Tyron Bands

[Sedo]

Hi

This is probably a bit of an old chestnut but please indulge me. We're thinking of having Tyron Bands fitted, we've towed a few years but with lashing out on a new van I'm probably a bit paranoid. The thing is there seem to be very conflicting views on the subject.

I contacted a local tyre service who are listed as Tyron fitters, their view is tha Tyron bands are a waste of money on modern wheels and tyres as there are already 'humps' in modern wheels that deter the beads from coming off the rims and that you would be better off taking more care of the tyres.

e.g.checking for defects and sources of punctures regularly and also when laying up the van taking the weight off the tyres and covering them to weather damage.

He also said in his view the best system was the type used by the military with a nylon band inside the tyre (Michelin did a wheel with a rubber band once) so that in deflation the tread was supported. Unfortunately the fitting of these makes a Tyron band seem like a one hand behind your back job.

On speaking to a real tyre technician (who's employed by a tyre company) and a caravanner as well, his view is that of belt and braces. He admits he isn't fully ofay with caravan wheels and tyres and that Tyron show an older wheel type (without the humps) in their pictures, but takes the view that any tyre can puncture at any time no matter what quality it is. That the tyre is on a towed vehicle would probably mean a loss in pressure would not be felt as quickly as on the towing vehicle.

Therefore with the band inplace the tyre definitely won't come off should a deflation occur.

Would it be better if one could monitor the pressure remotely whilst towing with these 'caps' I've read about that can transmit pressure to a receiver in the towing vehicle?

Tomo

 

[Herv]

Hi Tom,

I refer to the first part of your email, and to the advice you received (i.e. not having to fit Tyron bands to a new van).

I have a 2005 van and recently enquired at my local dealer to have Tyron bands fitted. The answer the service technician gave me was : don't bother, they is no need on moderm wheels.

Now from a business perspective, he was loosing a sale. But from a customer service perspective, he was basically telling me not to waste my money.

The reasons given were the same as the ones you got.

 

[Geordie]

Hi Tom, I maybe missing something here but wheel rims have humps as your tyre fitter says but having fitted more than a few tyres in my time I can tell you its practically impossible to remove a tyre from a rim, if, after breaking the bead (thats when the machine or bead breaker pushes the tyre from the side of the rim) the tyre is not in the centre well,and the same will apply to a tyre fitted to a rim with tyron bands. If the tyre cannot drop into the centre well of the rim then it wont come off.

 

[Ian_5040589]

Tom,

My philosophy is better safe than sorry.

Our new Swift is being fitted with tyrons and stability control.

Having seen many a caravan in pieces across the M1 carriageway at Junction 37 (down hill slope) over the years I'm happy to shell out

 

[ChrisUK]

How important is it to buy the tyron tyre removal kit that they suggest you need for continental use? seems a lot of kit to carry. They suggest that continental tyre fitters can not get the tyre off without the kit.

Anyone had any experience with a tyron wheel and a flat on the continent?

Chris

 

[Dorsettaffy]

I had Tyron bands fitted to my last caravan - a Bailey Ranger 460/2 - and after a blow out in France 3 years ago I had a major problem getting a new tyre fitted. The Tyre-fitter and I almost came to blows because he wanted to use a hammer and chisel to get the band off. The only kit you carry is an extra long allan key plus the very good, easily understandable set of diagrams which shows how to remove the tyre and the band, and then replace them. He did not want to look at the instructions until I and a friendly Frenchman insisted. After that I was very relieved to be told that my new Ace Jubilee Envoy did not need Tyron Bands on the wheels.

Alun

 

[Essexeddie]

I have had Tyron Bands for a few years now, thankfully no problems as yet.

I think its peace of mind that if I did get a puncture it would help in controlling the van to a safe area.

I have seen the damage caused by a blowout at speed.

It must help!

Edd

 

[BigAl1]

Alun

Why does youe Ace not need Tyron Bands? What is special about your wheels and what other 'vans have them fitted?

