Swapping spare tyre to front

smk77

pitkin2020 wrote: »

There is a total difference to not being able to change a wheel because of physical issues, but not knowing how to change a wheel is just outragous. Something as simple as wheel change should be taught at the beggining of driving lessons, what if the OP was out in the middle of no where and got a puncture.
It amaxes me people actually have to ask questions like and the other thread a few days ago "how do I clear ice from my windscreen" !!!!!!!!!

Why should it be taught? If you can't get from A to B then you call out whichever breakdown service you are a member of.

As for the ice, I need a link to that. Sounds entertaining!

MrF_2

long bar on the wheel wrench which came with the car or better still buy and use a telescopic wheel wrench, and they are stuck...stand on the wheel wrench and use body weight to loosen them off.
if they turn out to be rusty, either buy new replacements (usually quite cheap, even from the dealer) if the threads are knackered (dont want them falling off mid drive) or if the threads look ok, wire brush any minor rust off and lightly smear with copper grease to stop them seizing
then with car in air, hand tighten (to avoid cross threading) and then tighten with wrench as far as possible. Drop car down to ground and tighten rest of way (if using telescopic wheel wrench, retract it at this point to avoid over tightening and recheck after 60 to 100 miles of driving or a few days and retighten if necessary.

MrF_2

smk77 wrote: »

Why should it be taught? If you can't get from A to B then you call out whichever breakdown service you are a member of.

As for the ice, I need a link to that. Sounds entertaining!

Breakdown service to change a tyre.....no wonder the premiums for that are so much, only place I'd use a breakdown service would be a drivers side tyre on a main road or motorway, but before that I would try to get the car off said road to somewhere I could safely change the wheel.
Attitudes like that have gotten this country into the nanny state mess we are in. No wonder kids are fekless (and no it isnt a swearword, it is a term that means some is poorly skilled at a task or clumsy....another example of nanny britain again) to do anything practical, they never get the opportunity as its all "leave to the professionals" or "its dangerous" both are utter rubbish, most "professionals" are anything but professional, many are downright cack handed and do bad quality work for a massive cost.

pitkin2020

smk77 wrote: »

Why should it be taught? If you can't get from A to B then you call out whichever breakdown service you are a member of.

Your telling me your going to wait an hour for the AA/RAC to come out to change a wheel?? It takes less than 10 mins and that includes emptying all the junk from the boot to get to the spare. No wonder the prices for breakdown services keep rising if they keep getting called out for pointless tasks like that.

Even if you don't know how to do it most cars handbooks have it in, pathetic that they even need to waste the paper to print it though.

As for teaching somone to do it surely its better to teach someone to do something so they can stand on their own two feet and complete the most simplest of tasks, we're talking a tyre change here and not an engine replacement.

smk77

pitkin2020 wrote: »

Your telling me your going to wait an hour for the AA/RAC to come out to change a wheel?? It takes less than 10 mins and that includes emptying all the junk from the boot to get to the spare. No wonder the prices for breakdown services keep rising if they keep getting called out for pointless tasks like that.

Read what I wrote.

I wouldn't wait an hour. I'd get from A to B by changing the wheel as I'm 100% capable of changing a wheel. I've done it before and will do it again.

However, I don't believe that it should be taught as part of driving lessons.

smk77

MrF wrote: »

Breakdown service to change a tyre.....no wonder the premiums for that are so much, only place I'd use a breakdown service would be a drivers side tyre on a main road or motorway, but before that I would try to get the car off said road to somewhere I could safely change the wheel.
Attitudes like that have gotten this country into the nanny state mess we are in. No wonder kids are fekless (and no it isnt a swearword, it is a term that means some is poorly skilled at a task or clumsy....another example of nanny britain again) to do anything practical, they never get the opportunity as its all "leave to the professionals" or "its dangerous" both are utter rubbish, most "professionals" are anything but professional, many are downright cack handed and do bad quality work for a massive cost.

I agree with most of what you have said. Especially about changing the a tyre on the offside in a dangerous place. I can do most practical tasks as well as any "professional", however, I wouldn't touch anything that I wasn't comfortable with.

pitkin2020

smk77 wrote: »

Read what I wrote.

I wouldn't wait an hour. I'd get from A to B by changing the wheel as I'm 100% capable of changing a wheel. I've done it before and will do it again.

However, I don't believe that it should be taught as part of driving lessons.

It should be taught as part of the driving lesson, just like basic maintenence is now like checking coolant and oil levels. Too many people don't know or just dont want to know how to check and do the simpliest of jobs and the wonder why the garages charges them a fortune when they have been driving around for 2 months with a flat tyre, no coolant and no oil.

MrF_2

To be honest, if my career plans work out, my next place is going to have garage with 2 cars in it, something newish and bland (like a yaris diesel or even a 1 litre petrol) for a daily drive and something.....fruitier like either my old nail escort I currently run or a land rover / jeep wrangler with a v8 in it as a toy.

If I had, had the space and a garage I would have done the escort's timing belt myself, and saved myself a ton of money and time...scheduled time an hour for first time, 30 - 40 for a mechanice...took the "professionals" 4 hours and they broke my water pump in the process as they couldnt figure out an impact driver to remove sticky bolts....muppets...total and utter muppets. Frankly I loathe paying for a mechanic as I can do most stuff myself, especially electrical stuff.

MrF_2

pitkin2020 wrote: »

It should be taught as part of the driving lesson, just like basic maintenence is now like checking coolant and oil levels. Too many people don't know or just dont want to know how to check and do the simpliest of jobs and the wonder why the garages charges them a fortune when they have been driving around for 2 months with a flat tyre, no coolant and no oil.

knew a girl once who drove 150 miles with barely any oil in the car and totalled the motor...she got so ripped, especially as she knew a good bit about cars

Mattjimf

A guy I know got a promotion with a company car, drove it for 3-6 months without checking oil or water, he was soon busted back down claiming he didn't realise you had to check these things.

On the wheel change on driving lessons, even if you aren't physically able to change a wheel, knowing how to so you can direct someone is always helpful. How to use jumper cables would also be another good addition.