Spare Wheel – Car

[NealebParticipant @nealeb]

We learn from experience but it’s generally much better to learn from other people’s experience!

[old martParticipant @oldmart]

There was a time when those sealants were more of a novelty that garages would refuse to repair a puncture if the sealant had been used. Now that most cars have it as standard, has that attitude changed? My Corsa has a pump and a container of sealant in the back, no spare or jack until I bought them, and I have managed to get hold of two identical alloys which are rare as hens teeth. Next door but one has a Corsa with exactly the same design alloys, but mine have five bolts, not the common four.

The 80 sticker on a full size spare wheel marked 88H is a joke, take it off and bin it, H tyres are rated to 130mph, and would only be illegal if the car can reach a higher speed. And citing the 70mph limit would not prevent prosecution. As for different makes mixed up on cars, it is only a recommendation that they match, not law. That said, it would be unwise to mix summer and winter tyres. Check out 90% of older cars running today will not have matching tyres.

[NealebParticipant @nealeb]

When I had my “sealed” tyre replaced, I told them about the sealant and they didn’t seem concerned at all. On previous motorbikes (before having tyre pressure monitors fitted as standard) I used to get new tyres filled with a sealant which would block a puncture when it happened. At least it would avoid a sudden loss of pressure which is potentially more serious on a bike than a car. Never had a complaint from a tyre fitter although I always warned them. As mentioned above, it seems that this sealant is common enough that it is accepted without problem.

Carrying a spare is not an option as there is nowhere big enough to hold it – what would be a well under the boot floor is filled with various electronic bits.

[Nealeb]

On Nealeb Said:

…  Never had a complaint from a tyre fitter although I always warned them. As mentioned above, it seems that this sealant is common enough that it is accepted without problem.

…

We older folk tend to rely on our youthful experiences, perhaps assuming 40 years after sealant was first introduced that the trade has done nothing since to fix the early problems it caused!    This is why my car has a real spare.

However, could be the sealant has changed, that a better solvent is available, a cleaning machine is available, new methods developed, and tyre shops have been trained to cope…

Dave

[SillyOldDuffer]

On SillyOldDuffer Said:

However, could be the sealant has changed, that a better solvent is available, a cleaning machine is available, new methods developed, and tyre shops have been trained to cope…

 

Fitting tyres is such an intrinsically filthy job that perhaps the people doing it now are happier with a different type of dirt. It makes a nice change to get a wheel that isn’t covered in brake dust, road grime and horse shit before you break the bead and discover it’s full of rubber dust….

[Colin HeseltineParticipant @colinheseltine48622]

One of the reasons older cars have mix of tyres, is because it many cases the driver has no technical knowledge and relies on the tyre depot to put correct tyre in car. The depot then quite often offers the cheapest tyre which the customer opts for.  I have always keep same make/model of tyres on car since I started to drive 58 years ago. If worst came to worst, as three or four years ago, I had puncture on way down to Plymouth. I had to return the same day but lead time for tyre was 2-3 days. I had the garage put the best two tyres on front and the replacement different make tyre went in the rear.
Much better to know you have matching tread depths and identical water clearance from each front tyre.   Breaking in wet with two different tyre treads on front of vehicle is asking for an accident.
Colin

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Many tyre suppliers recommend fitting newer (better) tyres to the rear

https://www.uniroyal-tyres.com/car/service-knowledge/good-tyres-on-front-or-rear/#:~:text=Changing%20the%20tyres%3A%20Our%20three%20tips%201%20Remember,Take%20note%20of%20the%20direction%20of%20the%20tyres.

[Colin HeseltineParticipant @colinheseltine48622]

Duncan,

I appreciate your comment and have read the Uniroyal note.  I have done similar swaps around in the past.  Unfortunately my main vehicle has different width tyres from front to rear and they are also run flats, so I can only change as complete pairs.

My other vehicle has directional tyres and I would much rather have water clearance and equal braking by the front tyres as it is a very light car, I don’t particularly care if the back end of the car is going sideways.

Regards,

Colin

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

I have no doubt you can handle a car with the back end a bit loose Colin. Unfortunatly most younger drivers have no idea what to do when they loose grip.
Hence the advice to put new tyres on the rear…
Whenever I get a new (to me, I’ve not bought many New cars) I always find a empty supermarket car park on a wet day and explore it’s behaviour at the limit of traction..

Robert.

[Colin HeseltineParticipant @colinheseltine48622]

Robert,

That used to be something we all did in snowy car parks in 60’s and 70’s.  Very hard to find a car park to do it nowadays.  The car I’m referring to is only around 550kg putting out 215bhp and fitted with LSD.  Damp roads are fun !!

Colin

[Robert Atkinson 2]

On Robert Atkinson 2 Said:

..I always find a empty supermarket car park on a wet day and explore it’s behaviour at the limit of traction..

Robert.

..must have been you in Sainsbury’s at Dursley about nine on Saturday? ..your car smells a bit funky, and your taste in music is appalling..

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

Last time I was in Dursley was in 1983 fixing a gaming machine in the Lister-Blackstone (vauge ME connection) social club. My “car was a old (even then) Bedford HA “Viva” van…….

Robert.

[DiogenesParticipant @diogenes]

I would think the town has probably changed out of all recognition since then.. ..I don’t think there can be many traces of Listers left..

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi Robert Atkinson 2, good old Bedford HA Viva van, I bought a 1973 (L Reg) one about a couple of weeks before its first MOT, for £330.00. It was just the job for carting my mobile Disco gear around, and I had it for nine years.

Regards Nick.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

How on earth did you stop a viva collapsing in a pile of rust. I had one which developed holes in the front wings at around 3 years.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi Duncan Webster 1, they did suffer from rust, but so did most cars back then, I had to replace the nearside front wing, and also the front panel, as that had rusted around both the headlight areas, almost to the point where the headlights were almost dropping out, but we did have facilities at work, which we were allowed use in our own time. Oh, and I sold it for about £50.00, as I had a daughter and a son by then, and needed a car with seats in the back. Disco days were over by then for me, so no longer needed a van.

Regards Nick.

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