basic driving skills

[JRscooby]

Not strictly RV related, but wonder how many of us can relate.
Yesterday I took wife to Dr's office in a big medical complex yesterday. Dropped her at door, and parked in sun to wait. Noticed a couple of late 20s/early 30s messing around a late modal GM pickup. Kinda watched while I cleaned windows of mine. Finally figured out they where jacking up left front. Now do I video for Utube, or offer to help?
They pointed out a hook, complete with tarpstrap, stuck in tire. "Have you got the nuts loose?" "These steel things are chocks, put under other tire to keep it from rolling of jack." Watched them with factory lug wrench, (look at the length of that tool, center of stud to center of hand and torque on nuts. If it is 15 inches long, nuts 100ftlbs, that means 80 lbs with 1 hand. Not embarrassed to say I don't think I can do it) loaned them socket and long breaker bar. "Think you should get spare down while sure truck can't fall?" Soon one asked how to get fastener loose in center of spare. A quick look "That is the end of wench cable" Look at bumper opened a plastic door, found a key slot instead of hole I expected. "Bet your key will pull that out so can drive wench" (nice touch GM) Loaned them my flashlite to see what part of tire tool needed to lower tire (they still have that) A few minutes later wife called, I wished them luck.
Now they had been in the parking lot, on a nice day for over a hour, and still not done. While I was there, 1 asked other if he had ever changed a tire Been a long time, the other said never. Flats are not as common as years past, but still happen. I think it is a good idea for everybody, but especially those of us that my be in area we don't know anybody, to pick a nice day and while at home be sure you know how to change a tire on what you drive. In the cold, dark and rain, with traffic rolling by is not the best place to go too school

[goducks10]

MFL wrote:

bucky wrote:

MFL wrote:
Good PSA JR!

I do think, since everyone is carrying a phone now, many rely on their phone, rather than any maintenance skills. That being said, I am not one of those folks, and would change my own tire.

I buy new vehicles, but still check the spare myself right away, to ensure proper psi, and to understand/examine the supplied tools to change.

On my truck, like you mentioned, the lug wrench would require a superman! The lug torque is supposed to be at 160.

Jerry

What are you driving with that large of a torque rating on a lug nut?

Ford SuperDuty in sig.

After reading NRALIFR's post, I realized torque on mine is also 165, not 160 ft lbs. Ford builds tough trucks, that wheels do not fall off from!

Here is a pic of another manufacturer's truck, that wheel fell off, while just driving down the street.



Jerry

I see that every time I leave the house. Scary to think that that is happening so often. Once on a camping trip, traffic was stopped on the hwy. I thought maybe there was a wreck. Nope it was a couple trucks like that with wheels that just came off. Guess they were traveling together so they could help each other when their wheels came off.

[ferndaleflyer]

Great post. These are the thoughts of the privileged few who don't know how to repair anything mechanical, just pay someone that knows how. The flip side is those of us that are lost in the electronics that fill our vehicles today as we are lost in that area. Should have seen me the first time a approached a computer 20 years ago. but I have taught myself and if I get stumped there is a 9 year old handy. You tube is my friend. And I remember when we did everything with horses, no electric, no car, no phone. We did so much with so little that we could do almost anything with nothing. But I have survived 80 years so far.

[mkirsch]

ferndaleflyer wrote:
Those of us with some mechanical and diagnostic skills will soon be gone, then what?

Others will step up and take your place as long as the skill is necessary. They always have, always will. Older generations have always bemoaned the downfall of society due to the younger generations, and "This time it will really happen! I just know it! All the signs are there!"

You're saying it about your grandkids. Your grandparents said it about you. Your great-grandparents said it about your parents. Your great-great grandparents said it about your grandparents... Need I go on?

All this is, is a time-honored tradition.

At one time, someone complained that their grandchildren did not know how to harness a horse, and that would lead to the downfall of society. Technology moves on and makes certain skills obsolete. Yes, even changing tires on the side of the road will eventually be obsolete. Only "weirdos" that play with those "antique" cars will need to know how to change a tire, as those "weirdos" who play with horses need to know how to harness them today.

