Changing flat tyres on remote roads

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balou
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Changing flat tyres on remote roads

Post by balou »

We had a rep at work blew a tyre on here prado on a remote road south of Katherine . She struggled to change the tyre with the standard jack because of the uneven dirt track. She was stuck there for afew hours until some come pass to help.

I have been given the task of finding a solution for our regional team so Im looking for some ideas. I don't do a lot of 4wd so hoping you can help.

Please note half our reps are female and the other half are southerner who haven't seen dirt roads before.

I was thinking a kangaroo jack but the feedback was its to big ,bulky and difficult to operate. Is there any gadget on the market which could make things easier, yet compact enough to stow away in the cabin.

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Hemi
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Re: Changing flat tyres on remote roads

Post by Hemi »

Any system is going to involve a certain level of skill set....

When your talking a larger vehicle like landcruisers etc... Any unskilled person or female may struggle (not being rude)
If your going to have staff travelling remote areas, off road, long drives etc etc.. The best investment is most likely good training??

Not uncommon for companies to put their staff through driver training days.. Can be tailor run to include all sorts of mechanical needs!

I have a great airbag/exhaust jack... But Wouldnt recommend anyone jacking without some training?
"Bite off more than you can chew - Then chew like hell.." - PETER BROCK.
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Re: Changing flat tyres on remote roads

Post by mickkk »

By kangaroo jack I'm assuming you mean high lift. That would be useless on a prado as you wouldn't have any jacking points. Not to mention that are deadly.
Could look into exhaust jacks. Still would need a little training to show how to use them. But would be the easiest set up to use. Would be worth looking into the cheap rattle guns to help the women with the bolts would be a nice option. I haven't used them so sont know how they go with cracking the nuts. Might need a long handled tyre leaver. And also wheel chocks to be able to jack safely
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Re: Changing flat tyres on remote roads

Post by cuddlescooper »

A rattle gun is an awsome thing. Can change a tyre in 10 minutes. An exhaust air bag and a 4wd drive course as mentioned above. ideal if you get bogged as well. Use the bag to lift it and jam logs/Max trax underneath.
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Dick
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Re: Changing flat tyres on remote roads

Post by Dick »

Funny enough I changed a tyre on my Prado out bush today. As the vehicle is new to me I had the standard jack. Problem was getting it under the front wishbone to get the vehicle up. The standard jack is too high, I had to jack it half way up from another location on the body, slide biggest rock under the front, let it down and then get the jack under the spot I wanted it in the first place. Whilst doing this it dawned on my why I bought a small hydraulic jack years ago for my old Prado. There will be a jack swap tomorrow.

Kangaroo jacks don't suit Prados and they can be bl..dy dangerous for someone not used to them.
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Re: Changing flat tyres on remote roads

Post by balou »

We have Hilux and Prado in regional fleet and do driver training every 2 years but it more defensive driving then driving remote road. We did provide some training on changing a tyre but it was done in a our car park on bitumen on our rav 4 which was half the weight.

We stake a tyre removing a special event van at dundee recently. The boss and I was in business attire so I drew the short straw to go under the front of the prado to find a spot for the jack. It was a mission alright with the standard jack and 2 blokes. And we were just in the car park. The jack maxed out and we just manged to remove the tyre by digging and wiggling it out.

I like the idea of this exhaust airbag jack and I think more specific training is required.
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Re: Changing flat tyres on remote roads

Post by Matt Flynn »

bl..dy good subject, any employees sent out sticks should be first given basics on fixing a flat etc, and make sure all the gear is the vehicle. I used a hydraulic trolley jack, big heavy bugger but so easy to roll in and out and easy to find a lift point.

Nowadays the kangaroo jack is used to lift the ride-on mower up so I can get at the blades, but I rope the mower to a shed cross member so it can't fall.
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Re: Changing flat tyres on remote roads

Post by sheps »

I do a lot of remote traveling for work and get a lot of flat tyres. Best thing is to have at least all terrain LT rated tyres.

Also for some people it is best to just make sure they have plenty of water because it is lots safer for them to wait for someone to change it for them.
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Re: Changing flat tyres on remote roads

Post by blw »

Another good thing is a air compressor and puncture repair kit. Dont even need to take tyre off. I also always carry the standard jack as well as a secondary one. And a fourway wheel wrench so ya can stomp on it.
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Re: Changing flat tyres on remote roads

Post by jabsy »

blw wrote:Another good thing is a air compressor and puncture repair kit. Dont even need to take tyre off.

Yep good call. I got a flat at 9pm on the numbulwar road last month. Left the tyre on the car, repaired it, and left the plugged tyre on all the way back to Darwin.
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Re: Changing flat tyres on remote roads

Post by garrynt »

I sometimes take my trolley jack. it's half the height of the standard jack , more stable, rolls into place and should get in first time.
Its just me peice of wood that I keep losing as the base.
Then its the retightening of the nuts the second time to stop the wheel passing the car a few hundred k's on. (Twice I've failed at that now)
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blw
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Re: Changing flat tyres on remote roads

Post by blw »

jabsy wrote:
blw wrote:Another good thing is a air compressor and puncture repair kit. Dont even need to take tyre off.

Yep good call. I got a flat at 9pm on the numbulwar road last month. Left the tyre on the car, repaired it, and left the plugged tyre on all the way back to Darwin.
Haha I got 40000km on a plug.
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fff1964
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Re: Changing flat tyres on remote roads

Post by fff1964 »

Have a 12 volt rattle gun and a 12 volt jack, got em of ebay

Had them rof a few years even my daughter can change a tyre with instructio though.

Maybe hard on uneven ground.........move the car slowly to a safer spot if possible ??


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Re: Changing flat tyres on remote roads

Post by nomad »

I used to do 4wd tours and had heaps of gear but that was mainly to fix other peoples tyres.
.
If it’s just a puncture, plugs and air compressor are easy .
Compressors are the same price these days as they were 20 years ago. Much better performance as well. Tyre plugs are great but only a temp measure and are illegal in some places. (having said that, I had 3 plugs in a tyre and did over 30K kms on it)

BUT these days I use a 18v rattle gun – cheap and easy to use (you could just connect a 12v one to the battery)
Small wheel trolley jack from supercheap

Training (dirt roads, tyre changing etc etc) is a must as general OHS anyway.
Steer clear of hi-lift jacks. They can be really unstable and most vehicles these days have too many wide panels that get in the way
Also I’ve blown too many air jacks over the years. They work well at home in the garage but not in the bush
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Re: Changing flat tyres on remote roads

Post by sobergrub »

a few people already metioned training. another thing to look at is having 2 jacks. more often than not, one jack is next to useless in a blowout. use one jack to jack the car up high enough to get another jack in to lift the axle/ wishbone to get the wheel off the ground. trolly jacks are not much use off road.
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