Modern vehicles increasingly come without spare wheels, creating new challenges for roadside recovery. At A.E. Oscroft & Sons, we engineered a revolutionary solution—the RescuRoll Multi-Fit Steel Wheel combined with the groundbreaking Freewheeling Hub. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at how we turned an industry challenge into an innovative success story.
The Challenge
With fewer vehicles equipped with spare wheels, roadside recovery providers urgently needed a versatile, reliable, and slim-fit steel wheel solution. Our goal was clear but ambitious:
✅ Design a multi-fit steel wheel suitable for a wide variety of vehicles, caravans, and trailers.
✅ Meet strict European safety and performance standards.
✅ Offer a practical and cost-effective solution without compromising on quality.
A.E. Oscroft & Sons took on the task of engineering a wheel adaptable enough to fit most vehicles on the road today—without sacrificing strength or regulatory compliance.
Our Engineering Process
From initial concept to finished product, our engineering team encountered an immediate challenge: vehicle-specific bolt patterns made a one-size-fits-all wheel impossible. Our solution? A modular, adaptable approach:
🔹 Interchangeable Hubs & Stud Sets: Instead of creating numerous wheel designs, we engineered interchangeable hubs and studs, allowing a single rim to fit multiple bolt patterns.
🔹 Optimized Rim Design: We meticulously designed the rim itself for maximum compatibility while ensuring efficient manufacturing using existing processes.
This modular strategy significantly reduced complexity and cost, ensuring a robust, cost-effective wheel solution for the market.
The Technology Behind RescuRoll
To bring RescuRoll to market, we combined innovative engineering techniques with proven manufacturing processes:
🔹 Precision Metalforming: Leveraging our expertise in stamping and forming processes, we created a lightweight yet incredibly strong steel rim.
🔹 Advanced Manufacturing Integration: By utilizing established manufacturing methods, we ensured cost-effective production and compliance with rigorous European safety standards.
🔹 Innovative Multi-Fit Hub System: Our versatile hub system enabled a single wheel design to accommodate up to 90% of vehicles without a spare wheel, significantly improving practicality and efficiency.
But It Didn’t Stop There – Introducing the RescuRoll Freewheeling Hub
As vehicle technology evolved, particularly with electric vehicles (EVs), we recognized a growing challenge: vehicles becoming immobile due to drivetrain lock-ups, parking brake failures, or electronic faults. Traditional towing methods weren’t suitable, especially for EVs.
🚗 The Problem:
Many modern vehicles—EVs especially—can become immobilized due to issues like:
Stuck parking brakes.
Engine management faults.
Drivetrain lock-ups.
These issues make conventional towing nearly impossible and create significant logistical challenges during recovery.
🔧 Our Solution: The RescuRoll Freewheeling Hub
Our groundbreaking solution was the development of a specialized freewheeling hub, which integrates seamlessly between the RescuRoll wheel and the vehicle’s hub assembly. This revolutionary design:
✅ Disconnects the drivetrain from the wheels, allowing them to spin freely.
✅ Enables easy movement of vehicles with locked brakes, drivetrain faults, or motor resistance.
✅ Provides a universal, efficient, and safe solution for roadside recovery.
Today, the RescuRoll system has become an industry game-changer, widely adopted by leading recovery providers, including The AA.
The Outcome: A Revolutionary Success
Through innovative engineering, precision manufacturing, and creative problem-solving, A.E. Oscroft & Sons delivered an industry-first solution:
✅ A versatile steel wheel compatible with up to 90% of modern vehicles lacking a spare.
✅ Fully compliant with European safety and performance standards, ensuring reliability during emergencies.
✅ Integrated Freewheeling Hub technology, revolutionizing vehicle mobility and recovery solutions.
✅ Widely adopted by major recovery services, transforming industry standards.
The success of the RescuRoll project has reinforced our position as leaders in automotive recovery innovation and expanded our reach across the automotive, recovery, and fleet sectors.
Why Partner with A.E. Oscroft & Sons?
At A.E. Oscroft & Sons, our specialty is precision-engineered metal solutions. With decades of experience, our team delivers cost-effective, innovative, and high-performance components tailored specifically to your needs.
Whether you require bespoke wheel designs, precision stamping, or advanced metalforming solutions, we’re ready to help you tackle your engineering challenges.
Looking for an engineering partner? Contact us today!