Best wheels/tyres for transom wheels.

Fenlander · 14 June 2016, 19:08

I'm having a fiddle about with transom wheels again on the Aerotec and wonder...

As part of refining every single part of our outfit to our exact use I want to lose the current far too large 16" o/a tyre diameter wheels that you find on the HD trems and HD OE Zodiac wheels. Too buoyant so can be a pain to handle under water and just that bit too big when packing in the car etc.

I never beach launch so it's mostly for road and hard packed gravel or concrete slipways.

For the 25.4mm bore I need I seem to have three choices...

10" sandhopper types (think Max has these)

10" conventional tyre type.

12" solid rubber wheelbarrow type.

Any thoughts? Price not a factor.. they all fall in the £9-£12 range.

Max... · 14 June 2016, 19:17

In my experience - this does depend on local terrain of course but here with sandy, shingly and pebbly beaches the sand hopper wheels absolutely pee on anything else and still work great on concrete (slipways etc). Small pneumatics were useless.

Comparison pics here:

http://www.rib.net/forum/f8/beach-la...tml#post479701

breezeblock · 14 June 2016, 19:19

i have small pneumatics on my sib and they are crap stick to as big a diameter as possible

thestig1973 · 14 June 2016, 19:48

I have the 260mm wheel shown in pic 2. I've used the wheels once and had two punctures.... I think the wheels are ok but might need better quality inner tubes

Max... · 14 June 2016, 20:06

David, I did not read fully your OP about 'I never beach launch'. As the BAT is so light and easy to pull then on hard ground even relatively tiny, unobtrusive pneumatics should be fine? I only use wheels for taking the boat to the launch point and then chuck them in the Landy as I find they are a PITA on the transom.

Fenlander · 14 June 2016, 21:56

Think I'll order either the sandhoppers or 12" solid wheelbarrow type. Either way no more punctures.

Glide over swamps... or high speed on the road... it's a tough choice and may only be decided last minute in my Ebay shopping basket.

Fenlander · 15 June 2016, 09:15

Well pressed the button on the fast road types...

2 X 12" Solid Wheelbarrow Garden Trolley Go Kart Wheel Tyre 1/2" Axle Bushes | eBay

Hope to get out next week and I'll trial them on the softer parts of the hard where I launch... if they sink in at all I have a secondary use for them so will just replace with a pair of sandhoppers.

Yabadabadoo · 15 June 2016, 12:27

Money no object? JK had these on his BAT http://www.beachmaster.co.nz/ they make a quick release version..

Fenlander · 16 June 2016, 19:23

They look very Land Rover ish Yabadabadoo... but not for me at that price. Hope all is well your end.

Now then... wheels arrived today... look to be exactly what I wanted... except...

They were listed as a 25mm axle size and I assumed they would be enough oversize to fit a 25mm axle and give free play to spin. Well they are exactly 25mm bore but my 25mm axle on the Zodiac wheels turns out to be 25.1mm.

I do have an alternative use for them as a backup but would like to get them on the Zodiac legs. So ideas please to bore them out to 26-27mm. My first thought was a 26mm flat blade wood bit but whatever I use needs to self centre itself or it will chew the plastic wheel bore and I need it to stay quite smooth.

breezeblock · 16 June 2016, 19:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fenlander

They look very Land Rover ish Yabadabadoo... but not for me at that price. Hope all is well your end.

Now then... wheels arrived today... look to be exactly what I wanted... except...

They were listed as a 25mm axle size and I assumed they would be enough oversize to fit a 25mm axle and give free play to spin. Well they are exactly 25mm bore but my 25mm axle on the Zodiac wheels turns out to be 25.1mm.

I do have an alternative use for them as a backup but would like to get them on the Zodiac legs. So ideas please to bore them out to 26-27mm. My first thought was a 26mm flat blade wood bit but whatever I use needs to self centre itself or it will chew the plastic wheel bore and I need it to stay quite smooth.

have a look on ebay for an adjustable reamer it will be a far better job than gouging them out with a wood bit

Fenlander · 16 June 2016, 19:42

Good call to do a nice job but far too expensive for a one off DIY job. Think I need a machine shop with a big pillar drill!

Slightly frustrating that the bow dolly I'm currently modding also has a nominal 25mm axle and that is slightly under so these wheels slide on that perfectly... which is their backup use but I'd rathered they'd done that on the Zodiac legs.

The Gurnard · 16 June 2016, 20:33

How about a quick and dirty way Fenlander.. use a broom shaft or something which is slightly smaller diameter.. stick a roll of sandpaper round the shaft. Put the wheel on and spin it till its your size. Half a mm shouldnt take too long to spin ?

Just a though.. but what I would try

breezeblock · 16 June 2016, 21:26

an h11 is the size you need and they are £20.50 on ebay or a 1 inch blacksmiths drill would give you 25.4mm in theory

Fenlander · 16 June 2016, 22:58

Thanks re the H11 breezeblock. Would it cut poly plastic??

Gurnard I've never had much luck sanding this fairly soft poly plastic... it just seems to roughen and then go no further.

Nick Hearne · 16 June 2016, 23:05

Wood rasp would do it or a lath if you have access to one, but there I have these and drill bits that could do it! Pity you aren't closer

Fenlander · 16 June 2016, 23:42

Appreciate the thought Nick... distance so often intrudes.

breezeblock · 17 June 2016, 07:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Thanks re the H11 breezeblock. Would it cut poly plastic??

Gurnard I've never had much luck sanding this fairly soft poly plastic... it just seems to roughen and then go no further.

yep it would cut plastic no probs

Max... · 17 June 2016, 08:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Thanks re the H11 breezeblock. Would it cut poly plastic??

Gurnard I've never had much luck sanding this fairly soft poly plastic... it just seems to roughen and then go no further.

You need something quite coarse - really low number glasspaper or a round Surform or similar. But you only need to remove a tiny amount (to 25.2 not 26 or 27) so should work fine.

Fenlander · 17 June 2016, 08:59

Think if I had a suitable round/curved rasp or very coarse file... even some very coarse non-clog sandpaper in the shed I'd give it a go. But if I have to buy something I'd like to aim for a nice finish so then it's a reamer at £20, a large dia (blacksmiths) spiral drill at £13... or for £20 another pair of wheels listed with a 25.4mm bore where I ensure the seller understands they can't be at all undersize on the bore.

Will decide after a late breakfast.

As a matter of interest a couple of years ago I bought new transom wheels from a established online chandlery for about £100 and when I came to put the wheels on the legs I had to hammer them on and one side would hardly turn at all. Sent back and refunded... then bought some OE Zodiacs.

Nick Hearne · 17 June 2016, 12:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fenlander

My first thought was a 26mm flat blade wood bit but whatever I use needs to self centre itself or it will chew the plastic wheel bore and I need it to stay quite smooth.

one other idea which I have used if you have the flat blade wood bit is you plug the hole with a bit of 25mm dowel. Mark your centre and then use the wood bit to drill out the new hole, just take it really slow to try and keep it centred as you go!