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Rear Tire Change
- Thread starter jlhog
- Start date
wheaters
Elio Addict
I did say I thought run flat tires would be a good idea. But failing that I'd be happy with a can of tire sealant. Obviously, plus a big stick to keep the pirates at bay while you fix it.
Or maybe just carry one of these....
Or maybe just carry one of these....
Edward
Elio Addict
I'm pretty sure I've said this in another thread, but here is why I keep a full size spare around. Between different vehicles I've driven, I have had three flat tires this year. I have a 70 mile commute and I leave at 5:30 to get to work at 7. Sometimes I have to be to work by 3am!
If I go out to the car in the morning and it has a flat, I replace it and I'm a few minutes late to work. I've never read anything that has indicated that fix a flat should be used at high speeds. The local tire shop doesn't open until 8. By the time I would be out of there, it would be 10 or later by the time I got in. $150 for a tire and rim is cheap insurance against the fallout of being up to 7 hours late to work.
If I go out to the car in the morning and it has a flat, I replace it and I'm a few minutes late to work. I've never read anything that has indicated that fix a flat should be used at high speeds. The local tire shop doesn't open until 8. By the time I would be out of there, it would be 10 or later by the time I got in. $150 for a tire and rim is cheap insurance against the fallout of being up to 7 hours late to work.
rdoearth
Elio Addict
Hmm, I like your idea Edward. Keep it home. I do most of my travels within 10 miles of my house anyway, and everytime I have had a flat, it has been when I found it first thing in the morning just like you say.
CompTrex
Elio Addict
I had a flat in the parking lot of work the other day. Changed the tire in ten minutes and was still on time to pick the kiddos up from school. All the time I was thinking, ok. Now I need a spare at the house, and one at work. And if the tires are different sizes, I'll need two at home and two at work. Hmmm...It sure would be more comfortable if
a> the tires were the same size (or at least would take the same size spare for a short period of time)
b> someone came up with an aftermarket tire holder very quickly after we get our cars. Like, stop-on-the-way-out-of-the-factory-parking-lot, quickly.
BillZ
Elio Addict
Normally, I'd call this theory something like "head-in-the-sand" protection, but my experience in driving over 30 years validates yours. I've changed about three flat tires on over a dozen vehicles and none in the last ten years. I'm with you on this point.Honestly, if past experience is an indication, this is an area that I don't expect too much trouble from. Since 1999, I've put a heck of a lot of miles driving between home (northern Illinois) and St. Louis, Cape Girardeau and Paducah for work with both the Miata and the Fit, and there have been zero flats in all those miles. OTOH, I'd say that I've worn out (I think) three sets of tires...
Lack of a spare doesn't worry me excessively, there would be a fix-a-flat kit, and I've got a cell phone and road service.
CompTrex
Elio Addict
Out of those three flat tires that you changed, how many of them could have been fixed with a can of fix-a-flat?
BillZ
Elio Addict
All of them would have been fixable. I just don't carry the fix-a-flat stuff. I have carried a tire plug kit as well as a compressor on my motorcycle so I can repair my own punctures, but I don't have a lot of faith in the pocket compressors any more since I've melted a few of those from over running them.
I will probably add fix-a-flat to my "road kit" and be able to address the repair in either way. In any case, I'm not too worried about flats.
after thinking about it ( and thinking about it, and thinking about it, etc ), I still have very mixed emotion on not having a spare tire .... on the one hand, in years past, I never worried about not having a spare for my motorcycle .... no fix-a-flat, no compressor, no plugging kit , thankfully I never had need for one .... our Sportchassis didn't come with a spare tire and that worried me at first .... I do have a plugging kit and air compressor .... the reality is, I don't want to be out there trying to change a 22.5 tire on the side of the road .... we have road service which I've never used for the truck .... my hope is someone will come up with a way to mount a spare on an Elio without causing any major issues .... I suspect such a discovery could be highly profitable
Jim
Jim