 

[Dorsettaffy]

I was told that the Ace does not need Tyron bands because the centre well is not so deep and there is an extra large ridge to prevent the tyre dropping into the well. The Tyron band can not prevent damage to the van if you have a blowout. It simply prevents the tyre dropping into the well and the metal rim hitting the road which can then dig in and cause the van to overturn. When we had the blowout in France the thrashing tyre destroyed the wheelarch (which is only plastic), punched a 12 x 8 inch hole in the caravan floor (inside a cupboard and a few items fell out onto the road), and damaged the wooden casing around the fridge. From the outside you could only see a slightly bent lower valence, but the damage cost over

 

[Essexeddie]

What I meant is that it would prevent damage from a puncture.

Sorry typing error.

Nothing can stop damage from a blowout.

Edd

 

[Rich]

I do not have Tyron bands fitted and will not bother. I do have a pressure sensor which gives you tyre pressures on a display in the car. Blow outs happen when the tyres are under inflated and the structure of the tyre is damaged by too much movement which will also increase the heat of the tyre to the point the internal pressure increases and blows through the damaged walls of the tyre. So we always know if our pressures are correct and if we get a prssure loss it would be a normal puncture and we have time to stop. IF the pressure starts to go up it will also warn us of a potential problem and we have time to stop and check for damage to the tyre. Tyres do not usually blow with no warning...It is about being able to see the warning signs.

Get a monitoring device and save your money by not using Tyron bands. They are not really needed on modern wheels due to the design. But a blow out will still happen if you cannot see what is happening to a tyre.

 

[Lutz]

I fully concur with Rich's reply.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

I do have Tyron bands fitted to both alloy wheels and the steel spare and am glad that I have the perceived peace of mind

I felt concerned when the at the time spare did not have Tyron fitted and was needed on a tow back from Spain

Punctures often come from debris on the road and I can't see how that could be predicted or noticed in advance

I would be wary of advising against non fitting of Tyrons myself as it would be a conscience worry if anything did happen after giving a pedantic response

I would be interested to know details of the tyre pressure warning system and costs

Still its interesting to read opposing viewpoints but at the end of the day if involved in an accident through a blowout it would be a sickener to know as you lay in your hospital bed that it might have been avoided etc etc

 

[DaveC2]

Hi Rich,

Can you please provide me with some details/source of supply, of remote pressure sensors which are readable in the car. I am taking delivery of a new Sterling Onyx in February fitted with Matador Tyres (no doubt), and am considering replcing these with Premium Tyres and possibly Tyron Bands. An awareness of pressure loss in a van tyre could well persude me to do without the Tyron Bands.

Dave C

 

[Lutz]

The conditions under which Tyron claim additional accident prevention protection are extremely specific and do not cover the vast majority of cases where tyres are destroyed while in use. In most cases, it is therefore impossible to say whether the lack of serious consequences of a blowout can be attributed to the fitment of Tyron bands or whether the incidents would have been any more serious had Tyron bands not been fitted. If they were proved to be really that good under all conditions and had no disadvantages, they would be much more common throughout the car industry.

As Rich so rightly says, blowouts rarely occur suddenly but are generally the result of slow loss of pressure with consequent excessive heat build-up in the tyre and it is this that causes its sudden destruction. However, if one had adequate advance warning of tyre deflation, the blowout could be avoided in the first place.

 

[rob_jax]

Dave,

There are several retro-fit systems, such as Schrader TPMS and at least ten manufacturers from China. A Google search for TPMS should help.

Personally I'd like to see expandable TPM systems that will accept additional sensors - and integrate into the standard car display.

