|
S80 '98-'06 / S60 '00-'09 / V70 & XC70 '00-'07 General Forum for the P2-platform S60 / V70 / XC70 / S80 models |
Information |
|
In praise of the spare wheel!Views : 1276 Replies : 11Users Viewing This Thread : |
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
|
Jul 7th, 2014, 19:52 | #1 |
VOC Member
Last Online: Aug 30th, 2019 23:34
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: London and Kent
|
In praise of the spare wheel!
A word to the wise - keep hold of your spare wheel, you never know when you might need it! I know a lot of people are no longer driving around with a spare wheel in the boot and that many cars are now routinely delivered with a can of foam or similar due to various model upgrades, etc.
Last Monday, I stepped out of the house to find that my rear NS wheel was flat. Didn't need to look too hard to see why - there was a screw buried in it, right at the top. 45 mins before work, 20 miles away. Popped open the glove box and fished out a pair of pliers, intending to pull the screw out and fill up the tyre with a spare can of foam I had been sensible enough to buy after a puncture last autumn (more on Kent's roads later). The screw barely budged despite strenuous effort. Rushed into a nearby Mercedes garage to borrow a bigger screwdriver and a very helpful gentleman brought out a toolbox and offered to help. Only then did we realise that this was a very big/long screw. Still can't figure out when/how I could have driven over something that long. He looked at me with the foam can in my hand and said (1) he can't get the screw out as it is too deeply embedded and (2) in any event, the foam would be of no use as the sidewall had been damaged due to the angle - the tyre would have to be replaced. It was now 25 minutes before work. Popped open the boot and began to unscrew that thing that keeps the spare in place, thanking my lucky stars that I had one! A space-saver one, but a spare nonetheless. There was the usual trouble unscrewing the nuts, but the spare was eventually fitted. Plugged in compressor and topped up air in spare. Speed restrictions resulted in my being a mere 12 minutes late for work; to be honest, it felt as though I were crawling along at the 50 mph high mark and a couple of times I forgot that I was on the spare and panicked when the speedometer inched over 60. No point replacing only one tyre, so the plan was to purchase two, put them on the front and move the ones on the front to the rear. Could not find any garages near work that stocked 225/50/17 XL tyres, and none near home either. In the end, we found this new Tyreleader website and nervously placed an order in the wee hours of Tuesday morning after reading many reviews of the company. Tyres arrived via DPD on Thursday(!) morning - despite having been shipped from overseas. Had them fitted that afternoon. By then I had managed to do around 80 miles on the spare. That spare wheel saved me a lot of time and money. The garage guy mentioned that these space-saver spare wheels are only meant to be used once and then discarded. Is this true? I haven't seen that written anywhere on it, so I have put it back in the boot. Just as well, because we spotted a smaller nail in the rear OS tyre (damn Kent roads!), so I suppose it's now only a matter of time... In the meantime, Tyreleader has put the price of the tyres I bought up by ~£12 each in the space of a week. Just my luck.
__________________
__________________________________ S80 T6 SE Geartronic, 2922 cc of driving pleasure |
Jul 7th, 2014, 20:10 | #2 |
XC70 SE lux D5
Last Online: May 20th, 2024 09:11
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Mansfield, notts
|
"The garage guy mentioned that these space-saver spare wheels are only meant to be used once and then discarded."
That's a new one on me I know there is a speed restriction 50mph but as far as I know there is no distance or re-usage restrictions, never seen any thing like that in the owners manual , even the AA web site says you can travel as far as you like at 50mph. mind you traveling at 50mph on the motorway is a pain , after I had to do this for about 80 miles one night I replaced my space saver spare with a full size alloy. |
Jul 7th, 2014, 21:15 | #3 |
Premier Member
Last Online: Apr 2nd, 2024 19:50
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Wexford
|
Last year we had a flat 100 miles from home and seeing the 50 on the spare the driver on the day assumed it was kph. They were a lot later than 12 minutes.
Perhaps the 'use once only' refers to the fact that some handbooks now put a cap on the spacesaver mileage of 3000 miles typically. That's a lot of screws. Afaik one of the reasons for the speed limit is to reduce the work differentials have to do especially 4wd vehicles. |
Jul 8th, 2014, 08:40 | #4 |
andybird
Last Online: Jan 31st, 2017 22:04
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Hartley, Kent
|
My s80 biofuel came without a spare as the LPG tank is in the space where it would normally be. After two punctures I invested in a space saver. Needless to say no punctures since!
Same for my motorbike, I had a spate of rear wheel punctures in a very short time. As I use the bike for commuting I sourced a spare pair of wheels and new tyres.... Guess what... No punctures since? Not sure what the moral of this post is....... |
Jul 8th, 2014, 10:11 | #5 |
Premier Member
Last Online: Apr 2nd, 2024 19:50
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Wexford
|
......... for every slamming door there is a bolted horse?
|
Jul 8th, 2014, 10:30 | #6 |
Member
Last Online: Aug 20th, 2016 11:41
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Ewloe
|
My brother in law has got a Toyoya IQ. It's too small for a spare wheel and he has a Toyota compressor and a can of foam. On the two occasions he has had a puncture, the AA were called as the damage was too bad for it.
I've also heard that the foam makes a real mess of the wheel and needs to be scraped off before a new tyre is put on. |
Jul 8th, 2014, 22:22 | #7 |
Premier Member
Last Online: Jun 26th, 2022 23:42
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Midlands
|
No, it's utter b*ll*cks. And to think some of these idiots are responsible for servicing customer's cars
__________________
D5, 205 Phase 3 V70...love the grunt. Previous: 2004 (2005 facelift) 2.4 170 |
Jul 9th, 2014, 00:18 | #8 |
StuartGray
Last Online: Dec 14th, 2021 14:56
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Dunfermline
|
I've always carried the old fashioned rubber string kit you poke into the nail hole in the tyre.
It has saved me a few times and I've never had to replace the tyre before it's worn down to the replacement limit. And I have a spare tyre.
__________________
Present - 2001 V70 Torslanda, Vida/Dice owner Past - 1986 740 GL Estate 4 Speed O/D 2.3l Past - 1990 740 SE Saloon 5 Speed 2.0l Past - 1991 740 GL Estate Auto 2.0l Past - 1985 240 GL Estate 5 Speed 2.3l |
Jul 9th, 2014, 10:36 | #9 | |
Premier Member
Last Online: Yesterday 19:49
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Newcastle
|
Quote:
Cheers Bob |
|
Jul 9th, 2014, 12:46 | #10 |
Premier Member
Last Online: Yesterday 21:45
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Hackensack
|
Plugging tires is an extremely contentious topic.
Mechanics assail "Russian rope" plugs but everybody uses them. "They cause the plies to separate", I was told. You can't beat the speed of them though. Patching a tire from within was always the preferred method to mend a hole. It costs more but it's worth it, especially on a young tire. If I get nailed (or screwed, ha ha) I too plug a tire. If it's a fine puncture caused by a fish hook or other wire I go for a patch. There's no sense in reaming out a pin hole to 3/16" so the plug's needle can go through. Kira |
Tags |
foam can, puncture repair, spare wheel |
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | |
|
|