Christmas eve GRIPE

[Phil Perry]

Bloody Fiesta flat tyre saga. . . .deflated overnight on our driveway.

 

Out in the sodding rain early today to change the flat for the spare. . Got it jacked up, wheel off. . guess what ?

 

The effing spare wheel is a different Four stud pattern and wouldn't fit the hub. . . !

 

Had to take the wheel to have the nearly new tyre repaired. Three inch nail embedded in the face of the tread.

 

Luckily the tyre shop was open, but about to close early for Christmas.

 

Fifteen quid later I'm mobile again, but with No spare wheel for a few days until I can sort a replacement. Meanwhile, another flat = MAJOR KlusterFeck.

 

BUGGER !

 

 

[onetrack]

These things are sent to try us, Phil. But trying they can be, particularly when the weather turns foul and the job itself turns into a fXXXup.

 

I have never figured out why manufacturers need to change part designs so regularly. If it's not different wheel PCD, it's different rim offset, that ensures the wrong wheel jams on, or interferes with brakes.

 

Then we have the God-awful "metric vs inch size" dimension differences. We had millions of Holden sedans, wagons and utes built with 4.75" PCD wheels, from the late 1960's to the mid-1980's.

 

Then Holden introduced the Holden Commodore (based on a crap Opel design) - and it used 120mm PCD wheels. Now 4.75" is 120.65mm, and Commodore wheels will fit on the older 4.75" Holden hubs - and vice-versa.

 

But if you mix up the wheels and hubs, you will end up with broken studs, and thereby possibly losing a wheel. Some of these manufacturers need to be lined up against a wall and shot, for the design aberrations they have foisted upon us.

 

 

[spacesailor]

Like the Holden 5 stud wheel, with the 4 stud rotor, on the inside.

 

Five mechanics couldn't find the loose wheel problem, untill that wheel fell off.

 

Along with  the rotor.

 

spacesailor 

 

 

[facthunter]

Well you have definitely got me there, Spacey. Nev

 

 

[spacesailor]

Behind every rims (bolts), there's another set of bolts to hold the rotor-hub set.

 

spacesailor

 

 

[onetrack]

Spacey - That's five mechanics that you know of, to keep well away from, in the future. With that lack of diagnostic skills, I reckon they should be ashamed to call themselves mechanics.

 

 

[spacesailor]

They all put the torque rattlegun on the wheels, then said pay up, job done.

 

None, took those front wheels off, to check what was underneath, those four bolts sheared off at hyway speed, getting home.

 

spacesailor