Office workers can't change wheels
in [UK Drivers]
|
Prev: Jamie Oliver driving a classic Ford Bronco
Next: For those who enjoy stunning pics (Iceland volcano)
From: Clive George on 21 Apr 2010 11:21 On 21/04/2010 15:49, boltar2003(a)boltar.world wrote: > On 21 Apr 2010 12:59:39 GMT > Adrian<toomany2cvs(a)gmail.com> wrote: >>>> Yup, that's it. Cosmetics. There _can_ be an unsprung weight difference, >>>> but often (for strength) alloys are heavier than steels - and a couple >>>> of kg of unsprung weight makes sod-all difference anyway, especially >>>> given the thoroughly shite MacPherson strut& torsion beam suspension on >>>> the typical car. >> >>> Theres no reason that manufacturers couldn't make good looking stainless >>> steel wheels. They just choose not to bother for whatever reason. >> >> Apart from expense and weight, obviously. > > Expensive? Steel? Are you having a laugh? Stainless is quite a lot more expensive than mild, > As for the weight, you even said yourself that steel is stronger than alloys > for a given weight so why would they be heavier? Al Alloys will generally be stronger than steel for a given weight. What he actually said is alloy wheels are often heavier than steel wheels, which is a different thing.
From: Clive George on 21 Apr 2010 11:24 On 21/04/2010 16:11, Bod wrote: > Mortimer wrote: >> "ChelseaTractorMan" <mr.c.tractor(a)hotmail.co.uk> wrote in message >> news:v44us5p15li3mhk5a1b60th2l8s3t7phkk(a)4ax.com... >>> On Wed, 21 Apr 2010 13:13:46 +0100, "Mortimer" <me(a)privacy.net> wrote: >>> >>>> And I definitely want a proper, >>>> fully-serviceable spare wheel that allows me to drive as far and as >>>> fast as >>>> a normal wheel, so I can complete a long journey and then take the >>>> punctured >>>> wheel into the garage the next day. >>> >>> spot on. >> >> Some cars, such as the current Honda Civic, don't even have a spare >> wheel. If you get a puncture, you either pump up the tyre with a can >> of goo or else you wait for the RAC to get there. If they can't pump >> the tyre up, they'll have to tow you to a garage (assuming there's one >> still open) for them to repair the tyre. >> >> How is this progress? Is it better to wait an hour or so for the RAC >> to arrive and then wait again at the garage for them to repair/replace >> the tyre, or is it better to change the wheel yourself and be able to >> carry on your journey within 15 minutes or so? >> >> I'd go so far as to say that any car which doesn't have a >> fully-interchangeable (not speed- or distance-limited) spare wheel is >> a liability: "toy" spare wheels are not fit for purpose. I'd like to >> see them banned and all cars required by law to be designed to carry a >> fully-interchangeable spare. > > > > > > Yes, I bet a NEW mass produced car WITH a spare FULL MATCHING wheel and > tyre , would only cost the manufacturer an extra 60 - 70 quid. > > That's peanuts compared to the price one is paying for a brand new car. What about the volume taken up by the spare wheel? That's the main reason for not providing one - they're gert big lumps these days. The odds of failure mean that not carrying your own spare is a viable option these days. If I were just driving in urban or suburban areas, the little men are there in a reasonable time. If I lived in the wilds of Scotland I'd be rather more self-reliant. (my car has a full size spare, but that was normal 18 years ago :-) )
From: ARWadsworth on 21 Apr 2010 11:28 "Bod" <bodron57(a)tiscali.co.uk> wrote in message news:838gp5FubkU1(a)mid.individual.net... > ARWadsworth wrote: >> "Bod" <bodron57(a)tiscali.co.uk> wrote in message >> news:8387taF4n2U3(a)mid.individual.net... >>> GeoffC wrote: >>>> Bod wrote: >>>>> boltar2003(a)boltar.world wrote: >>>>>> On Wed, 21 Apr 2010 11:55:20 +0100 >>>>>> Bod <bodron57(a)tiscali.co.uk> wrote: >>>>>>> My daughter in law rang me to change a wheel(puncture) on her car >>>>>>> earlier this morning. Before the call, she asked *10* men in her >>>>>>> offic, if they would do it for her. ALL 10 of them said they >>>>>>> couldn't do it or that they didn't want to get their hands dirty! >>>>>> They probably figured that as a woman she'd >>>>>> >>>>>> A) Not have a spare or if she did have one it'll be knackered and/or >>>>>> B) Not have a jack and/or >>>>>> C) Not have the locking nut adaptor or not know where it is and/or >>>>>> D) Not have a wheel brace >>>>>> >>>>>> Though none of the above are relevant if she's jaw dropping babe. I >>>>>> take it she isn't. >>>>>> >>>>>> B2003 >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>> On the contrary, she's