RE: PH Blog: right wheels, wrong wheels
Discussion
Oddball RS said:
Buy a proper wheel spanner or spider and do it properly before you damage something / hurt someone. Standing on it, i ask you.
Props to anyone who actually changes their own wheels - the desire to overpay a tyrefitter or even use the rescue services (for flats) is strong in those who should know better!!I once found myself stranded by the 'company hack' Ford KA and a flat tyre. "NO problemo" I thought, there's a jack and, amazingly, a spare with air in it.
Problem is - standard manufacturer-supplied jacks and spanners are, of course, dangerous, useless s
t. The nuts were locked-solid and no amount of force was shifting them (with the tiny pointless wrench and a car balanced on a half-scissor jack made of paper).So I took to stamping on the bar and got the nuts off - put the spare on - put the nuts back on and as I went to tighten them, the car fell-off the jack!! Now THAT is what I call timing - any earlier and it would have landed on me!!
Had pretty-much the same experience with a Vectra a few years later except the jack collapsed when I was putting the spare on (leaving it jammed under the hub at 45 degrees and me lacking a lot of skin from my hand).
I'm amazed no manufacturers have been sued for the utter s
t which is the supplied jack and spanners - problem is, carrying a prybar extension or a proper trolley jack isn't very practical.Has anyone given-in and tried those 'big plastic bag you inflate from the exhaust' jacks??
Edited by johnpeat on Monday 23 January 15:40
I preferred the small wheels; I can't stand the rubber-band look of low-profile tyres. On the plainer, simpler wheels, with real tyres on, the Golf just looked more "right". It looked like it might ride properly and handle more sweetly, and less like the wheels might get kerbed on a gravel drive.
johnpeat said:
Problem is - standard manufacturer-supplied jacks and spanners are, of course, dangerous, useless st. The nuts were locked-solid and no amount of force was shifting them (with the tiny pointless wrench and a car balanced on a half-scissor jack made of paper).
<snip>
as I went to tighten them, the car fell-off the jack!! Now THAT is what I call timing - any earlier and it would have landed on me!!
Not arguing with the fact the standard jacks are very unsafe, however ideally the bolts should be snapped off when the car is on the floor, and only done up finger tight until the car is back down.t. The nuts were locked-solid and no amount of force was shifting them (with the tiny pointless wrench and a car balanced on a half-scissor jack made of paper).<snip>
as I went to tighten them, the car fell-off the jack!! Now THAT is what I call timing - any earlier and it would have landed on me!!
Those 18" wheels look a LOT better than the original equipment GTI giant telephone dial Monzas IMHO.
I didn't spot any mention of what rubber is on the summer wheels. They look suspiciously like the Hankook Ventus V12 225/40 ZR18 that I have on my MKV GT TDI 170. These tyres are stunning and MUCH better than the Continental Sport Contacts that I had previously.
Incidentally I think the best looking VW alloys are these Charlestons on my car (well I would wouldn't I!!!)
I didn't spot any mention of what rubber is on the summer wheels. They look suspiciously like the Hankook Ventus V12 225/40 ZR18 that I have on my MKV GT TDI 170. These tyres are stunning and MUCH better than the Continental Sport Contacts that I had previously.
Incidentally I think the best looking VW alloys are these Charlestons on my car (well I would wouldn't I!!!)
Ross_T_Boss said:
On the wheel front... I prefer the 'summer' look.
On the function front (after all, that's what winters are for)... perhaps a bit premature, seeing as the coldest months in the UK are Jan/Feb.
The MET office website says possible snow and frost in the next week UK wide, with a 50/50 chance of a prolonged cold snap and possible snow in Feb. You might be getting that breaker bar back out again, winter isn't over yet!
Oh pleeeeees snow! I have been pussy footing around in my M5 with winter tyres on 17s for weeks now just hoping for some of the white stuff. All I am getting is distracted by the traction control light!On the function front (after all, that's what winters are for)... perhaps a bit premature, seeing as the coldest months in the UK are Jan/Feb.
The MET office website says possible snow and frost in the next week UK wide, with a 50/50 chance of a prolonged cold snap and possible snow in Feb. You might be getting that breaker bar back out again, winter isn't over yet!
jon- said:
Not arguing with the fact the standard jacks are very unsafe, however ideally the bolts should be snapped off when the car is on the floor, and only done up finger tight until the car is back down.
