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….

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