shaving tire flat spots

[tobyS]

The rear of my M929A2 has four tire flat spots (Goodyear 14.00) that individually don't cause a problem but today I went around a corner and they all aligned together. Not good. It must have been towed at least a short distance without caging or airing up the brake system.

These tires have near full tread otherwise, so shaving some off could give a bit more life.

Has anyone had tires made round after flat spotting? (This is the second truck I purchased that had flat spots from towing with the brakes locked up and was not shown in the pictures).

Are 395's my choice for replacement (at reasonable cost)? I love the way 16.00 look but not the closeness on the rears.

 

[someoldmoose]

Are you sure these flat spots are in the tread ? Could it be carcass deformation from being parked for an extended time ? Unless you are really good with a hot knife I would not recommend "shaving" the tread if you are driving this vehicle on the roadways.

 

[tobyS]

It is clearly from dragging....road rash...not out of round carcass. I had a non-running M931 that they did it to also. That is the problem of relying on pictures. Buyer beware. Tomorrow I'll take a picture or two. These are not as bad as the last ones. I think there is some type of cutter or grinder to true them up at least partially (while turning).

 

[98G]

395s or 16.00R20s are the choice for replacement.

The closeness on the rear with 16s really isn't an issue unless you plan to run chains. 395s are quite a bit cheaper...

 

[BenRoberts]

Feltz tires had a good price for new tires 395s on lmtv wheels. They are out of Texas. Simp is there quite often and may be able to help.

 

[teletech]

There are powered tire rasps out there for rounding tires and they do work. They used to be so common that every decent tire shop had one, pretty thin on the ground in this day and age though.
I remember having a sort of death-rattle at a very particular speed on a 1-ton Jeep PU in my youth and the shop just rolled out this thing that looked like a grinder on a floor jack and used it to shave about 1/3 of my tread off the front tires. My ride was a lot smoother at all speeds after that.

 

[jimk]

I had a truck tire recapper do a few. They are no longer in business.
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?72422-Bounce-bounce&p=903870&viewfull=1#post903870

Someone here posted a system with a radial arm saw on a tool box. I don't remember who. Maybe they will chime in with the photo or to take a bow. I found an old saw on on the side of the road and have done about 10 tires incl some on the car/ truck. Messy and slow but works well. Here is it cobbled together in the basement a few years ago.

 

[tobyS]

Feltz tires had a good price for new tires 395s on lmtv wheels. They are out of Texas. Simp is there quite often and may be able to help.

We talked a while back but he wasn't coming this way for a while. I recently bought 5 for my deuce (4x4 project) from Rodney's place in Wisconsin. The ones in Texarkana are on MRAP wheels, which I do not need and they would cost me to have dismounted. Once removed, Rodney sends them to Wisconsin. I'll need 7 for the 929...and can't afford them yet, so I'll be doing the shaving thing. Look below for my reply to JimK.

Thanks Ben, Toby

 

[tobyS]

I had a truck tire recapper do a few. They are no longer in business.
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?72422-Bounce-bounce&p=903870&viewfull=1#post903870

Someone here posted a system with a radial arm saw on a tool box. I don't remember who. Maybe they will chime in with the photo or to take a bow. I found an old saw on on the side of the road and have done about 10 tires incl some on the car/ truck. Messy and slow but works well. Here is it cobbled together in the basement a few years ago.

Yea, that is what I was hoping to see. Thanks. Like teletech said, tire shaving used to be rather common. That was probably before ABS. My tires are too good to just give up on them. Losing about 1/2" should get me close and still have about 50%

I have a (sears) radial arm saw that I was cutting my firewood with, that arced out the switch the other day (motor good). A friend that moved away gave me one to replace it and thus I have one that could be used for this purpose. And I have a semi trailer axle cut down with the seal removed that I planned to do some static balancing, so could mount the saw above and have my bearings to keep it true (mounted to a hub). I'll make them round and then static balance at the same time.

 

[wreckerman893]

Someone posted videos on here a while back about retreading tires (I think, may have been another site I frequent).

They showed what was basically a big lathe that a tire on a rim was chucked into and a tools cut the tire down true so a recap could be applied.

Not sure if it would be cost efficient to build one but it's an option.

I remember going to a tire place in Meridian, MS where they recapped Michelins and they had a similar machine but it did not leave any tread behind.

Remember Google is your friend.

 

[Recovry4x4]

Tire truing is alive and well. Here's a snipet.
https://youtu.be/WbukUcvZ3JY

 

[jimk]

Static balancing on 5 ton
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?72422-Bounce-bounce&p=929079&viewfull=1#post929079

Photo- old deuce hub on spindle- slips on a post on stand and can be removed for balancing supported by thru pipe (trolley winch cable on one end and strap to I beam on other). Lead is now considered eco-terror in NY

 

[jimk]

The photo I mentioned before can be found here, dawico's post #55
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showth...-Out-of-round-Tires/page2&highlight=balancing

 

[tobyS]

Here are the photo's of where I'm at right now. I called about 10 places around within 100 miles that might do it. No luck.

