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[andrewR]

So, ordered 4x new 7.5x16 Rangermaster tyres from John Craddock. Total price in excess of £400.
"Free delivery for orders over £50" is the policy on the website.
This morning, get a call from the chappie.
"Well, it's free delivery on the 1st package, but there'll be 4 packages as each tyre needs its own package, so only the 1st package will be free".
He says he's doing me a favour and I only need to pay an extra £15. Apparently a new website will tell you this soon? ...

So I point out that maybe I should have ordered each tyre on a separate internet order, as each order would have been £100+, and then I would have had 4 free packages. He agrees, and says I could cancel it and start again.
To be honest, I just wanted it done as I was busy at work, so I paid the extra £15, ~3 pints of beer depending on your pub, so I won't lose any sleep.

But, the advice seems to be, if ordering from Craddock, order each tyre separately! I suppose also only do orders of any large items in orders just over £50, because how would you know when you flow over from 1 box/package to 2 boxes/packages. It seems a crazy policy application!

I have a number of other things on my shopping list, but I'll be looking elsewhere!

[Jimbo]

I haven’t bought anything from Craddocks for years, you have just reminded me not to go back there anytime soon. I stopped shopping there about 10 years ago as they were becoming rip off merchants.
Clearly not much has changed! There’s plenty of other places with better prices, better postage policies and they actually keep stuff in stock or are up front when they haven't got it in stock.

[Wittsend]

Were these Avon Rangemasters

Like these ?



Because I'm wondering why you are buying mail order.
I recently got a set of 4 tyres from ATS, fitted, balanced for less than £100 a corner, all done while I waited, free coffee and magazine to read.

[Mowersman]

Were these Avon Rangemasters

Like these ?



Because I'm wondering why you are buying mail order.
I recently got a set of 4 tyres from ATS, fitted, balanced for less than £100 a corner, all done while I waited, free coffee and magazine to read.

I believe ATS have stopped doing them. I bought 2 from them a little while back and was told that they were the last 2 the company had in stock in the country. 1 had to be shipped in from Ipswich, one from somewhere in Scotland.
Andrew

[andrewR]

Yep, those ones. I looked around quite a few websites and Craddock was the best of only a few places I could find listing them at all.
I think they're getting made right now, as the other message the chappie had for me was that they weren't in stock yet, due about 11th Sept.
I don't normally use Craddock, hence why I only purchased the tyres, and nothing else on my wishlist.
I'll be going back to other suppliers for everything else, after this ...

I'm also just ordering (right now) a set of 2 decent tyre levers from Mole Valley (recommended on another LR forum) since I intend to attempt to swap/fit the tyres myself.
You can encourage me or tell me how futile it'll be. I'll have a shot, anyway. Seems like it would be a good skill to have in the field.
 

[Wittsend]

It is a good skill to have ... I've seen it done in the field.
You need good tyre levers - took him 10 minutes to do one tyre, off and new one on.

Would be a good challenge at a club event

[w3526602]

Hi,

I have done many" "lever" tyre changes, over the years, including 750s. Two little ploy that I have used ....

I've used a jack hammer with a blunt chisel, attacking radially with the blade lying hard against the tyre wall,    wedging between the bead and the rim.  Work your way round in two inch steps, and stop when the chisel wedge hits metal.

I also take the opportunity to Waxoyl the inside of the rim ... i don't like mixing soap and steel.

And for finals, I Waxoyl the tyre beads. Golly gosh. the tyres slip on easy.

But two thoughts ... does Waxoyl adversly affect rubber? ... and .... does Waxoyl, reduce the grip between the tyre bead and the rim? Dunno! But I've not yet encountered either prpblem. Tyres seem to be able to withstand the effects of all the nasties that other people deposit on the road, including hot tar ... and oil (in Arabia).

602

[Steamdriven]

ATS in Bristol were very helpful getting my Avon rangemaster tyres, two were acquired from other branches in the country.
However the fitter did not know that you should fit collars over the valves where they pass through the wheel rim.
Result two flat tyres.
I ended up using Cabot Tyres in Totterdown. No problems.

Gordon

[GlenAnderson]

I normally only ever buy from Craddocks if they’re the only people that have the part I need.

[Peter Holden]

The fitter hadn't noticed that the tubes were T13 not T15

Peter

[Eve]

^^^^ I wonder how many young tyre fitters understand tubes, let alone the difference between a T13 and T15 valve?
Most of them don't even know how to jack a car wihout damaging the sills.

[oddjob]

I’ve done a couple of tyres by hand to fix punctures.
They went better than I expected and that was with one tyre lever and a big screwdriver. The key was to put a hi lift jack on the bead and  lift the front bumper.
Leave it overnight and it should be free in the morning.

 

[Richard]

Earlier this week I ordered exactly those at Craddock's. Four 7.50R16 Avon Rangemasters. Mail order to the Netherlands. Craddock sells them at £ 89 ex VAT (79 for tyres with "defective appearance" £ 94,20 inc VAT). Over here I pay 160 euros, and for that price they are "out of stock" or "on order"… I contacted them for a quote on shipping and they quoted me just under £ 405 (inc VAT). So £ 24 shipping for the lot. I did contact a small local tyre supplier, support your local workshop and all that, but they quoted me 800 euros inc VAT and mounting. I phoned them and they told me it would take 3 to 5 working days for the tyres to be delivered at my Land Rover workshop in Ede.

Were these Avon Rangemasters
Like these ?
Because I'm wondering why you are buying mail order.
I recently got a set of 4 tyres from ATS, fitted, balanced for less than £100 a corner, all done while I waited, free coffee and magazine to read.

[Peter Holden]

I do all mine by hand I have some good type levers and I use a hydraulic jack under the s0pring hanger to break the bead. 

Remember that the tyre comes off from the narrow side.

A friend had a puncture repaired  recently and the tyre place wrecked  the tyre by bring ing it off  over the wide side.

I have LWB wheels and so my tyres come off over the inside of the rim.

Peter

[Craig T]

Not tried fitting my own Land Rover tyres before. Guess I'm a bit worried about damaging the paint finish on the wheels or trapping the tube in some way.

I did a set on my dads tractor but that was ridiculously easy, hardly needed levers so guess those wheels were designed with a deep well to allow field maintenance.
Getting tyres onto my little lawn tractor was a challenge, lots of soap and standing on the rims to stop them moving about!

Craig.