Who taught who

[Trevormc]

With the topic of spare wheels, who taught you to change a wheel when you had a puncture. When my 2 daughters said they were going to learn to drive I said right you are going to learn to change a wheel, but on my Landrover knowing that whatever motor they had the wheel would be lighter than the Landrover one.

My eldest daughter had 2 punctures in her little motor, one at about midnight with factories only around so out she gets and started to change the wheel a police car going in the opposite direction turned round and they completed the swop, another time it was outside a large car dealers and a sales rep came out and asked what she was doing, you don't do things like that and returned with a mechanic to finish the job.

Me used to help my dad with lorry wheels.

Trevor

 

[Craigyoung]

But you could guarantee if it was me or you trying to change a wheel at midnight the coppers would think you were trying to pinch it and if it happened outside a garage you would just be watched not helped but if you've got a skirt on or female , help comes from everywhere !!

 

[Gabsgrandad]

That's 'equality!'

 

[Parksy]

I prefer to think of it as chivalry :lol:
The very first thing that I was shown as a 15 year old apprentice motor mechanic was how to jack up a car and change a wheel safely.

 

[Craigyoung]

It depends because that depends on what you have also as if you've got a small car with small wheels it may be fairly easy but a few months ago I helped put some mudguards on to my friends Kuga who also has a caravan to stop the mud splashes up the front etc same as mine but in order to get them on we had to take the wheels off and he has 18 inch alloys on his and what a weight they are !
The next few days I couldn't walk as I think i put my back out trying to lift them back into the position to get them back onto the nuts !!

 

[CustardAvenger]

I think I read the instruction manual in my car... my father is not the most handy of people.

 

[otherclive]

It depends because that depends on what you have also as if you've got a small car with small wheels it may be fairly easy but a few months ago I helped put some mudguards on to my friends Kuga who also has a caravan to stop the mud splashes up the front etc same as mine but in order to get them on we had to take the wheels off and he has 18 inch alloys on his and what a weight they are !
The next few days I couldn't walk as I think i put my back out trying to lift them back into the position to get them back onto the nuts !!

I learnt on my old mini van as I had to change a wheel cylinder. If you want heavy try changing a Pajero 15 inch rim with 33 inch BFG MTs in a green lane using a sidelift jack. Just removing the spare off of the back door almost creased me.

 

[SteveW77]

If you want a real heavy wheel to change, try a JCB rear wheel.One fell on me, just one of the reasons I gave up being a commercial vehicle mechanic.

 

[Raywood]

My father taught me back in the 60's when I learned to drive. Not a lot has changed other than you get a specific jack for the car now and there is an extra wheel nut. Torquing the nuts was not thought of but the wheels stayed on so why we need to now I am not sure but do do it.

 

[emmerson]

Given up that silly habit at my age, thank you. That's what recovery companies are for!
But like others, I learned as part of my apprenticeship.

 

[WayneS]

My Dad taught me, he always had old cars which he often spent as much time under the bonnet with as driving. Always had his king dick spanner’s etc old spark plugs, spare fan belt, yada yada in the boot just in case.
Back in 1992 when I was 16 my uncle gave him his 1973 Marina Coupe as a parts car for his own after the MOT man had written ‘scrap’ on the failure notice:. It was a rotter but mechanically pretty sound. So Dad and me restored it as my first car - and sprayed it masons black. many a happy day spent rummaging round Birmingham scrap yards - loved it and wish I still had it niow. (& yes I am really talking about a Morris Marina) happy memories of the Haynes manual days of yesteryear.
Wayne

 

[Anseo]

My father taught me back in the 60's when I learned to drive. Not a lot has changed other than you get a specific jack for the car now and there is an extra wheel nut. Torquing the nuts was not thought of but the wheels stayed on so why we need to now I am not sure but do do it.

 

[Mel]

My dad taught me. However although I know how to do it, and can get the car jacked up, I am not strong enough to get the wheel nuts off, so unless there is a helpful passer by, end up calling breakdown.
Mel
P. S. My dad also taught me how to fix rotten sills with chicken wire and plastic padding. Don't see rotten sills these days do you?

 

[Dustydog]

My Dad was rubbish! We showed him at 14 how to jack up and change wheels.
Early day cars with studs were easy. Today’s with bolts and no hangers are dam hard. Note my jeans where you use your legs as a lift to get the wheel into position

 

[Thingy]

My Dad was rubbish!

Same here, very clever man but utterly useless with tools of any description except a paint brush. Taught myself in the early days, had to learn fast because back then the only thing that kept my cars running was luck and myself.

When I think back to those days and the cars I had
First ever car was a Morris Traveller, then a VX4/90 with was a total heap, a Simca Van (remember those) and then my baby, an Escort Mexico, that was my pulling car B)

Also in my CV, an Alfa Romeo GTV6, Alfa romeo Spyder, Nissan 360Z, and then came kids.

