Why Ovik are fitting Tyron R4 Wheels with Rubber Runflats.

Tyron, who are the originators of the well filler band, have designed and developed a unique rubber runflat system for military and off road vehicles. This patented system is of a modular design and therefore does not require a hydraulic press to squeeze the runflat into the tyre, making this the only field mountable and demountable rubber runflat system in the World and solves the logistical problems of current systems when changing tyres.

Why rubber runflats for Ovik?

There are a couple of obvious reasons for using rubber rather than composite/plastic when considering runflat systems for off road 4x4 vehicles.

Firstly, that rubber will absorb shock from impingement caused by curb strikes, pot holes and operating in a general hostile environment. Rubber drastically reduces the vibration and stresses that are transmitted through the runflat to the wheels, axles and drive shafts allowing you to continue with little change to the handling of the vehicle whilst retaining a degree of comfort for the driver and passengers.

Secondly, rubber is a compliant material and therefore prevents the damage caused to the tyre from impingement between the runflat and the inside of the tyre. The tyre manufactures have sent out circulars with regards to these
problems.

Michelin statement:

Metal, hard plastic or other non-compliant materials will create damage to the interior surfaces of the tires when used in off road and/or reduced inflation pressure.

Bridgestone statement:

Devices made of hard or rigid materials such as metals, plastics or composites, may cut, tear, scrape or abrade
the innerliner, bodyplies and/or bead areas of the tyre. Such damage may occur intermittently depending on the operating conditions and may not be immediately apparent from a visual inspection of the tyre exterior. However, the damage may progress to splitting, blistering, bulging and/or separation of tyre structural plies and cause pressure inflation loss or tyre failure. Only install runflats/beadlocks devices made from flexible material.

Runflat Performance for Ovik?

Ovik vehicles are required to continue their mission and/or
return to base with one or all of its tyres deflated and therefore Finabel demand a guaranteed minimum runflat performance of 50km; preferably 75km with 2 or more tyres deflated and a minimum of 2 hours off road negotiating hills and obstacles like curb strikes.

For these reasons, Ovik will be fitting the Tyron R4 heavy duty alloy wheel with its rather simple but ingenious beadlock. Ovik understood that using the standard wheels it would not be possible to lock the tyres beads to the rims and therefore when the tyres are deflated the beads are free to move inwards causing reduced control of the vehicle, affecting steering, braking and acceleration and at the same time, sand, dirt and stones can get inside the tyre, reducing the distance you can travel when flat and could also affect the CTI (Central Tyre Inflation) if fitted.

The R4 is manufactured to ETRTO and approved to carry 1,650kg, more importantly; the strength of the wheel has also been increased where the runflat sits and by installing our rubber runflat you eliminate the wheel damage caused by composite even when running flat.

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