What did you do today (2015)

[Les Jones 1Participant @lesjones1]

I too am considering changing cars this year. I recently looked on line at the information on the Toyota Avensis (Which is the car I have had for about 11 years with only an ABS sensor fault) There was no mention of a spare wheel so expect that they now just come with the compressor and sealer. There was not even any mention of a spare wheel being an optional extra. I think the choice will be determined by which make of car comes with a spare wheel.

Les.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Or one fitted with run flat tyres as standard.

J

[Bob Brown 1Participant @bobbrown1]

One major problem when a spare is not provided assumes that the puncture is relatively small, I had one go flat on the motorway and by the time I picked up on it the tyre was never going to be inflated with a can of fluid side wall cream crackered. I personally make sure there is a full size spare in the boot as once changed allows you to continue your journey at normal speeds, space saver tyres have a speed restriction and the fluid does not always work.

Bob

BTW The AA reviews list the type of spare fitted as standard. http://www.theaa.com/allaboutcars/cartestreports/index.jsp

Edited By Bob Brown 1 on 16/01/2015 14:10:48

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

Posted by Gordon W on 16/01/2015 11:49:07:

pjk, don't want to teach egg-sucking, but have you thought of making a simple jib extension to fit on your loader? Makes those sort of jobs easier.

I hadn't throught about a jib extension. I did consider pallet forks but my liklehood of needing them again is low. If it wasn't a case of having to shift the thing due to weather.. if it could have waited a day or three then neighbour farmer is quite good at popping down when he's free and bringing a telehandler (usually to pull me out of a bog)

Not so sure about a long enough jib for this job anyway- single point would make safe roping harder and a long jib would mean rear weights (or the topper attached and harder to manoeuver). I wouldnt have trusted a lash-up of scaffold poles with my new toy…..

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

pgk- twas just a thought, I did something similar to you, but just a garden rotavator, about 50 kg, clamped a bit of 6"x2" onto the bucket with a couple of G clamps, worked a treat. Just thinking of making a proper job. H &S please look away. Ps made a rear weight with a drum filled with concrete, also good for a hand brake.

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

Spare wheels- my wife's new motor had no spare, so got a wheel, jack etc. from a breakers for about £30. I do use the tyre sealer stuff in all other tyres eg trailer, wheelbarrow sack barrow. This ensures the tyres are hard when needed.

[Ian L2Participant @ianl2]

Posted by Bob Brown 1 on 16/01/2015 14:08:16:

One major problem when a spare is not provided assumes that the puncture is relatively small, I had one go flat on the motorway and by the time I picked up on it the tyre was never going to be inflated with a can of fluid side wall cream crackered. I personally make sure there is a full size spare in the boot as once changed allows you to continue your journey at normal speeds, space saver tyres have a speed restriction and the fluid does not always work.

Bob

BTW The AA reviews list the type of spare fitted as standard. **LINK**

Edited By Bob Brown 1 on 16/01/2015 14:10:48

I was told that one of the latest Jags sports car can have spacesaver spare which is great but when you have fitted it following puncture you have to send for help as the wheel you have just removed wont fit in boot .

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

A friend of mine has a Aston Martin DB7 which does have a spare wheel, but once you have changed it the punctured wheel goes in a bag to be strapped in in one of the seats of the car.

Martin P

[Ian L2Participant @ianl2]

Posted by martin perman on 16/01/2015 20:02:43:

A friend of mine has a Aston Martin DB7 which does have a spare wheel, but once you have changed it the punctured wheel goes in a bag to be strapped in in one of the seats of the car.

Martin P

Passanger in boot then LOL.

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

In my experience, the golden rule for nails and screws in car and bike tyres is don't remove them! Often they are slow punctures but become fast punctures with said plug removed.

Not many cars even seem to come with space saver spares these days. And some of them don't even come with the aerosol / compressor. And the run flat tyres come at a fine premium…..

Murray

[Tim ChambersParticipant @timchambers76147]

Adventure bikers swear by these:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/371212991939?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&chn=ps&device=c&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3.0.0-L&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108&ff19=0

 

Edited By Tim Chambers 1 on 16/01/2015 22:08:29

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

My current van, latest model Fiat Ducatto, the one with the landing lights and flaps, neither has no spare or even room to put one.

Previous models had a cradle under the rear for the wheel. It does have a compressor under the drivers seat [ or so the book says, never looked ]

Fortunately it's a van so not really lacking space and it has the same size wheels and tyres as the last van, older model, so it now has three spare wheels.

I suppose it stems from getting someone out to do a change, trucks very rarely have spare wheels nowadays because the weight of a spare wheel x the mileage / load carried actually costs more than getting a tyre company out and most modern driver would not have a clue how to change one anyway.

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

I must admit I was a bit wary about using tyre plugs as a DIY on my car.. the thought of a highspeed failure whether my fault or not, compared to a tyre place doing it….

My land is pretty thorny so stuff I drive/ tow on the fields has had lots punctures.. tractor front tyres in particular with some 10 patches this year.

Am i the only one that actually has a trolly jack in the back of the car 'cos bending down to use cr@ppy scissor jacks hurts old bones…But then my car is 20yrs old 'cos it's comfy and still goes like a rocket.

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

Tim – that reminds me of the fantastic Specialised Armadillo (TM) "guaranteed puncture proof" tyres I bought some years back. Full of fancy Kevlar and lots of Mercan buzz words. After fitting them, I headed down the pub (about 1 mile away) and managed to get a puncture shortly after setting off back home – I ran over a bramble on the road. Total mileage before puncture about 1 mile, then. I was cock-a-hoop obviously. When I emailed their "technician" to discuss their product experience, he told me that the guarantee entitled me to a replacement tyre. So, if I suffered a puncture, I was "guaranteed" a free replacement (of the outer tube, not the damaged inner tube). Whoopee-doo. Obviously a curious American definition of the word. Some sucker at work bought them from me later, despite my warnings.

