when we switched tires from bias ply to radials on the multi piece rims. Most of the leak issues were O-ring related due to the fact the rims were dickered with bent snap rings and rusted badly around the O-ring seat. We used have all kinds of tire trouble before the radials with too much weight, too much torque/hp. no differentials on the machines and the tire/or sidewalls wouldn't take it. I had to carry a spare on the machine as I did a far amount of slope work and the bias tires couldn't take the sidewall load and blow out. 14.00x24 tire and rims weren't to bad change by yourself but 17.5 x 20 are enough to put you on the preparation H program for awhile. So any thoughts or input will be greatly appreciated Thanks
I have only had one o ring related flat since 2012 on the same machine.
My Township has purchased 7 new graders since 1989. Not one has had three piece wheels. I simply don't see the payback. As for flats, we haven't had one since 1995. That's the year we bought the first machine with radial tires. Lastly, 14.00 tires belong on grandma's pinto.
We currently run a pair of 770G Deeres, with three piece rims. They seem ok in the warm weather, but when the cold weather hit last winter we went out on morning, (our machines live outside in all weather) and found three flat tires on one machine, and four on the other. It appears that the o ring seals had flattened out in the cold. It was quite a chore to get the tires aired up so that we could get the machines inside and warm so we could change all 6 of the o rings on each grader. We were informed later that there are arctic style o rings available, but of course not till we had already changed them. They finished the winter with no further trouble, but would expect the same problem next winter if the conditions are as cold. One piece rims are the way to go, in my opinion. I see that you are at The Pas, Graderdude. We work about 5 hours south east of you, so at times have similar weather.
Thanks dieseldoctordan for your reply, that's good to know that there is a artic style O-ring available now, but I am pretty sure I am going to spec one piece rims even though the three piece rim world has improved. I am thinking you must be in the Ashern/Woodlands area. Years ago when I ran Champions with highways we ran possibly the cheapest bias ply tire the gov could get on bid that would hold air. Thinking back now if all the tire trouble we had was a O-ring rim leak when it was forty below we still would have been still ahead of the game. When I was on the Easterville (PTH 60) bladeing in the early 80's I carried a spare on the front V-Plow lift group and had one spare in my 3/4 ton truck. I was not uncommon to have a flat tire every second or third week especially when it was hot. I had one particularly bad week first thing in the spring, I had taken a few days off work and when I came back to work my machine had 6 new tires on it. I was happier than sh*t that I was going to start out my summer with all new rubber. Wrong, I knew something was horribly wrong when moving my machine from The Pas to our camp 45 miles from town. I couldn't get out of seventh gear it was galloping so bad I thought I was going to loose my tuck on the tow bar behind , it leveled out somewhat after 20 miles. After walking the machine another 10 miles down the gravel to start retrieving slopes I had my first flat, so I put on my spare off the front end to right rear. I only worked another hour or so and I had my second flat, this time left rear. Ok my day is going down hill fast, since I had my truck on behind yet I switched out the spare from the truck. Ok how much worse could it get???? well it can because this time it was a front tire that crapped out, no spares left and I had a couple of miles of windrow to get off center. I chained up the left front axel and finished the day off on five tires, got the show into the closest gravel pit and loaded the other two flats on top of the first one. Since in those day you were by yourself, no radio, no cell, no help so you became self reliant. I would hang the dead tire on my snowplow lift on the front and pick the front wheels of the grader in the air and back the truck underneath, loading tires into a 3/4 ton on a hot day is no fun by yourself. It turns out the trades helper that mounted all six of the tires in the shop was unaware that the new tires came with new flaps rolled up inside, so he just stuck new tubes in and reused the old flaps, resulting in the horrible gallop and rolled up flaps wearing holes in the tubes. The guys in the shop had a good laugh about it, me not so much, because once we found out what caused the sh*tshow I knew I had three more to go and six to install in a gravel pit not a shop. I think about how things were just about 40 years ago when I started out and it's a little easier nowadays. Flat tires and dead battery's rate right up there as far as wrecking your day.
We have 2 672gp Deeres and a 12h cat and all have 1 piece rims with 17.5r 25 tires. Rarely ever have flats, but most of our work is on stone base and we trailer our graders to most jobs. We rented a 120h for a job last fall that had the old 3 piece rims and had 2 flats in 3 weeks all due to leaking o-rings. One piece is the way to go in my opinion.
I agree.
My old A-C grader has split rims with o-rings. Old F-700 dump truck also. Some places shy away from these and the ones that do the service charge extra for the cage. I always stand clear of the side of the tires for safety. Years ago an on coming 22 wheeler had a blowout on his left front. That damn ring hit the side of our car stopped just short of penetrating. Had that hit the driver glass i might not be typing this. Personally I would stay away from them.