[rjstractor]

noteven wrote:
My stupid Toyota has a manual in one of the glove boxes that details how to change a tire.

Well howdy! The manual for the F350 does too!

Is this a trend?

It seems so. Different OEMs seem to have different ideas of what they want their customers to attempt. My wife's new Kia owner's manual has pages that detail what every fuse and breaker is for, as well as how to change headlights, tail lights, fog lights, etc. My VW simply says "see an authorized VW dealer" for these same topics.

[MFL]

bucky wrote:

MFL wrote:
Good PSA JR!

I do think, since everyone is carrying a phone now, many rely on their phone, rather than any maintenance skills. That being said, I am not one of those folks, and would change my own tire.

I buy new vehicles, but still check the spare myself right away, to ensure proper psi, and to understand/examine the supplied tools to change.

On my truck, like you mentioned, the lug wrench would require a superman! The lug torque is supposed to be at 160.

Jerry

What are you driving with that large of a torque rating on a lug nut?

Ford SuperDuty in sig.

After reading NRALIFR's post, I realized torque on mine is also 165, not 160 ft lbs. Ford builds tough trucks, that wheels do not fall off from!

Here is a pic of another manufacturer's truck, that wheel fell off, while just driving down the street.



Jerry

[Mr_Mark1]

I have a couple of 'flat' stories. In CA, the car I have there has run-flats and no spare. There was construction going on in the neighborhood and of course, I picked up a screw in driver's side rear tire. Slow leak. First, I didn't know that it had run-flats 😮

I took the car to America's Tire to have it repaired. They didn't know how to get the center emblem off of the wheel but finally figured it out. Well, that repair didn't work because it was a 'run-flat'.

The tire went flat in the garage while I was out of town. Thank goodness, my housekeeper's son borrowed a mechanics jack from his friend to lift the the frame so that the car wouldn't sit on the flat as I was out of town for a little while.

When I returned, I used my air pump to get the tire inflated and air was coming out of the repair like old faithful. I didn't want to have the car towed so a light bulb went off in my head....... I found a screw and screwed it into the hole and filled the tire with air. It didn't lose one ounce of air overnight so I drove it to the dealer to get a new tire.

That's when I found out that you don't repair a run-flat. The goo was coming out of the hole where the failed repair was done.

Second story..... I was driving my Lincoln MKX to Nashville 'the back way' and I ran over something that punctured the right rear tire. I heard a thump thump thump and then heard something hit the inside of the wheel well flying away. Soon, the TPMS icon turned on.... the pressure went from 38 psi to 12 psi as I started parking on the side of the country highway.

I didn't want to use my AAA and go through that wait so I called the local 'non-emergency' number for the police dept. to ask about a tire garage around that could come out. The nice lady said she would send them.

Soon, a police car showed up along with a sheriff's car. I told the guy that I was waiting for tire guy to come change my flat. He said: "we are the tire guys". I know that y'all are thinking why I didn't do it myself. I don't have a wonderful back and it's been exactly 39 yrs. since I changed a flat on my 1981 Oldsmobile Delta 88 in 1982.

Then these two young guys that looked not be over 14 yrs. old (I'm 63).... quickly changed the tire and then recommended a tire company about 5 miles down the road to fix my tire. I told them I was going to Nashville and they didn't think it was a good idea to run a donut at 70 mph for 200 miles. The tire shop fixed and reinstalled the regular tire so I was good to go!

I was so lucky that the guys helped me.

Safe travels,
Mark

[NRALIFR]

bucky wrote:
What are you driving with that large of a torque rating on a lug nut?

Every truck I’ve owned that has eight or ten lug wheels has a pretty high torque spec on the lug nuts.

My current truck is 165 ft/lbs, and I have a three foot long torque wrench to get it done. I don’t carry that one with me, but I do have some extra tools in the truck to help changing a tire. Real sockets and a long breaker bar to name a few. Since my weight tends to hover around 165, I think I can put a close approximation of 165 ft/lbs on a lug nut if I have to.