The best bike tyres in my many thousands of miles of commuter cycling are the Schwalbe Marathons – they have a layer of soft rubber on the inside of the tyre that's probably almost 10mm thick and requires a long, sharp and tough spike to cause a puncture eg longer than a drawing pin. Almost (but not completely) puncture proof.

Murray

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Posted by John Stevenson on 16/01/2015 22:20:08:

most modern driver would not have a clue how to change one anyway.

I think it is part of the CPC training that lorry drivers now have to do – along with how to blow their nose and other essential training that somehow drivers managed without for a hundred years.

I had a hard platic strip in my bicycle tyres for a while. It was very effective at blocking thorns but instead the hard edge fretted on the inner tube and caused punctures instead.

[Ian L2Participant @ianl2]

Posted by Bazyle on 17/01/2015 00:47:17:

Posted by John Stevenson on 16/01/2015 22:20:08:

I had a hard platic strip in my bicycle tyres for a while. It was very effective at blocking thorns but instead the hard edge fretted on the inner tube and caused punctures instead.

I thinks solid tyres are the future for bicycles anyway . I remember having three wheel bike as kid but don't remember ever asking mi dad to fix punctures.

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

Solid tyres used to be available for push-bikes. I got two fitted to my daughter's bike, must have been about 30 years ago. These had to be fitted using a jig/tool to stretch the tyre. Tyre made from some sort of soft plastic and worked very well, experienced bikers could not tell that they were not standard tyres. Don't know what happened to the company making them.

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

I think they went bust. There have been a few attempts over the years, none of which have stuck. However, there seems to be a Korean company having a go at it now. Usual problem seems to be getting them onto the rim without fancy equipment. Time will tell if they stay in business although the Koreans make a lot of good stuff so you'd think the omens would be good.

[mechman48Participant @mechman48]

I changed my car last August from a 2001Mitsubishi Pinin to a 2010 Hyundai Tucson, both of which had / have a full size alloy spare, scissor jack, locking wheel nuts. I enquired a local Nissan dealer just before Christmas on the missing spare wheel scenario,the answer I got was the compressor & sealant provided on new cars was enough to get you home / to the nearest tyre repairers. I asked the hypothetical question 'if I bought this car, today, would you include full size matching alloy wheel with jack & tools? … answer.. 'well that's a £200 option' I also asked 'what if the side wall was damaged which was beyond the capabilities of the sealant to repair, how would I get home…? I got a flippant reply ..' well have you had a damaged side wall'? to which I said 'actually yes! fortunately I had a spare wheel to change to'… & then walked out of the dealership… profiteering at any cost!!

George.

[GaryMParticipant @garym]

Car spare wheels:

Interesting article on Which

**LINK**

Gary

[FMESParticipant @fmes]

Quick update on the tyre scenario.

Took it down to National Tyres this morning, these are the people that work with Holts with regard to the repairability factor.

After removing the wheel the fitter dunked it in a tank to find the leak and then removed the tyre.

The puncture was caused by what looked like a 2" round nail which had fully penetrated the casing.

The tyre sealing 'goop' looked just like that latex skin used in theatre makeup and wiped easily from the casing.

The fitter then washed out the casing with hot water and ensured it was thoroughly dry before carrying out a normal repair and balance, total cost £19.

He did advise that had I used the manufacturers (Peugeot) supplied sealant kit, the tyre would not have been repairable.

As for Mechmans £200 spare and jack option, I would have jumped at it, most alloy wheels with a tyre are well over a grand to buy let alone the jack and bits.

[GaryMParticipant @garym]

My Tiguan has a space-saver which will do me but my OH is considering a Mini which doesn't. I think this is another example of when manufacturers change things things that annoy some of us but not enough to lose many sales. We've just paid for a headlamp bulb change on her Yaris, would you believe, because you can't easily get your hand behind it and have to remove the front panel and headlight unit. If it was summer I would have done it, but last weekend was bloody cold. They only charged £20 including the bulb which I thought wasn't bad, but I would have preferred to do it myself. I've changed a camshaft in a car in the past so I'm not completely clueless.

Gary

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

> Solid tyres used to be available for push-bikes. I got two fitted to my daughter's bike, must have been about 30 years ago.

One of my steplads still talks about the 'green wellies' we bought for his bike about fifteen years ago. The advice was lubricate with washing up liquid and use two big zip ties (provided) to help ease the tyre over the rim.

We spent a whole day trying to get them on and eventually had to give up.

I suspect that if a significant percentage of users had the same problem, that's why they were dropped.

Neil

[mechman48Participant @mechman48]

That's the figure mentioned as IR; Have looked on 't internet' & a set ( 4x ) of alloys the same as I have, genuine Hyundai, can be had for £399… £100 ea…. so 1 wheel + tyre + toolkit.. £200… so within the realms of his stated figure… doesn't detract from the point of what was once provided as standard is now 'an optional extra'… still boils down to 'profiteering' not weight saving fuel efficiency, environmental issues etc. Had a look on 'Which' report on spare wheels issue, see link above… they claim all the manufacturers claims are spurious to say the least… I would call them ( manuf' claims ) something else….

George

[Ian L2Participant @ianl2]

You will also find when car is out warranty and you take it for service they will add new tin off the sealant saying its it of date. How does one know they have actually put new one in. In Fact most people will have to find the owners hand book to locate where its kept. Had similar thing when Mrs car went in for 2nd service. they tried to say needs brake fluid changing at £90. my reply car has 7000 mile and is driven by retired woman so the brakes aren't getting affected by extreme braking heat like it would on race track.

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