Robert

 

[Rich]

John G. OK punctures used to lead to dramatic pressure loss before the advent od Radial tyres. I am not saying radial tyres have stopped it totally but it has cut the incidences of genuine blow outs down to 1 in a 1000 or better. If the radial tyre gets punctured the steel bands stop the tyre from blowing outwards. Pressure loss is slower from a couple of minutes to the "slow puncture". Tyron Bands are there for when the tyre is already flat. It is loo late then and you may already have damage to the van. A pressure based system will have an alert in the car which will sound out to let you know a pressure difference has occured. It usually has a display which will show pressure and temperature. If you have the prssures set correctly you will see a small gain in pressure and temperature in normal use. But if the pressure drops and temperature goes up then you have a problem. You will get enough warning to slow down and stop before the tyre is flat in 99.9% of cases. If you cannot stop before it is totally flat you will have slowed enough to not have a flailing tyre ripping your van apart. The bands are good at what they are designed to do with an already flat tyre. But modern wheels have a different profile than the steel wheels they were origianlly designed for.

If you want a system for just the van you can use the LDL Tyre Watch.It costs about

 

[WatsonJohnG]

John G. OK punctures used to lead to dramatic pressure loss before the advent od Radial tyres. I am not saying radial tyres have stopped it totally but it has cut the incidences of genuine blow outs down to 1 in a 1000 or better. If the radial tyre gets punctured the steel bands stop the tyre from blowing outwards. Pressure loss is slower from a couple of minutes to the "slow puncture". Tyron Bands are there for when the tyre is already flat. It is loo late then and you may already have damage to the van. A pressure based system will have an alert in the car which will sound out to let you know a pressure difference has occured. It usually has a display which will show pressure and temperature. If you have the prssures set correctly you will see a small gain in pressure and temperature in normal use. But if the pressure drops and temperature goes up then you have a problem. You will get enough warning to slow down and stop before the tyre is flat in 99.9% of cases. If you cannot stop before it is totally flat you will have slowed enough to not have a flailing tyre ripping your van apart. The bands are good at what they are designed to do with an already flat tyre. But modern wheels have a different profile than the steel wheels they were origianlly designed for.

If you want a system for just the van you can use the LDL Tyre Watch.It costs about

 

[Rich]

Thanks Rich

Another "gadget" I must get if Santa is reading this

John,

No problem........ Happy Christmas! LOL.

 

[anotherDavid]

Hi Rich,

Can you please provide me with some details/source of supply, of remote pressure sensors which are readable in the car. I am taking delivery of a new Sterling Onyx in February fitted with Matador Tyres (no doubt), and am considering replcing these with Premium Tyres and possibly Tyron Bands. An awareness of pressure loss in a van tyre could well persude me to do without the Tyron Bands.

Dave C

When I replaced the tyres on my Hymer I pondered long and hard regarding premium brands against "budget" . I was assured by the tyre dealer who was not doing himself any favours that the van had been factory fitted with eastern european tyres that were quite safe and built to EU standards. It appears that these cheaper tyres are produced to old fashioned patterns that if fitted to a car might cause increased fuel consumption or noise but on a van they are perfectly ok as per the van manufactures origional spec. I decided that I would sooner change the cheaper brand more often than paying out for a brand name

Dave

 

[Sedo]

John G. OK punctures used to lead to dramatic pressure loss before the advent od Radial tyres. I am not saying radial tyres have stopped it totally but it has cut the incidences of genuine blow outs down to 1 in a 1000 or better. If the radial tyre gets punctured the steel bands stop the tyre from blowing outwards. Pressure loss is slower from a couple of minutes to the "slow puncture". Tyron Bands are there for when the tyre is already flat. It is loo late then and you may already have damage to the van. A pressure based system will have an alert in the car which will sound out to let you know a pressure difference has occured. It usually has a display which will show pressure and temperature. If you have the prssures set correctly you will see a small gain in pressure and temperature in normal use. But if the pressure drops and temperature goes up then you have a problem. You will get enough warning to slow down and stop before the tyre is flat in 99.9% of cases. If you cannot stop before it is totally flat you will have slowed enough to not have a flailing tyre ripping your van apart. The bands are good at what they are designed to do with an already flat tyre. But modern wheels have a different profile than the steel wheels they were origianlly designed for.

If you want a system for just the van you can use the LDL Tyre Watch.It costs about