DIY Car Maintenance with function over finesse!!

[myglaren]

I have a full size wheel from the last Mazda but insufficient depth in the boot well to accommodate it

[mickthemaverick]

So I went to Andover this morning and collected my wheel as planned. I left the Army base at 12.10 heading for The Farriers Arms south of Reading to meet Bob for lunch at 13.00. 10 minutes later that plan fell apart as I turned off the A303 onto the A3039 and then detected the telltale wobble of a front tyre deflating!! Sure enough front offside as flat as a proverbial....... So that stretch of road is pretty fast flowing with a fair number of trucks and no wider than two big trucks passing each other.........HELP!!!........ I pulled into the nearside onto the grass and left the offside wheels just enough in the road to allow the jack to get under the car.

I was not at all happy as I had crested a hill about 70 yds before so I wobbled on as far as I dared and then stopped about 150 yds beyond the crest. I put out my warning triangle 50 yds before the hazard flashing car and leaned the spacesaver against the back as a clue to what was happening. I then knelt in front of the wheel using my left hand on the tools so I could keep looking down the road for oncoming trucks to let me dive in front of the car if necessary. I loosened the nuts and began jacking the car up when I saw the very welcome site of a smallish Renault pulling over behind me with the hazards on. A very nice chap, possibly a rugby player, jumped out and came to offer me a hand. He took over the jack handle while I wielded the wrench to remove the wrecked wheel asap. Between us we completed the job in around 5 minutes and I was incredibly grateful that such a good and fit chap had stopped to help.

Having expressed my thanks I set off to meet Bob, who I had contacted immediately I got delayed, and arrived at the pub at 13.45 mainly due to not wishing to drive at more than 40 mph with a spacesaver on the front. Then lunch was consumed with much hilarity and Bob took me to a local tyre depot as I had no intention of driving back to Hertford on a spacesaver. I chose 2 x Toyo Proxe Comfort tyres which I have read good things about to replace both fronts but I didn't have a tyre put on the new wheel as I already have that planned with my tyre man.

I can report the tyres felt very stable indeed and the car returned to its railway like handling which had been very iffy with the spacesaver and also was very quiet road noise wise. So believe it or not I have suffered three different punctures in three different tyres, although two were on the same wheel, in 10 days, that must be a record for road driving .............unless you know different

[MattBLancs]

My Picasso has a space-saver and I'm not keen on it. Problem is, the area where it sits is not big enough to hold a full-sized one

Err, likewise and likewise with respect to my blue 308 SW, a space saver depth space for the space saver wheel. A pain if I ever need to use it, better than nothing - but only just!

Hopefully the flying Audi moron soon takes himself out the gene pool, just hoping no one else is caught up in the incident

[bobins]

I can report the tyres felt very stable indeed and the car returned to its railway like handling which had been very iffy with the spacesaver and also was very quiet road noise wise. So believe it or not I have suffered three different punctures in three different tyres, although two were on the same wheel, in 10 days, that must be a record for road driving .............unless you know different

....You've not upset any of your neighbours recently, have you ? Just asking......

[MattBLancs]

Oh, gosh! Only just seen "over the page" - flipping heck Mick! Have you considered a switch to solid tyres!?

[mickthemaverick]

That might not be a bad idea Matt but I fear I'd probably break a spring or something!!

[MattBLancs]

Have to cut down on the number of contact patches with the road then Mick, here you go:

Spoiler: show

Nicked from https://thecrimsonwhite.com/27345/top-stories/no-handlebars-student-gains-recognition-as-campus-unicycle-guy/

[bobins]

Why not reduce the number of contact patches to zero ?

A hovercraft

[mickthemaverick]

Don't be daft, that's no good to me -no aircon or satnav!!

[mickthemaverick]

I had another little irritating interlude with the Subaru yesterday, we were going out to a birthday lunch so we headed to the car with 5 mins more time than the predicted driving time to meet our Due time. Just as well, got into the car leaving all the doors open for a quick blow through cooling job and then I went to start the car, one and a half turns of the engine, a light cough and then nothing!! Despite being instantly aware that I had a flat battery I still tried it again, as you always do, to get nothing!! Damn it, no time to mess around, cover is on the MX3 so only option is to take SWMBO's car. We did, she drove and I drank!!

On my return I took the Subaru's battery out and into the garage for an overnight charge. On connecting, it went straight to 9amps, not good! This morning I went to put it back in the car to discover it was still drawing 2 amps after 15 hours of charging. Yet again, not good! Nevertheless being a bit skint this month due to the tyre expenses I decided I can't fork out for a new battery just yet. While reconnecting it in the car I noticed it was dated August 2016 so I guess I can't complain, Yuasa are pretty good for sure, so that will be replaced in the not too distant future.

One good thing I noticed after reprogramming all the radio presets, setting date and time etc is that the remote now seems to work with greater range! I do find that odd as one would think that it is the xmit power of the fob that governs range far more than the receiver in the car. Still I'm not complaining as I can now lock and unlock from my lounge seat again!!

PS. Just had a thought maybe it is to do with the immobiliser transponder?

[CitroJim]

That's a fair good life for a modern battery Mick

[mickthemaverick]

Today's job is on the maintenance fleet, front discs and pads on a Nissan Note. My friend is late so I decided to lay out and prep the parts and tools to save time once I get started. Probably not bother with further pics as everyone knows what will be involved!!

The tools I'll need for the job beside my as yet unused mechanics stool.

Discs cleaned and ready to go

[mickthemaverick]

I forgot to report job done on the Note as expected, the old discs were well and truly seized on the hubs but it is amazing how effective a high speed vibrator can be! In my case I simply put a bent drill bit in the drill, set it at high speed and lent the top of the shaft on the rim of the disc, 15-20 secs later a tap with the mallet and off they came! The rest of the job was exactly as you'd expect with no caliper pin issues or pad spring corrosion!!

[Stickyfinger]

That's a fair good life for a modern battery Mick

The 72ah one on my Activa (currently being used on the Sinker) is from 2012 Jim ....works perfectly.......As does the BishBashBosche one on the Golf.

[CitroJim]

That's a fair good life for a modern battery Mick

The 72ah one on my Activa (currently being used on the Sinker) is from 2012 Jim ....works perfectly.......As does the BishBashBosche one on the Golf.

I can beat that... I still have the original battery from Pix. That one dates from 2009 and it will still jump start an AX. I give it a maintenance charge every so often...