Wanted: tires; 11:00-16

[Bob Carriere]

Thanks Rob

That could be a break for us....

how about the narrower rim of the CMP at 6.5 versus 8.5 on the H1....does it make the thread run only on the center????

Next question.....what is the bolt pattern of a CMP

For example.... a standard rim will be shown as 5 bolts on 4.5 in. diametre or as a 5 over 4.5.......

A Hummer rim is 8 over 6.5

So a CMP would be 8 over ??????

Will check in the barn tomorrow but would be nice since NOS Hummer rims are now going for $75.00 in Toronto

Cheers

[rob love]

I doubt the H1 rims will fit the cmp. Even if the bolt pattern is right, I suspect the drums of the CMP take up a lot more room than the discs of the hummer.

I am not using hummer tires on mine, but rather older 9.50x16.5 (or they may be 8.25s) truck tires, which is not too far out from the size of the original 9x16s.

As an aside, I have noticed some of the Chinese tire tread patterns are starting to look like they might be a good fit for our CMPs. Here is a shot of some 8.25x16 tires on ebay right now for $175 a pair.

[Bob Carriere]

Looks more like rock quarry tires........ sure could use some sipes for traction on wet pavement.

Do truck tire shops still have machines to cut sipes in commercial tires??

Cheers

[Jack Innes]

The original tires on the Ram amphibian have sipes cut into the ND tread. This was done as part of the prototype development for better control on wet pavement. Probably in desperation when they found that the truck will go 70 mph!
You see some truck tires marked "regroovable" which would indicate the process is still done. I have not tried it but perhaps a router would do the job.

[Bob Carriere]

Hi Jack

Those tires were cut with a hot grooving tool. Something like the old fashion electric soldering iron with a very thin U shaped blade..... it would stink like hell but it moved through rubber like the proverbial hot knove in butter. There was a guide plate that allowed adjustment/control over the depth of the cut.

The sipe cuts.... not even sure fi that is the wirte spelling.... was done by mounting tires in a special jig and the cutters were a gang of very thin rotating blades arcing around the tires at some 45 degrees.... it would make about 6 to eight cuts per pass...... much like the Michelin ice tires they now sell...... the cutters were guided over the whole diameter of the tire.

I believe there was a recapping facility in Ottawa in the 70s that had such a sipe cutting machine..... I know they also regrooved recapped tires for buses at one time.



Cheers

[rob love]

Pretty much every unit and every base maintenance got the re-grooving tool some 15 years back. It cam about when the HLVW LCMMs checked into their tire useage to see that 90% of the tires that had been replaced were still serviceable. On many of them, the stabilizer bars were being mistaken for wear bars. With a bit of time cutting, the tires could have a bit of life extension.

That said, I never saw one used. Too many jobs and not enough mechanics.

[Bob Carriere]

So Bob is still looking for 11:00 x 16 tires.

Best bet now is with private individuals reselling Michelin.

Have you tried the Power Wagon Forum as they were very popular with the restorers of flat fender PW of 1946-57.
Cheers