:):)

:R Let’s Go Girls! 😛
NRA Benefactor Life Member
Lance 1121-Two Awnings, Slide topper, 3.6 kw Gen, Trimetric Batt. Monitor, 1500W Inverter, 40A Redarc DC-DC charger. 2016 F450 6.7 PSD.

[JRscooby]

noteven wrote:
My stupid Toyota has a manual in one of the glove boxes that details how to change a tire.

Well howdy! The manual for the F350 does too!

Is this a trend?

No, not a trend, unless it started before I bought my first new vehicle. But many, if not most people have a better idea from reading and doing than just reading. And I bet a very small percentage will read manual before that wet night with traffic rolling past.

[noteven]

My stupid Toyota has a manual in one of the glove boxes that details how to change a tire.

Well howdy! The manual for the F350 does too!

Is this a trend?

[bucky]

MFL wrote:
Good PSA JR!

I do think, since everyone is carrying a phone now, many rely on their phone, rather than any maintenance skills. That being said, I am not one of those folks, and would change my own tire.

I buy new vehicles, but still check the spare myself right away, to ensure proper psi, and to understand/examine the supplied tools to change.

On my truck, like you mentioned, the lug wrench would require a superman! The lug torque is supposed to be at 160.

Jerry

What are you driving with that large of a torque rating on a lug nut?

[JRscooby]

ktmrfs wrote:
"back in the day" the old "bumper jacks" were NOT the safest thing around either. More than once I'd seen or heard of cases where the car would roll forward/backward or side/side off the bumper jack. Lifting one end of the car off the ground with the bumper jack was not an invitation for any kind of stability.

Yes, bumper jacks had there issues I can remember Dad getting the whole family out of the '58 Ford, lifting the rear of car as high as the jack would lift, then pushing sideways to get car out of ditch. "Boys, see how easy it can fall? Be careful when jacking"
One thing that scares me when people decide a bottle jack is better than factory; You get the car up, the flat off, discover need to go up another little bit. Bumper jack or bottle jack, (or even the factory screw jack) that last bit is when the car is most likely to fall. And most bottle jacks, at least 1 arm is under the car working the jack, and the wheel isn't there to limit the down travel.
Sense I started this thread, I have discovered it takes a lot of torque on the factory jack as it gets to top end of travel. Have decided I will cut some 2X6 blocks to ride on top of spare wheel. 2 or 3 to pull the flat up on, before mess with nuts or jack, then 1 or 2 under the jack. Use wood and the engine to do most of the lifting.

[rjstractor]

time2roll wrote:
My first tire change did not go perfect either. I give credit for the continued effort with eventual success. Plenty would walk away and call for assistance.

Nor did mine. I was riding with my sister at age 15 in a '76 Gran Torino and we got a flat on the freeway. By the time my dad arrived I had the tire changed, only to have him point out that I installed the lug nuts with the tapered side out. Still got an attaboy for putting in the work though. I still think about that every time I change a tire, and thankfully that's not often.

[Cummins12V98]

MFL wrote:
Hey Ron...was thinking of your wife, when you posted in Quartzsite thread, about being secure. I would not want to break into your RV, with either one of you on the other side! She is a capable lady!

Jerry

YEP she has her own pc of metal, er uh polymer......

[MFL]

Hey Ron...was thinking of your wife, when you posted in Quartzsite thread, about being secure. I would not want to break into your RV, with either one of you on the other side! She is a capable lady!

Jerry

[Cummins12V98]

MFL wrote:
Good PSA JR!

I do think, since everyone is carrying a phone now, many rely on their phone, rather than any maintenance skills. That being said, I am not one of those folks, and would change my own tire.

I buy new vehicles, but still check the spare myself right away, to ensure proper psi, and to understand/examine the supplied tools to change.

On my truck, like you mentioned, the lug wrench would require a superman! The lug torque is supposed to be at 160.

Jerry

I figure this is a good reason to keep her around!