16 inch split rims pros and cons.

[Andino]

find bias ply 7.50x16s at...

The advantage of a bias ply is that you get penetration resistance all the way through the sidewall. I am currently with BFG ATs in 31x10.50R15 that have a nice sidewall for a radial, and the rocks here are killing them. Not only do I have sidewall cuts and abrasions, but there are whole tread blocks missing. The 16" tires on my Pig, that are getting replaced tomorrow, are currently Pirelli 8ply 7.00x16 that are bald like and yet I have no leaks, at all. I run them at 28 psi and they ride fine on pavement and are great on cobble and washboard.

So, if you run on rocks, or just want what the rest of us have---

Light Truck Bias Ply Tires

or

TBC Corporation - Private Brands (Multi-Mile, Cordovan, Sigma, Vanderbilt)

There are various bias-ply tires made/sold in the US that go by names such as Grip Spur, Hi-Miler, etc. You can also check with the farm tire supply stores.

Or you could do like I do and go down to Goodyear and pick up a set of 10ply XTra grips for $160/tire.

The bummer is that the same dealer has Michelin ZXLs in 7.5x16, but it is a radial construction instead of their former glorious bias ply design , which means that I would have to buy a new set even sooner!

The other option if you want cheap radial retread tires is Retread Tires - Buy Retread Tires, Cheap Tires, and Retreads Online
I used their 235/85R16s on my suburban in the States and they held up fine - still had reasonable tread after 25,000 miles.

HTH,
Ben

 

[roscoFJ73]

so does anyone know where to get a 7.00-15 lt tires

3 suggestions newb

1 Dont assume everyone knows where you are. Most of the members here are not in the US and many are not even in north america

2 Try a search on google,its about all any of us can do as no one else here uses an obsolete tyre size .

3 Buy your tyres from Costa Rica

 

[toomanymachines]

I run a tire shop in Canada. bias tires are dieing her in northamerica. Very few and far between.
Michelin xcl's are great tires, but I have not seen them here in canada for a long time. I think the canadian military has them, but that is for them and getting new is not possible, but you should be able to get them surplus. the xcl have a one ply sidewall. but it is a very heavy set of cables. same design as highway truck tires(semi tires)
My only opinion of split rims is the tube. everyone has gone tubless for the better reliability. tubes will fail for any debris left in the case. when you get a nail it goes flat right away, no slow leak it is flat, as it rubs a bigger hole. a tubless tire can have a slow leak that you can make it home on. Not always, but usually. I get customers who have been blowing up a tire for a week or two. You cannot do that with a tube type tire.
Never worked on a toyota split rim; however the ford and chev rims of the same vintage were bad. They had a spling ring, but they also fit tight and had a drop centre, so you had to snap the tire onto the seat. if that ring was not set right. Well some people died. same thing happens with all the split rims. some are worse than others. I have seen the split rims on the mining toyota's, but none of my customers or myself have any.

 

[BreckenridgeCruiser]

I've also heard some people mentioning that steel wheels are not necesarily stronger.

Pro-Comp 16x8 steel wheels: 2000 lbs.

Mickey Thompson 16x8 aluminium wheels: 3100 lbs.

Most people choose steel for off road not for strength, but because you can hammer them back enough to get home if you bend one. If you bend aluminum, it is scrap.

 

[roscoFJ73]

same thing happens with all the split rims. some are worse than others. I have seen the split rims on the mining toyota's, but none of my customers or myself have any.

I have been in a number of tyre shops while they are mounting tyres to toyota split rims and none of them use cage or even ask the customers to move away.
These are shops that are in rural areas or specialise in split rims and I guess their lack of fear reflects on the safety of toyota rims

 

[herbs]

I've changed several tyres and repaired/replaced tubes on Toyota split rims, pretty simple and safe. Going by some of the replies on this forum, you'd think they're a tactical nuke with a dodgy timer.

 

[rockcrawler]

Been around split rims, huge, big, small, since I was a toddler and never heard of a rim coming off much less killing someone. Not sayin no one ever has but I think the chances are similar to a meteorite landing on your head.