quite a good looker. >>>>> >>>> Well there are 10 blokes in her office who don't agree with you then. >>>> >>>> -- >>>> >>>> Geoff >>>> >>>> >>> They must all be woofters then. >>> >>> Bod >> >> So who swaps the poofters flat tyres? >> >> Adam > > Give us a kiss and I'll tell you. > > Bod I'll pass on that offer:-) Last year my Mum had a puncture late one night in Sheffield. The AA quoted a 45 minute response time and I could get there in 30 minutes. She is physically not strong enough to change the wheel herself. It was decided that I would drive out to change the wheel. When I arrived two passing teenage hoodies were just finishing off the wheel change! They got �10 for their troubles. Adam
From: Clive George on 21 Apr 2010 11:30 On 21/04/2010 15:55, Mortimer wrote: > > "Adrian" <toomany2cvs(a)gmail.com> wrote in message > news:838h95Fq2hU43(a)mid.individual.net... >> Bod <bodron57(a)tiscali.co.uk> gurgled happily, sounding much like they >> were >> saying: >> >>> Yes, she's only about 8 or nine stone, where-as I'm about 12 stone. >>> I had to practically stand on the silly little wheelbrace supplied. It's >>> doubtful she would have had the power to undo the nuts on the Alloy >>> wheel. >> >> So her husband (and/or you) had already failed in your preparation, by >> not keeping an adequate wheelbrace in the car? >> >> Something like this means that damn near no wheelnut - no matter how >> badly the Krap-Fit Chimp has abused it with his rattlegun - is going to >> resist even the wimpiest of people. >> >> http://www.screwfix.com/prods/13244 > > A better design is a cranked one like a starting handle. Stand side-on > to the wheel with your left leg closer to it. Put your left foot on the > cranked section, placed at a 9 o'clock position. Grasp the end of the > wheel brace that is further from the wheel with your right hand. Press > with your left leg while pulling up with your right hand. Wheel nut > moves. Simples. (God, how I *hate* those frigging meerkats!) > > One the wheel nut is moving, you can turn the crank continuously, rather > than having to stop and relocate it every turn (especially with a wheel > nut near the ground) because the side arm of the wheelbrace has hit the > ground. Yeuch. I've been caught by some tight wheel nuts in the past, so now carry a 2' breaker bar + appropriate socket. You don't need to disengage the socket - turn 180 degrees then flip the arm to the other side. http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_196407_langId_-1_categoryId_165469 Costs a bit more than the screwfix one though.
From: Mortimer on 21 Apr 2010 11:31
"Bod" <bodron57(a)tiscali.co.uk> wrote in message news:838iteFc37U1(a)mid.individual.net... >> I'd go so far as to say that any car which doesn't have a >> fully-interchangeable (not speed- or distance-limited) spare wheel is a >> liability: "toy" spare wheels are not fit for purpose. I'd like to see >> them banned and all cars required by law to be designed to carry a >> fully-interchangeable spare. > > > > > > Yes, I bet a NEW mass produced car WITH a spare FULL MATCHING wheel and > tyre , would only cost the manufacturer an extra 60 - 70 quid. > > That's peanuts compared to the price one is paying for a brand new car. When the spare wheel got nicked from the cage under the boot on my previous car, I got a replacement wheel and tyre from my local garage for about �50 (OK, so that was late 1990s prices). And I'd expect it to be even cheaper if the wheel was supplied in the factory. Many cars (though not all) have a deep enough well in the floor of the boot to take a full size wheel, but manufacturers choose to fit a space-saver wheel instead and then put a lump of polystyrene foam padding above it to stop it bouncing around! OK, so some sports and very small Smart cars won't have enough space for a full-size wheel, but surely it should be possible for the majority of cars to be designed to have a proper wheel. And when that problem has been solved, let's tackle the next bugbear of mine: cars like the VW Golf where the rear seats don't fold down flat because the seat bases are fixed to the floor. What is the use of a big boot if half of it has a "floor" that is sloping at about 45 degrees when you fold the seat backs down as far as you can? VW said it was to allow Isofix child seats to be fitted, but other manufacturers manage to achieve this with removable seat bases and fold-flat backs. Car reviews very rarely look at practical things like this, as long as the car can go fast enough, performs well enough in a crash and uses sufficiently little fuel. |