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Tyre fitting close call...


evest

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Had my tyres replaced today at an F1 Autocentre - MPSS all round and alignment done. Before I start, I'll say that the guys in there seemed pretty sound, treated my car with respect and care and I believe that this was a case of somebody making a genuine (but serious) mistake. I waited while they did the work and they certainly did not seem to be rushing (meant in a good way).

 

Pulled away... felt good...

 

Entered dual carriageway... fine... Got past 50mph... slight rumble, maybe the road? Got just past 70mph - okay major noise/juddering, coming up through the seat - definitely not the road! Alignment out - no, just been done and got the print out... Flat tyre (brand new!), got out and checked - nope...

 

Suspect wheel nuts not tightened. Not far from home so managed to crawl back to the driveway (had taken my boot tool kit out of the car last week for the first time in 6 years... in hindsight probably not very sensible) and I could literally take the rear nuts of with my fingers!!! :scare: :scare:

 

Having torqued them up, I actually then drove back to the tyre place to report it - not trying get anything off them, but they need to know it had happened - as a near miss - so it doesn't happen again with worse consequences. To be fair, the boss was extremely apologetic and said that the lad who did the job had recalled not doing them and was genuinely very upset about it. Sort of felt sorry for him as he was a nice lad and had really taken his time with my wheels so as not to damage them and had even checked the correct torque settings for the nuts with me (don't see that very often).

 

I'll get some vouchers in the post they said, but I probably could've pressed for some moeny back - I'm too laid back for my own good!

 

What have I learnt from this - carry a tool kit I guess... :blush:

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Its a good shout, always check the nuts when someone has done your wheels. I actually carry a long torque wrench in the boot set to the right setting and check the nuts on my wheels every 4-6 weeks in any case. Thats one thing you won't get away with if it fails on you!

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Who needs a baseball bat when you have a long torque wrench :wink:

Only kidding Coldel :lol:

I have actually been guilty of not torquing the nuts on one of my wheels way back.

Same thing........braking at a corner and felt a rumble/vibration.

Needless to say I always double check now.

 

Once I had a Honda dealer replace a snapped suspension spring under warranty and FORGET TO TIGHTEN THE BOLTS!

A mechanic friend spotted it when he put it through an MOT shortly after.

 

 

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We all have our moments....... years ago, doing the Mid-Cheshire Stages rally at Oulton Park, we discovered the tyres were hitting the inner arches over rough ground.

 

Off came the front wheels and we set to with the lump hammer.....wheels back on and away we go!

 

Coming around Druids I felt extreme vibration from the steering. :drive1

 

I said, Ahh sod it keep going, only a short distance to the finish. Too late, front wheel flew off and pulled the studs with it!

 

Forgot to tighten the nuts in the excitement. :bangin:

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Seriously every time I put the wheel back on a customers car I end up second guessing myself over and over if I torqued them up.

 

I end up going round a car about 3 times rechecking.

 

Such an easy but critical thing to do.

 

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

 

 

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Seriously every time I put the wheel back on a customers car I end up second guessing myself over and over if I torqued them up.

 

I end up going round a car about 3 times rechecking.

 

Such an easy but critical thing to do.

 

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

 

If it was easy you wouldn't have to do it 3 times. :stir:

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