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- 「･122」AMAZON健康維持大作戦
- by suna
- 2009/07/12 日 20:53
「・122」AMAZONの大整備中に、発覚したホイールとタイヤの大騒動。先回の「Giro di Karuizawa」出場を前に、コチコチに硬化したミシュランタイヤをブリヂストンのスニーカーに交換しました。その時は、とにかく、165／80Ｒ15などという、大径で細いタイヤが見つからず、やっとスニーカーを発注して入手。乗り心地、グリップ共に満足して、ブイブイと峠道を突っ走り、スペシャルステージで林道なんかも攻めたのでした。ところが、今回の大整備で、よくよくホイールを見ると、ホイールナットの一番外側の外径部分が、かろうじて（ほんとうにかろうじて）ホイールの穴にひっかかっているくらい、つまり、スチールホイールの穴が開いてしまっているのです。したがって、締め付け具合では、ホイールを均一に取り付ける事は不可能で、きつくナットを締め付けると、穴を貫通してしまいそうです。つまり、タイヤとホイールに、強大な負荷がかかれば、ホイールナットは締まっていても、ホイールがタイヤと共に外れる可能性があるわけです。「知らぬが仏、、」とは、よく言ったもので、「Giro、、、」の激走も、良く持ったものだと、、、思い起こせば冷や汗ものです。ということで、ホイール探しとなったのですが、タイヤ同様に、４．５Ｊｘ１５インチなどという、細くて大径のスチールホイールなど見当らず、１２３ＧＴのＯさんが、苦肉の策で探し当てた６Ｊｘ１５インチでＰＣＤが１１４．３の旧型ハイエース２ＷＤ用のスチールホイールにスペーサーを挟んで使用する、、、という方法を真似することにしました。早速、旧型ハイエースのホイールを当たってみたのですが、残念無念、、、さすがに生産が終了、、、とのこと。さらに八方手を尽くして、やっと見つけたのが、旧型ハイエースと同じく６Ｊｘ１５インチのスチールホイールです。ＰＣＤも１１４．３なので装着可能なのですが、当然、購入したばかりのブリヂストン・スニーカーは、４．５Ｊｘ１５インチ用なのでタイヤ幅が細すぎて、装着不可能。ということで、１２３ＧＴのＯさんが、旧型ハイエース用ホイールに当初使用していたオランダ製の「ＶＲＥＤＥＳＴＥＩＮ」タイヤを一本５千円で譲ってもらうことにしました。Ｏさんは、この「ＶＲＥＤＥＳＴＥＩＮ」タイヤという恐らく“誰も知らない”タイヤをＷｅｂ Ｓｈｏｐで購入したそうですが、なにせ、硬くて、「曲がらない、止まらない、、、」ということで、特注のミシュランタイヤを入手しました。ま、私にしてみれば、大出費の大整備中にタイヤ／ホイール騒動の勃発ですから、「曲がらなくても、止まらなくも、、、」急場しのぎですから、仕方ありません。タイヤとホイールが、はずれて転がって行くよりは、よほどマシ、、というものです。ちなみに、６Ｊｘ１５インチスチールホイールは新品で、ボディと同色にペイント塗装してもらい、４本で６万円でした。ただ、ホイールのプレス形状がAMAZON純正スチールホイールとは異なることから、残念ながらそのままでは、貴重な赤色「Ｖマーク」のホイールキャップが装着出来ません。何とか、AMAZONの個性を引き出すホイールキャップを取り付けられるようにホイール内側からネジ受けパネルを装着し、ボルトでホイールキャップを装着できるように改造考慮中です。
During the most recent overhaul of my .122, I found this rather dangerous problem around the wheel and tire. In order to enter into Giro di Karuizawa, I had searched all over for a 165/80R 15 tire and finally had found one called Sneaker by Bridgestone that seemed to give me a good grip and a good ride so I had gone up and down mountain passes during the rally. However, it turned out that there was a hole in the wheel and the the wheel nut was just hanging on to the outer edge of the wheel hole. In order to balance the wheel, you need to put equal pressure on the nots, but if you add to much pressure to the one with the hole, the nut will just go through. Therefore, if there is any large pressure on the wheel and tire, they could just come off. Glad I didn't know during Giro, but when one looks back, I can only thank god that nothing happened during the rally. So now I had to look for a new wheel, but finding a 4.5X15 inch steel wheel proved to be quit a task. With the help of Mr. O (123GT), I found a wheel that is used on old HiAces using a spacer with the wheel. I bought a set of Vredstein tires off of Mr. O. Mr. O had found the Vredsteins on the internet, but the tires were very hard and ended up in with his 123GT not being able to perform properly so he had asked Michelin to develop a one off tire for him. As I am in the middle of a rather large overhaul, I decided I couldn't afford a one off and opted for the cheaper albeit less performing Vredsteins. At least these should not fall off the car. I had the new wheels painted to the same color as the body at a total cost of Yen 60,000. Unfortunately, the form of the wheels does not currently allow for me to put on the original wheel caps with the V sign on it, and I am currently trying various measures to try to get the cap on.
During the most recent overhaul of my .122, I found this rather dangerous problem around the wheel and tire. In order to enter into Giro di Karuizawa, I had searched all over for a 165/80R 15 tire and finally had found one called Sneaker by Bridgestone that seemed to give me a good grip and a good ride so I had gone up and down mountain passes during the rally. However, it turned out that there was a hole in the wheel and the the wheel nut was just hanging on to the outer edge of the wheel hole. In order to balance the wheel, you need to put equal pressure on the nots, but if you add to much pressure to the one with the hole, the nut will just go through. Therefore, if there is any large pressure on the wheel and tire, they could just come off. Glad I didn't know during Giro, but when one looks back, I can only thank god that nothing happened during the rally. So now I had to look for a new wheel, but finding a 4.5X15 inch steel wheel proved to be quit a task. With the help of Mr. O (123GT), I found a wheel that is used on old HiAces using a spacer with the wheel. I bought a set of Vredstein tires off of Mr. O. Mr. O had found the Vredsteins on the internet, but the tires were very hard and ended up in with his 123GT not being able to perform properly so he had asked Michelin to develop a one off tire for him. As I am in the middle of a rather large overhaul, I decided I couldn't afford a one off and opted for the cheaper albeit less performing Vredsteins. At least these should not fall off the car. I had the new wheels painted to the same color as the body at a total cost of Yen 60,000. Unfortunately, the form of the wheels does not currently allow for me to put on the original wheel caps with the V sign on it, and I am currently trying various measures to try to get the cap on.
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