max Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 I had a TR3A which had a central spin off nut holding the tyre on, as can be seen from this photo: TR3A One side was clockwise, the other anti-clockwise the theory being that if you hit anything or got anything wrapped round it then the nut wouldn't get undone. On the subject of people not being able to change a wheel, my father used to be chauffeur to a well known authoress and one of her sons borrowed the Rolls Royce to drive to Scotland. The police found him in the fast lane of the motorway trying to change a tyre and had to call a breakdown truck to tow it off after having cordoned off two of the lanes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number Six Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 If you read some of the posts on here people advocate buying long extension bars to help undo wheel nuts. Once you start using a 30 inch lever you can snap studs like carrots, The theory of left hand nuts on one side of a vehicle is that they shouldn't become slack in use. It is very common on commercial vehicles. I had a Reliant Scimitar some years ago. It had massive alloy "Wolf Race" wheels and the nuts were always coming undone. I ended up putting Loctite on them. I own 5 cars at the moment, one of which has lefthanded wheel nuts on the nearside. Yeah, I did a google search on it - never heard of it (and I used to have an Alfa, but all RH thread on that AFAIK - don't recall taking the wheels off it to be honest) I presume the theory is that, on a left hand bend, say the car will be pulled away from the apex, increasing the load between the nearside wheel and its nuts, and that the anticlockwise rotation of the wheel could loosen a right hand threaded nut? I can see how that might happen with a knockoff rim, but not with a wheel with four or more studs. You live and learn though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crookesey Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 You'd rather wait an hour for someone to come and change a wheel than just do it yourself? The last time it happened Green Flag were with me in 20 minutes. I'm 64 this month, and suffer from tendonitis, the spare on an Audi A4 is big, heavy and awkward to fit, what with that plastic gismo that lines up the female fastenings. If I changed the wheel myself it would take my body a couple of days to recover. So shove that in your pipe and smoke it, smart arse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1513468/AA-warns-on-peril-of-the-hard-shoulder.html Motorists who stay with their cars after a breakdown on the motorway are putting their lives at risk, the AA has said. An estimated 250 people are killed or injured on the hard shoulder every year. What's a break down got to do with a flat tyre? And what's the motorway got to do with Crooksey's comment that he'd call the breakdown agency instead of change a tyre himself... He didn't mention the motorway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyclone Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 The last time it happened Green Flag were with me in 20 minutes. I'm 64 this month, and suffer from tendonitis, the spare on an Audi A4 is big, heavy and awkward to fit, what with that plastic gismo that lines up the female fastenings. If I changed the wheel myself it would take my body a couple of days to recover. So shove that in your pipe and smoke it, smart arse. A bit more to that than you initially made out though isn't there! So, why would you pay for breakdown and change it yourself? A: Because (for me), it'll be quicker than waiting A: You wouldn't due to some physical problems that you hadn't previously mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crookesey Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1513468/AA-warns-on-peril-of-the-hard-shoulder.html Motorists who stay with their cars after a breakdown on the motorway are putting their lives at risk, the AA has said. An estimated 250 people are killed or injured on the hard shoulder every year. Yes, I read that a person is knocked over every three days on the southbound hard shoulder of the MI, approaching East Midlands Airport. He is getting bloody well fed up with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crookesey Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 A bit more to that than you initially made out though isn't there! So, why would you pay for breakdown and change it yourself? A: Because (for me), it'll be quicker than waiting A: You wouldn't due to some physical problems that you hadn't previously mentioned. Would you advocate that all perfectly fit 60 odd years old folk, change wheels themselves? There are a few about you know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puisseguin Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 What's a break down got to do with a flat tyre? And what's the motorway got to do with Crooksey's comment that he'd call the breakdown agency instead of change a tyre himself... He didn't mention the motorway. A flat tyre is a breakdown. Indeed it is the second most common reason for AA call outs after flat batteries and as most batteries go flat when the car is parked at home, punctures will acount for a very high percentage of AA call outs on the open road. Motorways are actually part of our highway system and the fact that 250 people a year are killed on the hard shoulder should point towards the dangers of attempting to change a tyre there. There are also many people killed doing the same on minor roads. I certainly wouldn't attempt to change an offside wheel on a Derbyshire lane at night. This is government advice on what to do if you breakdown on a motorway. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_069863 do not put yourself in danger by attempting even simple repairs But I'm sure you can always find some smartass who will know better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isabelle Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 I can change car wheels, but would probably struggle to loosen and tighten the wheel nuts on my own, because I don't have the physical strength. The times I have changed them, someone has already loosened the nuts for me. I did it the other day for my OH because he was at work and didn't want to get his shirt dirty. He jacked the car up loosened the nuts, I swapped the wheels over, then he tightened the nuts back up. The one time I did get a flat tyre, I was not far from work so I headed back and they changed it for me. Good job really, because even they struggled to get the nuts off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crookesey Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 A flat tyre is a breakdown. Indeed it is the second most common reason for AA call outs after flat batteries and as most batteries go flat when the car is parked at home, punctures will acount for a very high percentage of AA call outs on the open road. Motorways are actually part of our highway system and the fact that 250 people a year are killed on the hard shoulder should point towards the dangers of attempting to change a tyre there. There are also many people killed doing the same on minor roads. I certainly wouldn't attempt to change an offside wheel on a Derbyshire lane at night. This is government advice on what to do if you breakdown on a motorway. http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAndTransport/Highwaycode/DG_069863 do not put yourself in danger by attempting even simple repairs But I'm sure you can always find some smartass who will know better. There's never been a shortage of them on this forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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