When was the last time you changed a tire?

fuzzybuddy

fuzzybuddy

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Location
The Sticks, Northeast PA.
I had to re-up my car insurance. One of the perks was roadside assistance to change a tire. Then it dawned on me that I haven't had to change a tire in 50 years. In the 50s & 60s, changing a tire wasn't a rare thing, and most guys could do it. Today, could most guys be able to do it? When was the last time you changed a tire?
 

Sometime back in the 80s, I bought a Ford Pickup. I had three blowouts in the first month. These were not flat tires, they were blowouts, the kind that go "POW!" like a gunshot. They all happened at slow speed so I never lost control. They were made by Firestone and and came standard with Ford pickups. Possibly related, a few years before, Firestone made the news for producing unsafe tires. I can't remember if it was a class action law suit or a massive recall. But here was Ford Motor Company sill putting them on new cars.

I had one flat after that on a Yokohama tire than came with a Mazda Miata. It was a very fast sidewall failure. It happened a mile from a tire shop, and I was able to pump it up and race to the shop, where I rolled in almost on my rim. Yokohama gave me a new tire. Which had to be shipped, but the tire shop gave me a loaner tire until it could be replaced, which surprised me.

Bad tires are but a hazy memory now. I changed them all the time. I use to pretend I was working in the pit at the Indianapolis 500.
 
Never changed a tire .... a few years ago I had a blowout on a busy road. Wasn't going too fast, so no control issues.
I should have known better .. it was an older tire that kept losing air, and my SIL had just filled it the night before.

Without really thinking what I should do, I just slowed down and drove to Walmart's auto center which was about a mile away.
They didn't look at me like I was too crazy!

After that I did the right thing - bought a new set of tires.... Then a couple months later, I bought a new car. :)
 
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It's been a decade at least. I did puncture a tire in a parking lot and got my stuff ready. Now this is a 6 ton van, so it's an 8 bolt rim.

I called for a roadside assistance after trying (and failing) to get one nut off. So I guess I'd better sign up for that soon.
 
Many years since I changed a tyre. I don't know what it's like in the US, but in the UK most modern cars have tyre inflators that are supposed to seal the tyre till you can get to a depot and have it changed. Spare wheels are an optional extra, but I wouldn't have a car without one.

I think my breakdown cover includes changing wheels, but I'm not going to hang around for the breakdown guy to arrive, when (unless it's not safe) I can change it in a few minutes.
 
I changed out all 4 tires on my Chevy Suburban this winter, along with the front rotors and brake pads, switching them with my parts Suburban.

Out by me, I would be waiting a few hours for roadside assistance so it is a better idea to have the needed tools. Have an extra jack or jack stand - donā€™t depend on one. Have blocks for the wheels and also a large hammer to free the wheel.
 
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Years ago and I really didnā€™t change it. This was on a high mountain road and I was lucky to find a big spot to pull over. As I stood there reading the instructions, a trucker made a U-turn. It was changed in less than 5 minutes.

Capt Lightning said:
Many years since I changed a tyre. I don't know what it's like in the US, but in the UK most modern cars have tyre inflators that are supposed to seal the tyre till you can get to a depot and have it changed. Spare wheels are an optional extra, but I wouldn't have a car without one.

I think my breakdown cover includes changing wheels, but I'm not going to hang around for the breakdown guy to arrive, when (unless it's not safe) I can change it in a few minutes.
Click to expand...
We didnā€™t even have the option of buying a spare and it would take up 1/2 of the trunk if we found one. Itā€™s a run flat, good for ~50 km. There are easily zones where thatā€™s too far. We also carry that sealer.
 
The last tire I changed was 25 years ago & it was on my mom's car. New cars don't have spare tires any more; just a can of Fix a Flat.
 
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