Nine and Five

You may recall months ago I managed to buy four used 16inch steel rims with the same stud pattern as our Isuzu 4x4.  More recently I managed to buy a further five used rims and tyres.  Again with the same stud pattern and wheel offset.

The first four steel rims were in good condition.  However the last five rims were showing signs of rust.  Yesterday the five rusty rims were wire brushed before being given a coat of rust kill (Fertan equivalent) and left overnight.  This morning the rims were given a coat of steel primer before I applied four top coats of gunmetal grey paint.  Feeling enthusiastic, I then blacked the tyres.

All the used tyres have approximately 10,000km of tread left,  Three have the same tread pattern with the remaining two being orphans.  Of the three the same, one has some damage to the sidewall.  I’ll keep this as a puncture practice tyre.

So the current situation is I have nine 16 inch steel rims and four used tyres.  The objective is to have a standard set of outback rims and tyres for the 4x4 and trailer.  As a minimum I need five for the 4x4 and three for the trailer (total eight).  There are nine rims which gives me an additional spare rim.

The standard rims and tyres on the 4x4 are 255/60/18 with a tyre diameter of 763.2mm.  My plan is to replace these rims and tyres with 235/85/16.  This will provide a tyre diameter of 806mm.  The four used tyre are 245/70/16 which gives a diameter of 749.5mm.

After looking at the above I have decided to fit three of the rims with the best of the used 245/70/16 tyres.  These will go on the trailer.  Six rims will be fitted with new 235/85/16 tyres for the 4x4 (two spares).  I will keep the fourth good used 245/70/16 tyres as a second spare for the trailer, but it wont be on a rim.  The 2nd spare for the 4x4 and the tyre without a rim will be carried on top of the trailer. 

My tyre repair strategy will be to replace any punctured  tyre with a spare and then repair punctures on the evening of the day they occur.  Knowing my luck, if I left repairs any longer I’m almost convinced it would result in multiple punctures, with me having to complete a repair in the blazing heat of the middle of the day, in a most inopportune place.  Of course carrying two spares will probably result in me never getting a puncture!