I usually get the jack 'wedged' first and then remove the nuts - the car is still 'on the ground' but the jack will catch it if anything goes awry.It's also when you find out that the jack doesn't work or the jack point is a rusty mess - BEFORE you loosen the nuts
...You have got to be 
are those Golfs really north of £30k?!..I like a Golf as much as the next man but the guys who were saying £31/£34k estimation, either makes the stunning new Boxster at just over £37k seem like even more of a bargain than I previously thought it was..
..as for the wheels, the larger original wheels do look the part, but I would not bet against snow/cold snap in february, to my mind it usually seems to snow in feb, even though the last few years we have generaly had more snow pre Xmas
..as for the wheels, the larger original wheels do look the part, but I would not bet against snow/cold snap in february, to my mind it usually seems to snow in feb, even though the last few years we have generaly had more snow pre Xmas
Think that your stated logic for switching is a bit out.
First you say it isn't cold enough for the winters, then that you are swapping to see if the winters really are any better in the cold. But, it isn't cold so you aren't going to be able to do that, are you?
Just admit it, you are a big wheel/rubber band tyre tart!
First you say it isn't cold enough for the winters, then that you are swapping to see if the winters really are any better in the cold. But, it isn't cold so you aren't going to be able to do that, are you?
Just admit it, you are a big wheel/rubber band tyre tart!
johnpeat said:
Props to anyone who actually changes their own wheels - the desire to overpay a tyrefitter or even use the rescue services (for flats) is strong in those who should know better!!
I once found myself stranded by the 'company hack' Ford KA and a flat tyre. "NO problemo" I thought, there's a jack and, amazingly, a spare with air in it.
Problem is - standard manufacturer-supplied jacks and spanners are, of course, dangerous, useless st. The nuts were locked-solid and no amount of force was shifting them (with the tiny pointless wrench and a car balanced on a half-scissor jack made of paper).
So I took to stamping on the bar and got the nuts off - put the spare on - put the nuts back on and as I went to tighten them, the car fell-off the jack!! Now THAT is what I call timing - any earlier and it would have landed on me!!
Had pretty-much the same experience with a Vectra a few years later except the jack collapsed when I was putting the spare on (leaving it jammed under the hub at 45 degrees and me lacking a lot of skin from my hand).
I'm amazed no manufacturers have been sued for the utter st which is the supplied jack and spanners - problem is, carrying a prybar extension or a proper trolley jack isn't very practical.
Has anyone given-in and tried those 'big plastic bag you inflate from the exhaust' jacks??
Agreed. They are bloody unsafe.I once found myself stranded by the 'company hack' Ford KA and a flat tyre. "NO problemo" I thought, there's a jack and, amazingly, a spare with air in it.
Problem is - standard manufacturer-supplied jacks and spanners are, of course, dangerous, useless s
t. The nuts were locked-solid and no amount of force was shifting them (with the tiny pointless wrench and a car balanced on a half-scissor jack made of paper).So I took to stamping on the bar and got the nuts off - put the spare on - put the nuts back on and as I went to tighten them, the car fell-off the jack!! Now THAT is what I call timing - any earlier and it would have landed on me!!
Had pretty-much the same experience with a Vectra a few years later except the jack collapsed when I was putting the spare on (leaving it jammed under the hub at 45 degrees and me lacking a lot of skin from my hand).
I'm amazed no manufacturers have been sued for the utter s
t which is the supplied jack and spanners - problem is, carrying a prybar extension or a proper trolley jack isn't very practical.Has anyone given-in and tried those 'big plastic bag you inflate from the exhaust' jacks??
Edited by johnpeat on Monday 23 January 15:40
Day to day I carry a scissor jack about, MUCH better than the widow maker in the spare wheel well, but nowhere near as heavy and cumbersome as a full on trolley jack. Have a standard extending wheel nut wrench that gives plenty of extra torque for getting those seized ones off, even with my skinny arms. Does me for the twice yearly removal and refitting of the winter boots.
Stitch said:
Think that your stated logic for switching is a bit out.
First you say it isn't cold enough for the winters, then that you are swapping to see if the winters really are any better in the cold. But, it isn't cold so you aren't going to be able to do that, are you?
Just admit it, you are a big wheel/rubber band tyre tart!
First you say it isn't cold enough for the winters, then that you are swapping to see if the winters really are any better in the cold. But, it isn't cold so you aren't going to be able to do that, are you?
Just admit it, you are a big wheel/rubber band tyre tart!
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