Wheelwright, distributor of Road Hero, gives PMF a look at the latest version of its spare wheel kit.
Since 1980, Wheelwright has been supplying steel and alloy wheels to the motor trade, and the company’s portfolio now includes Road Hero, which is available through its network of approved retailers.
In 2012, vehicle regulations changed and manufacturers were no longer required to provide a spare wheel, instead including tyre foam repair kits or run flat tyres, which have high rates of being unsuccessful in emergency situations. Since then, breakdown recovery companies have noticed a rise in breakdowns due to punctures and other tyre related problems. In 2015, RAC patrols dealt with around 120,000 ‘puncture no spare’ breakdowns – a remarkable 84% increase on 2012. Road Hero was manufactured to help ease this issue and to help you get home safely, offering steel and alloy spacesavers for 108 different options, and covering 95% of the car park in doing so. The Road Hero kit keeps users covered at the side of the road with the wheel, a jack and a wheel brace in a protected storage bag.
Each Road Hero Space Saver Wheel Kit is engineered for a specific vehicle fitment, not solely relying on PCD & Offset, but also allowing for brake caliper clearance. The wheel and tyre size, and the combination are specific to the vehicle, and each kit will either be direct-fit, or be supplied with the necessary fixings to ensure a perfect fit. The Road Hero comes with a lifetime warranty against manufacturing defaults, although it doesn’t cover accidental damage or misuse. Wheelwright’s knowledgeable team offers aftersales support should a problem arise.
The alloy wheel spares are now the forefront of the Road Hero programme, with Wheelwright insisting that they are more comprehensive and accurate than ever. The company has suggested the following benefits of using an alloy wheel spare:
- Compatible with more vehicles
- A higher weight loading
- Improved brake clearance, which makes it less likely to foul
- Less weight, which saves fuel efficiency
In response to customer feedback, the updated Road Hero breakdown kit now includes:
- A wheel brace and jack
- A kneeling matt
- A head torch
- Gloves
- A hi-visibility vest
- A rain poncho (to protect the user from bad weather, dirt and grime)
- A warning triangle
These have been added to improve the customer experience and develop the existing equipment.
