Can you change a wheel?

ednwireland

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122105188#Comment_122105188

Extendable bar with a 19 and 21 mm reversible socket. But I'm lazy and tend to use the 12v impact driver to loosen the nuts.

MarkR

I helped two young ladies in college last week jack up theirs. Their jack was ****. If they weren't using the last two staff spaces I probably would have left them. 😂

tohaltuwi

I’ve done some major good deeds in life, mostly appreciated, but at least one which was not only completely unappreciated but also got a bucket load of resentment in turn by a person with a mental health issue, not really an excuse though. People sometimes resent assistance given even when it’s very obviously needed, by nature most people do not enjoy being assisted, or having to ask for help. It is a virtue to learn to accept help graciously and not resent it or be envious of the person who has been in a position to give it. We live in a world where give and take are equally important.

No matter if person A has come across as a cantankerous begrudger, it’s important not to lose faith; person B may need that wheel to be changed and be very nice about expressing their gratitude. It’s ok to get annoyed and angry at someone who’s been an ungrateful so&so, but don’t let it drive you into a cynical state about everyone else.

I can’t change a wheel these days, but I would give advice, maybe instruct the person how to do it if there was nobody else around, or Google mobile tyre fitters for them as often when a problem strikes oneself, one is not of a calmly resourceful mind as to know where to turn to.

Grassy Knoll

a lot of the jacks, tyre changing tools that come as standard with cars are rubbish. I have a small bottle jack I keep in my VW plus a 2 piece wheel brace (1 bar slots into the other). Both I picked up in Lidl I think but good quality for the money

WildWater

I've changed plenty of wheels and helped out more than a few with wheel changes and battery jumps over the years. Wheel changing is not rocket science, but it can be a complete bi*ch and usually a dirty job. I do still stop to assist, but the first thing I do now, is ask the person if they have breakdown assist. A lot of people don't seem to realise that they probably have this on their insurance policy. If they have, then there is no way I am changing that wheel just to save them some time. I also won't do it unless I have my own wheel brace and jack.

Most left of field problem I've had when I stopped to help someone… I had my jack, wheel brace and gloves. Nice sunny day and perfectly safe spot. Thought this is going to be easy. Nuts loosened, car jacked, no problem. The issue - I couldn't undo the screw fastner that holds in the spare! 🤨 It's only supposed to be hand tight and the thing was like it was welded. Thankfully, I had WD40 but by god did that take effort.

TheChizler

Haven't been able to get my wheels off since my last visit to the tyre shop. Had to buy my first ever breaker bar recently, before I always just managed with the lever in the boot or my own socket set.

tohaltuwi

https://youtu.be/rwwykuboMQw?feature=shared

https://youtu.be/ExEMRKKVVuY?feature=shared

Replacing wheels on trucks, young fit women can do it. The one on the top video is a female truck driver replacing her own tyre, the bottom one seems to be a call-out female tyre changer for a truck driver. A petite woman too, but seems very fit.

BlakeS94

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122105442#Comment_122105442

That's the other side of it is the tyre shop monkeys pound the wheel nuts back on with a high torque Milwaukee on the highest setting, if you don't have a really long breaker bar or a high torque gun in the boot you're goosed.

spurious

If I can get the nuts loosened, I can manage. The probem is, you only find you can't loosen them when you need to.

I have a cheapo noisy but slow compressor that will get me to somewhere I can get help with the nuts.

shane b

Yes I can.

Had to change one on my wifes Citroen C4 grand picasso lately and what an absolute pain in the ass. Took me about 30 minutes.

The spare is under the car, held in by a wire rope through the middle. The wheel brace and jack are in the black box in the centre of the wheel space. Of course i had to empty half the boot,to get at the adjuster for the wire rope in the first place too.

Pops_20

Yes I can change a wheel.

I do most of my own work to my cars so the wheels are off usually more than I'd like. In most cases I think the tools supplied with cars are not sufficient for your average person. The wrench for taking off the wheels on a ford fiesta for example is way too short to get enough force on it.

I carry my own breaker bar, torque wrench and air compressor in the boot. If someone needed a tyre changed I would try my best to help out given I had time and it wasn't a dangerous situation. Sad thing is that most people nowadays haven't a clue how to change a tyre and don't have any interest in learning. Even fit young men just call the roadside assistance.

Regarding tyre places overtightening wheels, this seems to be a common practice. I no longer take the car to get tyres fitted. I jack up the car at home, remove the wheels and take them to the tyre shop in another car to have the tyres fitted.

Apiarist

I can change a wheel, I did it a few times.

My current hybrid car doesn't carry a spare wheel. It has a can of tire sealant instead, so there is no need to change the tire.

Hellrazer

Ive changed loads over the years - its not that hard a job to do.

I also carry one of those needle and thread puncture plug repair kits in the car and a 12v compressor.

If you can find the hole and its not in the side wall its a life saver - quicker than taking the wheel off and will get you where you need to go to either change to the spare or get it properly plugged with a mushroom.

Hellrazer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122104205#Comment_122104205

Great advice but to add to your number 7 - what I do is when you have the damaged wheel off put the punctured wheel under the brake disc or drum of the car while you fit the new one - if the car falls or slips off the jack it could save your ass.

Lewis_Benson

I'd say most know what to do, but the physical aspect of it, if the wheel nuts are welded tight, most women will struggle, a lot of men will struggle too.

deandean

Wow, the post with the video of the woman driver changing a Super Single on a truck is hardcore. I have only moved them around, and they'd break your leg if one fell on you.

lucalux

Can change a wheel, have done my own, friends, and strangers in the past. Would be a lot more wary of stopping for strangers at the side of the road these days though

I'm always on my own, don't have the foolhardiness of youth so much.

