18" tyres

[Matt Austin]

Indeed, I wonder what the minimum number needed to do a small run might be?

So, if these tyres are next to impossible to find, what have people done?

Does one park the vehicle up, use other wheel/tyre combos, or use another tyre on the same rim?

It's all a learning process for me, and I appreciate your time.

Cheers,
Matt

[gjamo]

http://www.stausaonline.com/military/ndt.html

oops 8.25-18 claimed to be exstock

[Lynn Eades]

Graeme, Sorry I couldn't find them?

[Tony Wheeler]

Originally Posted by Matt Austin

Indeed, I wonder what the minimum number needed to do a small run might be?

Not too many I believe, possibly as little as 20 units. However the problem is the mould, as they're not kept indefinitely. Odd sizes like 8.25 or 10.50 x 18 may no longer be in existence, and it costs around $30K to make a new mould. Basically a complete new tyre has to be developed, ideally using an old one in good condition as a pattern. You'd have pre-sell quite a few tyres to defray costs, for example 300 tyres at $100 premium. Generally that will be prohibitive, but as Lynn says we have the internet these days, so if we got our act together globally it may well pay in some cases, as the unit cost would be less with a bulk order. One obvious candidate would be original pattern 10.50 x 20 chevrons.

[Bob Carriere]

.... to get MOT certification for public road use. So 20 odds tires have to be donated to the authorities for destructive testing...... and if you are lucky you may get MOT certified the first time...if lucky.

I believe Wallace Wade from Texas was working of reprocucing 18 Gamma goat tires but could not finds anything about it on there web site.

Cheers

[Matt Austin]

Thanks folks,

I wonder if a short/mid-term solution for my vehicle in particular is to modify it to accept civillian wheels that may have a more available tyre size?

Cheers,
Matt

[Tony Wheeler]

I'm assuming the $30K figure includes certification, however I didn't enquire any further. Also the cost would vary for different tyres, and I'm told it's been done for quite a range of sizes, from motor cycle tyres to these Futurliner whitewalls, which I'm told cost $100K to develop. Not much of a market as there were only 12 Futurliners built, and only about 9 survivors known. Apparently this owner ordered only 20 tyres, which makes them rather expensive at $5K each! However it's peanuts when you consider these vehicles have fetched up to $4 million at auction. Same rationale applies for MVs, which might justify an extra $100 each for WD pattern 10.50 x 20 chevrons.

[gjamo]

No guarantees but it may be a lead.

http://www.nebraskatire.com/truck/car