The modern automotive market offers a wide range of components for a wide variety of vehicles. Tires deserve special attention, because, as you know, the safety of the driver and his passengers largely depends on the quality of their manufacture. At the same time, these or those samples have completely different purposes: some can be mounted only in the winter, some are suitable for driving only on smooth city roads, and there are those that should be operated exclusively on rough terrain and for off-road driving.
Further, we will focus on the latter option, since an increasing number of motorists, wanting to improve their vehicles and protect it from possible breakdowns, are wondering how to make a low-pressure tire with their own hands. This term is used to call such a structural component of the machine.
Features and purpose of low pressure tires
There are no difficulties and innovative technologies in their production. As the name implies, the main feature that characterizes these tires is a low pressure level. This method of production allows to provide a better permeability of vehicles due to the increase in the area of contact of the wheels with the ground.
Most often, the manufacture of low-pressure tires is carried out at special enterprises equipped with all necessary equipment. Finished products fully comply with all design standards and norms, and even before entering the market they undergo a thorough quality control. However, due to the fact that the cost of these products is very high, not every motorist is able to afford to purchase such a product. That is why there is a need to consider how to make a low-pressure tire, not in the factory, but at home. Such work will not only reduce potential costs, but also make it possible to produce a product that will meet the preferences of the car owner.
High Tire Design
A vehicle equipped with such attributes is able to move in almost any terrain due to the fact that the wheels are a kind of pillows springing from rough roads. Among motorists, even a special name for these tires was fixed - swamps, since the car equipped with them is not afraid of dirt or swamp. Numerous tests and studies only confirm this fact and note high performance indicators.
Before considering how to make such a product as a low-pressure tire, with your own hands, you need to understand some of its technical characteristics. In order for the wheel to function properly, it should be remembered that the maximum difference between low and ultra-low pressure is approximately 0.3 MPa. It should be noted that the contact area of the tire with the earth's surface is approximately ¼ part of the total surface of the wheel, due to which such excellent properties are achieved. Special additional elements in the form of hooks or spikes help to further strengthen contact with the soil.
Homemade low-pressure tires have earned special popularity among fishermen and hunters, but they are widely used for military purposes and in sports. In addition, a large number of industrial and agricultural equipment is equipped with such tires.
The main advantages of low pressure tires
These automotive components have a number of advantages, thanks to which they have earned great popularity among consumers. So, the main advantages are the following:
- Their design is thought out so that the area of contact with the roadway is very large, due to which the vehicle acquires the properties of an all-terrain vehicle.
- The specific pressure inside these tires is extremely low, so the load on the ground during the trip is minimal. This property allows you to mount such tires on agricultural and other equipment.
- The installation of these tires on the car raises its level above the road, so it becomes much easier to overcome various obstacles. This also applies to water barriers.
- To make such a structural element of the vehicle as a low-pressure tire with your own hands is absolutely realistic, it is only important to follow all the instructions and clearly comply with the requirements that will be described later.
The main disadvantages
Despite the large number of advantages, these products have some negative aspects, which can not be ignored:
- Due to the high center of gravity, the stability indicators are significantly reduced, which is especially noticeable in corners.
- To install home-made wheels on a car , low-pressure tires must be carefully prepared, which is time-consuming and expensive.
- Large tires are absolutely not adapted for fast driving.
- Before you start driving such a vehicle, you should first spend some time on training in order to eliminate possible emergency situations.
- The wear of these wheels is faster compared to conventional tires, so you need to be prepared for the fact that after several years of operation they will need to be changed.
The main types of low pressure tires
Both for standard cars, and for agricultural and industrial vehicles, two variants of such products are suitable: with and without a camera. Comparing these samples, it is worth noting that the second option is more safe and comfortable when moving. However, tires with a camera are much better able to withstand any mechanical stress, they are resistant to high loads and, as a result, have a longer service life.
In addition, there are also differences in the method of production and the features of the device, which is extremely important to consider when choosing a particular wheel option. These types of tires, as well as their specific characteristics, will be discussed later.
Types of tires by design
Depending on the functional parameters and manufacturing features, it is customary to distinguish the following wheel options with low pressure:
- Wide-profile samples. The installation of such tires is usually carried out on those vehicles whose carrying capacity is high, since these products tolerate heavy loads well. The shape of their profile is oval.
- In arch tires, the thickness of the rubber is 3-5 times higher compared to conventional specimens (about 50-70 cm). It is best to install this option on the drive wheels, as due to the volume of tires the vehicle is able to overcome almost any obstacle.
- Toroidal tires may have a camera, but sometimes it may not be. Such products are best suited for those motorists who wish to improve their car and provide it with maximum cross-country ability.
Wheels for low pressure tires
Special attention when discussing large makeshift wheels deserves not only their outer shell. It is equally important to correctly manufacture wheels for low-pressure tires, since the reliability of the ride will largely depend on their quality. This wheel element can be created with your own hands, or ordered in a special service center. At the same time, one of the characteristics that a disk for such a tire should have is resistance to corrosion and abrasion. To achieve this, products must be equipped with a special powder coating that protects the entire structure.
Any home-made work on low-pressure tires must be carried out in strict accordance with the established installation standards, otherwise there may be a risk of unexpected breakdown and a threat to the safety of the driver. To do this, you should study how such a wheel is made.
Self-made low pressure tire manufacturing process
Installation of these products should be carried out according to the following algorithm:
- First you need to get an unnecessary camera from a large vehicle (truck, all-terrain vehicle, etc.). It is important that the tire has a slightly larger size.
- After that, you can start creating discs. The starting material may well be standard samples.
- Making a car component such as a low-pressure tire with your own hands, you need to completely clean the base of the product, removing unnecessary rubber from it and removing all minor parts.
- Next, you need to carefully grind the wheel. Such work takes a lot of time, but it must be done.
- The next steps are assembly and installation on a vehicle.
- After that, the top layer of the tire is cleaned, all the necessary elements are welded to it, and then the camera is pulled. On this, the creation of the wheel can be considered completed.
Additional recommendations
In the event that massive tires are superimposed over the base of the tire, the vehicle’s driving elements will be reliably protected from serious damage, which is usually caused by sharp stones, an excessively hard surface and other factors unfavorable for a comfortable ride.
The best option would be to mount the camera from a helicopter or aircraft, since these devices are characterized by maximum strength and long service life.
Any work should be started only after carefully studying the theoretical part of the entire tire manufacturing process described above. Only in this case, the final result will fully comply with all the declared characteristics of the product, and the car owner will receive guaranteed protection against any kind of trouble.