I've always struggled with nuts being tightened by garages to the nth degree - have ALWAYS had to lever them off by standing on the wheel wrench. Get it on the nut on a near horizontal angle, and basically using body weight to increase the force of the lever. Hop, move and repeat

Worked 100% of the time in my experience, I'm doing this since I was an 18 year old 100lb cailín, where lads twice my weight struggled

Problem with my car at the moment - I can't open the bloody nut holding in my spare tyre in the boot - cheers for the nudge OP I'll get it and get that sorted/checked this week 😅

JohnC.

I can, and have helped on other cars, but never had to on my own (yet?).

prawnsambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122110301#Comment_122110301

Used to be a time when wheel nut/bolt torque settings were in the 15-20ft/lb range. No more. Big alloy wheels have much higher torque settings. Mine for example are 103ft/lbs. Which is basically 45kgs on a 1 foot long wheel wrench. As you say, you pretty much have to stand on it to loosen them. So not necessarily the garage at fault, although some of them seem to employ lads with a black belt in wheel nut tightening.

blackbox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122110793#Comment_122110793

That's tight. My Toyota/ Lexus specifies 103 Nm, which is openable with the supplied spanner (easiest if you use your foot on it). I weigh a lot more than 45 kg! Unfortunately tyre places way overtighten them.

NB I'll only help someone if I can see they are having a go at it themselves but struggling.

jack of all

I can change a wheel and I've done so plenty of times. I've never done so for a stranger but I've often had to travel a distance to rescue my own wife when she's had a flat far from home- she's not interested in learning how to do it herself! I keep a bicycle track pump in the boot to deal with slow punctures and haven't use a garage air line in years. Every driver should carry a pump/ mini compressor, gloves and a small mat in their boot.

Sam Russell

What surprises me as to the number of drivers never check their cars at all.

Tyre pressure is easy to check as you get into the car. If the car is on level ground, the metal of the wheel should be the same height off the ground for all four wheels. Just look at each one and see that is the case - it is unlikely all four wheels are flat.

While checking, look at the tyre tread for wear, and particularly uneven wear.

Bulbs - the number of cars with one or more lights are out - especially brake lights. Just check them - with the help of a passenger or when backed up to a garage door - best done at night.

LollipopJimmy

Changed one for my taxi driver neighbour a few weeks ago, he was out in the pissing rain using a normal scissor jack, he also had the dreaded alloy wheel stuck to the hub. I got the impact gun and trolley jack out. I mean, if you can help somebody then do.

deandean

Very true Sam Russell about tyre pressure. many people never check tyre pressures from one end of the year to the other.

My sister has a car with so-called tyre pressure monitoring. But the tyres looked a bit down to me. I checked them and they were all at 15-20PSI (recommended 36PSI). She hadn't checked tyre pressures since the car was last serviced in August 2023!

Turns out a lot of these TPMS systems use the ABS sensors to detect a reduction in tyre diameter caused by loss of pressure. But no alarm is generated if all four tyres are slowly losing pressure.

I am reminded of the terrible loss of four lives in January 2015 in a crash on the N78 in Kildare that was attributed to tyres being under inflated.

prawnsambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122112496#Comment_122112496

Yeah, everybody should have those little tyre pressure gauges in the glovebox or somewhere handy. Lidl are selling one at the moment which doubles up as a glass breaker and seatbelt cutter for emergencies. Once you have one of those, it's easy to check the pressures on a regular basis.

Also under inflated tyres drink juice, so it's in your financial benefit to keep them at the correct pressure.

Sam Russell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122113201#Comment_122113201

My point is that a visual inspection - even casual - would indicate low pressure if the metal is too close to the road. All four should be the same, and look right. You do not need to measure them if they appear the same, but you should if you are in any doubt.

prawnsambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122114229#Comment_122114229

Depends on the profile of the tyres. Low profile tyres don't show loss of pressure the same way 60s or 70s would. Mine has 40s and on checking recently found that a couple were a good bit below the recommended pressure. Didn't look any different from the others that were at the right pressure.

Stephenc66

Yes and Yes

The last one was a good experience.

Older Lady I'd say early 70's, She had the spare wheel, jack and wheel brace out and all positioned to go. Was just "Waiting to flag down a kind gentleman" to change it for her. As I am tightening up the wheel nuts I look around to see her loading the damaged wheel into the boot. A lady who would have been well able to change it her self in her younger days and was determined to help.

Then to thank me she tried to give me €20. I refused to take it and after a few minutes of banter with me continuing to refuse. We finally agreed she would pop it in a charity box. I'd bet another €20 she did.

CelticRambler

Ah lads, you can be as diligent as you like with checking pressures and tyre depths and changing the tyres at regular intervals, and it can still count for nothing. Every puncture/blow-out I've had has been on a good-condition tyre at the right pressure. Most recently, a fortnight ago: all four (2016) tyres checked by myself on the Wednesday morning; checked again during CT on the Wednesday afternoon; fast puncture leading to catastrophic blowout 300km later on the following Saturday.

The only comforting factor for me is that the tyre was in such good condition that whatever poked through it is still stuck in the remains of the rubber, waiting for me to extract it and try to figure out what the hell it is (not metal, not glass, not thorn … )

And for those wondering: the fast puncture became a blow out because it happened on a long stretch of roadworks, on the "wrong side" of a contraflow system with no hard shoulder and all exits closed for 10km. Parked up overnight in the first available industrial estate, swapped for the (2008) spare the next morning, and arrived at final destination on Sunday afternoon as originally planned.