 

[Anseo]

My Dad was rubbish!

Same here, very clever man but utterly useless with tools of any description except a paint brush. Taught myself in the early days, had to learn fast because back then the only thing that kept my cars running was luck and myself.

When I think back to those days and the cars I had
First ever car was a Morris Traveller, then a VX4/90 with was a total heap, a Simca Van (remember those) and then my baby, an Escort Mexico, that was my pulling car B)

Also in my CV, an Alfa Romeo GTV6, Alfa romeo Spyder, Nissan 360Z, and then came kids.

Escort Mexico and AR Spyder AND 360Z, I won't compare yours with mine through that period (don't wanna be sad and )

Nice choices Mel, lucky you.

 

[otherclive]

My Dad was rubbish!

Same here, very clever man but utterly useless with tools of any description except a paint brush. Taught myself in the early days, had to learn fast because back then the only thing that kept my cars running was luck and myself.

When I think back to those days and the cars I had
First ever car was a Morris Traveller, then a VX4/90 with was a total heap, a Simca Van (remember those) and then my baby, an Escort Mexico, that was my pulling car B)

Also in my CV, an Alfa Romeo GTV6, Alfa romeo Spyder, Nissan 360Z, and then came kids.

I must have been napping as I know of the Nissan 350z and it’s successor the Nissan 370Z. 360z must be a rare beast

 

[Brasso530]

As someone who rode motorbikes (national level) up until 16,mechanical jobs were second nature,then I've done it ever since as a job,we never had a tradesman in the house my dad did it all,he could fix anything.
As for cars(in order) 1984 mini,1959 ford popular,metro,metro,rover 214,Renault scenic(kids now)zafira,zafira,zafira,and now Kuga.

 

[Thingy]

I must have been napping as I know of the Nissan 350z and it’s successor the Nissan 370Z. 360z must be a rare beast

Typo. B)

 

[Raywood]

My dad taught me. However although I know how to do it, and can get the car jacked up, I am not strong enough to get the wheel nuts off, so unless there is a helpful passer by, end up calling breakdown.
Mel
P. S. My dad also taught me how to fix rotten sills with chicken wire and plastic padding. Don't see rotten sills these days do you?

The sills on my car are now plastic and I assume most others are which is presumably to save weight but also accounts for why they no longer rot.

 

[Mel]

My dad taught me. However although I know how to do it, and can get the car jacked up, I am not strong enough to get the wheel nuts off, so unless there is a helpful passer by, end up calling breakdown.
Mel
P. S. My dad also taught me how to fix rotten sills with chicken wire and plastic padding. Don't see rotten sills these days do you?

The sills on my car are now plastic and I assume most others are which is presumably to save weight but also accounts for why they no longer rot.

You are probably right. My first car was an Austin Allegro. Rotten sills came as standard. :cheer: :cheer:
Mel

 

[ericmark]

I think taught first on the farm, never bothered taking wheel off, same with push bike, but when the tubeless came out then only option was to change or use an aerosol. At one time there were repair kits, but there were problems with them. Originally we did not have spare wheels same as original but they clamped on the outside. Then we had the central nut which was tighter and removed with a hammer.

I note today Jag have a sealing liquid and pump, no stair, and one has to ask why do we carry a spare wheel and not an aerosol? Specially the space saver spare.

I was trained to change wheels at work, with special attention on which nuts to undo, but domestic wise only scooters seem to have split rims.

As to training Joe public and including in driving test, not sure one could, as so many different types, and removing wrong nuts is very dangerous, as is relying on a hydrolic Jack, As a lad I remember people being killed when a car Jack failed, Some cars had built in Jack's, and I have seen Jack's do a lot of damage.

So the big question, could you train people to safely change a wheel on any car, and the answer has to be no, there are just too many types.

 

[chrisn7]

But you could guarantee if it was me or you trying to change a wheel at midnight the coppers would think you were trying to pinch it and if it happened outside a garage you would just be watched not helped but if you've got a skirt on or female , help comes from everywhere !!

Best keep a skirt in the boot with the spare then...

 

[Craigyoung]

But you could guarantee if it was me or you trying to change a wheel at midnight the coppers would think you were trying to pinch it and if it happened outside a garage you would just be watched not helped but if you've got a skirt on or female , help comes from everywhere !!

Best keep a skirt in the boot with the spare then...

Mmm ?
Baldy bloke , with a ginger beard (winters here so beards on) wearing a skirt ???
Hutch could probably get away with the skirt ....

 

[Buckman]

I know how to change a wheel as was taught the tender age of 15, but whether I would have the strength now is another matter however just in case I carry a hammer in the car. My grandfatherr told me that when tightening up the nuts, they need to be tightened diagonally so that if you did the one at the top, then the next one would be at the bottom, then left to right and the finally the last nut if it was 5 studs. I don't think cars had wheel bolts in those days?