So I'm gathering materials. So far, here is what I have come up with. First photos show the road rash and the third is supposed to represent the nearly virgin treads. Then the second is a frame (starting) that includes a place to mount the radial arm saw, and as you can see, the arm turns rearward. I liked the 9" grinder idea for a unit to do it "on-truck", but I want to do a rough static balance at the same time.

Since the saw is adjustable in about every angle, I wonder if the tire should skew or the saw skew, like 45*. In other words, what would be the best approach angle of the blade. Or should it even pivot to accommodate the curve of the tire? I was thinking just flat.

 

[jimk]

Suggest you drive before shaving and make sure you have a problem. Flat spots don't seem to cause as much problems as out of round. Out of round have feedback at certain speeds that really magnify the effect. On my 5 ton it was 40mph. Get the saw ridged as possible. The motor way out on the end doesn't help. There is a gib on the back of the saw you may want to tighten. Find the low point an mark it. In the pic above there is a valve grinding stone on the sidewall. That was the low point. Before each pass I set the blade there as close as possible but so it did not cut. One slow turn cut the high stuff, as second pass did not cut anything. I made about 30 passes moving the saw down 2 turns on crank per pass. Every few passes I would move the motor in/ out the arm so as to follow the contour.

 

[tobyS]

I'm going to have to take about 3/8" off in several passes. From your prior thread, you say this:

"I would like to make a stand with a 5 ton hub, lightly oiled, no seals, then let gravity do it. Worked good on motorcycles....I think balance is worth checking. They may spin slower but the radius is large so substantial force can hide there, and the CIS wheel got a weight."

That's what the hub is for. My idea is to have the wheel driven , but the drive removed to do the static balance.

It appears that your blade is angled. Did it cut coming up, into the blade? I'm thinking about coming nearly straight into it, like a rip cut that is going about 1/8" deep.

 

[jimk]

Apparently I have written a lot of dumb stuff in the past. I have done some shaving under vehicle power. Fewer passes because it is harder to make the adjustments to follow the contour. Moving motor on radial arm can be useful but often I had to move whole saw, scary with tire turning under power so I stop and put it in N. I'd be even scarier with the saw running as control is so poor. I would be easier with 2 people.

I don't know what the your last paragraph means. I cut with the side of blade. Each pass leaves a small concave surface. Each pass overlaps. More passes make for a smother finished surface. The cut is really clean. Doing it by hand I went slower than I could have to reduce strain which might move the point of contact. The ones above I fussed with more than most would. As I recall the ones I did in the basement left a room full of smoke and rubber bits in the ceiling joists/ beams and on top of my head. Having no hair made clean up easier. I prob should have used a mask. If you have to remove a lot you may need to make multiply passes. 3/8 is a lot of material. There are probably better ways to do it. I am just offering up what worked for me.

 

[tobyS]

I plan on using the front of the blade, rather than the side. If your taking much off, the side of the blade rubs

I have another piece of I beam that after welded to the axle and the saw base bolted or welded down to that, should be very rigid in relation to the rotating tire. I can probably turn the tire at about 50-60 rpm. I have thought of using a dado blade but will see how much resistance of a single blade first and light cut It won't be a high HP operation, cutting only about 1/8" by 1/8".

I may turn sideways when I'm nearing a finish surface. I want the full cut action of the carbide tooth front. I won't take more than necessary than to bring it to just skim the flat spot.

The ways of the radial arm will be 90* to the tire, so any curvature will be made by changing depth with the crank, then cleaning up with the side of the blade (or a separate hand grinder). My lock bolt on the arm travel works well to hold it in place yet be easy to move over for the next cut.

My point in copying your prior statement is that I made the hub setup, just like you described for static balance. Of course I think it is a good idea and I have balanced that way before. It can work for both truing and balance once the tire/rim is bolted to it.

I have made shaft static balance that I use for material moving fans by a similar method turning much higher speeds (and HP) that purr like a kitten.

I plan on using nuts for weights but won't know how much will be needed until the tire is round. If I have to, I'll make some larger weights that bolt on or cut down the counterbalance weight to the CTIS. I'm hoping to be close to balanced with nothing but the CTIS and it's counterweight.

 

[Buffalobwana]

I wish you luck. Sounds interesting. If you need tires, I have 10 of the 14.00's that are in good shape and two that have cupping from highway driving. 98G has to come by here in 2 weeks. He can deliver.

 

[tobyS]

Sent PM Buffalobwana.

Thinking about the truing machine, I need both 10 lug and 6 lug for the 5 ton and deuce. I'll make the half axle to bolt on the frame so it can be changed. I have plans for my 105 axles, so if anyone has a hub and half axle for the deuce, give me a shout out please.

When I recently bought 395's there was the standard XZL Michelins and the "Plus" which has a shorter lug tread. Is the plus then a "trued up" tire?