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Post by busaddict on Jun 19, 2016 21:30:14 GMT -8
Driving down the highway today I suddenly became aware that my rear driver's side tire had gone completely flat, I managed to get off the road to a small pull off as quickly as possible. The tire appeared to have lost its bead but was still on the rim. No holes anywhere, but it looked like something had seeped from the inside of the rim, perhaps the sealant used at the tire shop 5 years ago. I did notice a bit of some liquid on the rim the night before, I thought it was just the rain. Here's a picture of the tire after I put on the spare and bolted it to the front of the bus, you can see something dripped across the sidewall. I have probably put about 6 or 7 thousand summer miles on these Hankook RA08 bus recommended tires. Recommended max pressure 65 PSI, I keep the rears at 60 and the fronts around 55. My rims are original VW and Audi and are powder coated. Thoughts, experiences and comments welcome   |
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Post by tony on Jun 19, 2016 21:38:40 GMT -8
Did the jack you were looking to buy last year do the job?  |
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Post by busaddict on Jun 19, 2016 21:45:03 GMT -8
Did the jack you were looking to buy last year do the job? I did buy a 3 ton floor jack which is great for home use, but I used a Motomaster scissor jack to change the tire, it was able to get the van just high enough. I had the stock VW jack as back up. |
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Post by PICTUP on Jun 19, 2016 22:19:57 GMT -8
Glad to hear it ended well Tom! I had a flat last year and got caught unprepared ( miacvw.proboards.com/thread/415/got-screwed-summer-lesson-learned ). Once in the 90's I made a long descent down the backside of Hwy 20 in WA only to have a flat just as the road bottomed out. It is a steep road so I was very thankful. I was on a short stretch of gravel at the time and perhaps that added to the event, but still not fun(shredded the tire making jacking a real chore, and I only had a bottle jack, a 4X12 chunk and road rock to get the job done(yes, along with the spare Tony  ) ). Sometimes it is kinda hard to tell when a rear tire is going flat in our heavier Buses. I think Brent has a few camping flat stories too |
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Post by busaddict on Jun 19, 2016 23:21:30 GMT -8
Thanks Don, do you think buses are more prone to flats? I'll see what input the tire shop has tomorrow |
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Post by PICTUP on Jun 20, 2016 7:30:09 GMT -8
More prone to flats? … I wouldn't say so. I don't think any vehicle could be considered to be more/less prone to flats. I think it would have more to do with tire type, use, conditions etc. I have had my fair share, but the spike was in the years I drove the Bamfield road at far too fast a rate of speed. My poor rusty Bus! I think my record for changing two at once was 25 minutes(yes I carried two spares…. the great thing about those early Westy luggage carriers is that one could fit up there). |
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Post by Brenticon on Jun 20, 2016 8:04:22 GMT -8
Prone, no. Spent many a years as a tire tech, and I'd say no. I probably would of gotten the bus addiction earlier!
That stuff on the tire just looks like the lube used for mounting. Rear tires are for some reason on the buses harder to feel. Yes I've had a couple and have driven for miles not knowing, till I tried to stop or corner ... Them Germans know how to design a safe car with their suspension ideas I guess ....
my last flat, I drove for and easy 20 miles at a good clip on the backside of lake cow, only to notice it when I came to try and stop and the vibrations had back off my brake adjustment, and it wanted to slide out as I turned into a driveway a lil too fast.
Other than that, I didn't feel a thing.
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Post by tony on Jun 20, 2016 8:22:35 GMT -8
More prone to flats? … I wouldn't say so. I don't think any vehicle could be considered to be more/less prone to flats. I think it would have more to do with tire type, use, conditions etc. I have had my fair share, but the spike was in the years I drove the Bamfield road at far too fast a rate of speed. My poor rusty Bus! I think my record for changing two at once was 25 minutes(yes I carried two spares…. the great thing about those early Westy luggage carriers is that one could fit up there). Don is there actually ( too fast a rate of speed) for you? |
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Post by tony on Jun 20, 2016 8:30:19 GMT -8
I think the only flat I've had is when I was 16 and somebody stole the valve stem out of one of my tires overnight on a quiet dead end rural road , and in almost 40 years and probably approaching 1000000 km , uh oh I hope I didn't just jinx myself! |
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Post by bobloblaw on Jun 20, 2016 10:16:18 GMT -8
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Post by busaddict on Jun 20, 2016 10:45:25 GMT -8
65 PSI is the recommended cold tire pressure, the numbers listed in old owners manuals were for different tires, but I agree 65 is quite high and the ride is a bit harder. I wonder what the safe minimum tire pressure is for the RA08s on a bay window bus would be. |
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Post by busaddict on Jun 20, 2016 10:54:05 GMT -8
Went to my favorite tire shop today and they spotted the cause of my flat, a cracked rubber valve stem. Sure enough the passenger side rear was also beginning to crack. I had the flat tire fixed with a new valve stem and made it the new spare as it had minor damage from the rim but it's still safe. The "brand new" spare is on the driver's rear as I changed it on the road. Fixed the passenger side tire as well. As the van is parked nose first in the carport during winter the rear is exposed to a certain amount of weather, and that's why I think the front valve stems are fine, but the rears cracked. So get out there are take a look at your valve stems, it only takes a moment.
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) ). Sometimes it is kinda hard to tell when a rear tire is going flat in our heavier Buses. I think Brent has a few camping flat stories too 
