Corrinium rear wheel removal

This has just been posted on Facebook. Don't know if any truth in it but could be useful if true..

"Latest update from Auto Sleepers ref the removal of the rear wheels on the 2018 Corinium. They are making arrangements for a modification to be fitted to replace the current fixed rear wheel covers. This will allow us to change the wheels as normal, if we ever need to. Great news!"

Yes saw this myself, the low wheel arch is a worry, hopefully it’s a recall for the later models with 16 inch wheels.

Ray

An update for this thread..I phoned the service centre today and spoke to Mark about this issue on the Corinium!
Mark had no clear understanding of the issue, it’s a little vague as it stands, essentially the wheel covers/spats..are bonded to the body of pre 2018 Corinium’s and the covers prevent to wheel from being removed...unless....you can get the wheel high enough (trolley jack is apparently not high enough) with perhaps a inflationary devise.
This worries me as it could mean twisting the chassis if only done on one side...
The answer it seems is to put in a warranty claim and the factory will remove to bonded covers and fit removable covers..
I’m now waiting for the warranty to be sent in and a subsequent modification..

I’ll feed back a report in due course.

Ray

My Berkshire was a problem when they changed my tyres last year the chap put the wheel back on then put trolly jack in another position to jack up higher so the wheel could be slid out the bottom.

PLOUGHLIN wrote:Peter Brown has explained rear wheel removal on Coachbuilts before. If I remember, jack axle up, remove bolts, pass bottom of wheel under axle/hub, take wheel out of fairing. Hope I have remembered that correctly.

This would probably refer to axles with cart springs, not the Alko chassis.

Ray

Peter L is correct in his recollection of the process to remove/replace rear wheels on most coachbuilts'. It is described in all the relevant AS handbooks and having operated that type of AS for nearly 15 years can assure you it works.


When the Corinium was first manufactured on the ALKO chassis, 15" dia wheels were used. Earlier this year the wheel size was increased to 16" and its was subsequently found that the fixed rear wheel spats(arches) would not allow the wheel to be removed. So if you have a Corinium with 16" rear wheels and have fixed spats, contact your supplying dealer who should be able to arrange for the spates to be made removable.

O.k. There’s the root cause sorted...I have the 16 inch wheels.

Ray

In the meantime... don't get a puncture!

It's amazing that A-S let any vehicles out of the factory without trying to remove the new wheel size after the coach-built body was fitted!

I’ve just realised that the wheel size issue is not the whole answer, I ordered the AMC 45 heavy chassis, this chassis never had 15 inch wheels, it has16 inch wheels to accommodate the larger brakes that come with this chassis.
Nevertheless; it’s an oversight but hopefully AS will honour its warranty obligations.

Ray

Peter Brown wrote:Peter L is correct in his recollection of the process to remove/replace rear wheels on most coachbuilts'.  It is described in all the relevant AS handbooks and having operated that type of AS for nearly 15 years can assure you it works.


When the Corinium was first manufactured on the ALKO chassis, 15" dia wheels were used.  Earlier this year the wheel size was increased to 16" and its was subsequently found that the fixed rear wheel spats(arches) would not allow the wheel to be removed.  So if you have a Corinium with 16" rear wheels and have fixed spats, contact your supplying dealer who should be able to arrange for the spates to be made removable.

           Agree 100% Pete T.    If this is correct then I am speechless but not surprised that A/s would produce a conversion that does not  allow wheel changing! What does it say for their engineering prowess?    If only they had supplied a battery powered jigsaw in the wheel changing kit you could modify the arches yourself.....

Just a thought; I'm not familiar with the Corinium but the body style doesn't look too different from some other models- will they also have this issue?

Its specific to the ALKO chassis that is only used on the Corinium.

Peter Brown wrote:Its specific to the ALKO chassis that is only used on the Corinium.

Thanks.
I hope they will check this issue when they start building on the low-chassis fwd Sprinter; not that I'll be able to afford one!

As of the October NEC, there is no intention at the moment for AS to use the FWD Sprinter for any model.

Peter Brown wrote:As of the October NEC, there is no intention at the moment for AS to use the FWD Sprinter for any model.

That’s a pity was ordering my new van any time now, just waiting for my win on the lottery.

Not quite the same age but our Rienza caused the tyre fitter from Tyres on the Drive a bit of a headache when he tried to get the rear wheels off. His air jack would lift the wheel clear of the ground but then wheel was a long way under the body. It wasn't the amount of lift it was the body shape that caused the problem. With a supply of wooden jacking blocks from my workshop we managed to lift the body on the original Ford chassis rail with a second jack then shuffle the wheel out. This would not be something to try at the road side. The chassis on our Transit must be fairly solid because the garage manage to lift it on the chassis to take all four wheels off during its service.

Dave 418 wrote:Not quite the same age but our Rienza caused the tyre fitter from Tyres on the Drive a bit of a headache when he tried to get the rear wheels off. His air jack would lift the wheel clear of the ground but then wheel was a long way under the body. It wasn't the amount of lift it was the body shape that caused the problem. With a supply of wooden jacking blocks from my workshop we managed to lift the body on the original Ford chassis rail with a second jack then shuffle the wheel out. This would not be something to try at the road side. The chassis on our Transit must be fairly solid because the garage manage to lift it on the chassis to take all four wheels off during its service.

When your van was supplied new by Auto-Sleeper, it came with a scissor jack and a metal plinth to stand the jack on. If that combination was used at the Ford designated jacking point on the chassis, the body lifted until the wheel was its own width above the ground and the wheel tucked under the van during removal, there would be no problem removing/replacing the rear wheels.

Most fitters jack the axle up, pushing the wheel up into the body and making it impossible to remove; they are also in general reluctant to take advice as to how to do it.

My local garage have two high lift trolley jacks that they use on the chassis jacking points and they can have both rear wheels off within 3 or 4 minutes of arrival.

I have the Ford issued jack but its not something I would use to lift the rear of our Rienza. Just getting under to wind the jack up is bad enough but having a coach build on such a small jack is asking for trouble. The Tyre fitter said he was happy to take my advise and I gave him a couple of hard wood jacking blocks to help him in future. I dont plan using them any more, jacking up buses at the roadside is a thing of the past for me, hence the garage doing the service and repairs to our family vehicles.