 

[roscoFJ73]

I've changed several tyres and repaired/replaced tubes on Toyota split rims, pretty simple and safe. Going by some of the replies on this forum, you'd think they're a tactical nuke with a dodgy timer.

Been around split rims, huge, big, small, since I was a toddler and never heard of a rim coming off much less killing someone. Not sayin no one ever has but I think the chances are similar to a meteorite landing on your head.

There are types around that are dangerous. I heard they were banned in australia a long time ago.

 

[herbs]

There are types around that are dangerous. I heard they were banned in australia a long time ago.

Some of the really old truck split rims were dodgy, but we've moved on a bit since the 40s, 50s and 60s.

 

[crushers]

bull s***.
if you bend steel you can bend it back
if you BEND alloy then you can bend it back.
as in anything, there is high end quality and there is s***.
i have no reserve in running either alloy or steel. if i screw up the alloy bad enough to not get me out of the bush then the steely would have been just as FUBAR.

Most people choose steel for off road not for strength, but because you can hammer them back enough to get home if you bend one. If you bend aluminum, it is scrap.

 

[crushers]

the NA split rims are a bit more dangerous.
like anything, if there is a FEAR of something being dangerous then fear rules and the public follows.

 

[lostmarbles]

bull s***.
if you bend steel you can bend it back
if you BEND alloy then you can bend it back.
as in anything, there is high end quality and there is s***.
i have no reserve in running either alloy or steel. if i screw up the alloy bad enough to not get me out of the bush then the steely would have been just as FUBAR.

Craig's saying aluminium is more likely to be weakened and crack from the bending .......... and I agree Wayne.

 

[BreckenridgeCruiser]

Yup.. I have aluminum wheels that are quality. I was thinking of the brittle nature (more than steel) of aluminum and that it takes less well to bending than steel does.

BTW Marbles, Your rig is my rig's hero. It wants to be clean and pretty like yours is. PMed you about something too.

 

[crushers]

you might be able to bend the steel back into shape but it is still weaker than original. you might be able to bend steel back more often, true. but then it might be better to learn to pick your trail better.

this rim did not crack or chip over 9 km of driving with the tire unseated (long story) but it took some serious rock abuse:

 

[BreckenridgeCruiser]

Wow, that is one messed up wheel!

 

[crushers]

yep, she bounced off some rocks on the way out of the valley. i wasn't gentle with it at all but still no cracking or chips...

 

[lostmarbles]

yep, she bounced off some rocks on the way out of the valley. i wasn't gentle with it at all but still no cracking or chips...

Gee Wayne. .... And I was expecting you to say you straightened up that rim that she's been all good afterwards (for the following 10 years/200,000kms)

 

[crushers]

nope it was a one off and sacrificial... so it was sacrificed for the good of the run.

<plus it made for some good laughs on the way out>

 

[DieselFumes]

I am a newb as far as the split rims go, but they look awesome and our outback brothers seem to have no fear if they know what they are doing... so I am going to stick with my 16" splits, someone mentioned that the 6" wide ones are rare and late model... I have the 16" splits that are 6" wide, I am looking at lifting my troopy 4" and going with 36" bias plySTA Superlug 9-16lt- fairly reasonable price,
also a buddy of mine runs a tire shop and he is not scared of doing splits at all- no cage, he just puts the lift down on the tire/rim while airing up.

you need to make that beat up rim/tire a coffee table for your man-cave through a peice of glass on top!!!

 

[tkorade]

There were two types of split rims offered originally, a TWO piece, and a THREE piece. The 2 piece is generally considered the "safer" rim. That is the style most light trucks had and was used with the Land Cruiser. The two piece split rim uses a lock ring that is fixed and is one solid piece. With the 3 piece the tire goes on the rim, then the ring slips on and then the third ring is "zipped" on/off using a sledge hammer and pry bar. If the third ring was not seated properly or damaged the second ring would fly off. Big trucks tended to use this type. The 3 piece rim is the one that had the bad accidents and that caused everyone to label all split rims as dangerous. US and Canadian military vehicles used the 2 piece rim for many years on all sizes of vehicles safely.