Mechanics taking advantage

DaveMacD

Yup, even wheel nuts. If it doesn't have thread lock, then it should have Coppaslip or similar to help you get it apart again. Been doing it that way for almost 20 years, never had an issue with it.

goldspanners

2_litre wrote: »

Like wheel nuts ?

ive always put fresh copperslip on my wheel nuts and the faces of the alloy wheel where it mates with the drum or disc. again had no problems in years of doing this. it saves the struggle trying to get off seized wheel nuts and welded alloys.

a little copperslip on a spark plugs threads will do no harm at all.

2_litre

goldspanners wrote: »

ive always put fresh copperslip on my wheel nuts and the faces of the alloy wheel where it mates with the drum or disc. again had no problems in years of doing this. it saves the struggle trying to get off seized wheel nuts and welded alloys.

a little copperslip on a spark plugs threads will do no harm at all.

Ive never had a seized wheel nut in 20 years ...........

goldspanners

2_litre wrote: »

Ive never had a seized wheel nut in 20 years ...........

congratulations.

ive had loads ( not on my own vehicles though) on others.

roger196

2_litre wrote: »

Ah so the nuts in a rocker box are exposed to the same pressure as a spark plug ? :rolleyes:
have a think before you try to respond to my posts eh ? :rolleyes:

These nuts hold down the cylinder head. The level of vibration would be about the same. The torque levels are about equal. Never heard of compression pressure undoing a spark plug. Perhaps you could direct me to the appropriate learned journal article.

jeannieblue

goldspanners wrote: »

ive always put fresh copperslip on my wheel nuts and the faces of the alloy wheel where it mates with the drum or disc. again had no problems in years of doing this. it saves the struggle trying to get off seized wheel nuts and welded alloys.

a little copperslip on a spark plugs threads will do no harm at all.

I've never ever found your nuts to be seized, even in this weather.

goldspanners

jeannieblue wrote: »

I've never ever found your nuts to be seized, even in this weather.

plenty of copperslip

babyontheway

missprice wrote: »

to the OP

it may be a good idea to get to know the underneath of your bonnet too

i have previously paid for services only to find that something was not changed e.g air filter/oil filter etc but i had been charged for it.
now although i am a blonde woman, i did in a preivous life work in a garage and i have some idea what these things look like.

so it was easy to spot that the air filter was the same it went in with and it can drive mechanics/fitters insane that despite being a ditzy blonde ( i really am both) i can tell that they have not bothered to change the oil (same old oil filter on and black dirty oil on the dipstick instead of the greenish sheen of new oil) and i always complain and ask if there is anything else they are cahrging me for that is not in fact fitted on the car.
yes i probably could have serviced it my self but why bother when it would take me a whole day.

I think that's really the point here. If I had said immediately when they rang me that I didn't want them changed there would never have been an issue but it only took me 2 minutes on Google to realise that it was worth seeking a second opinion.

Because I've always had a mechanic who was a family friend, I have never felt the need to second-guess his advice but now I have moved away and have to go to different garages, it is good advice to get a better idea of what's under the bonnet.

By the way, I don't think people deliberately try and take the p*ss because I'm a woman, but I do think they are less likely to consult with me and invite me to make decisions rather than just ploughing on and handing me a bill at the end.