MTFCA Forum

Good article, Steve. I'd add the size of the front wheel bearing cone and the stop nut and the rear axle nut. I've changed front wheels with a channel-loc plyers or adjustable wrenches ( it woldn't hurt to have a few spare cotter pins, which we should always carry, just in case). The adapter for the spark plug plug is 1/2" NPT or 14mm straight thread, depending,,. Drive careful, jb

Very well written, Mr. Dauntless. A good straight forward explanation for every T motorist to study.
Well done Steve.

Good article!

IMO, if battery technology continues to improve, those cordless tire pumps show real promise.

Good job Steve reminding T folks what’s needed for a tire repair. I have a wheel chock block somewhere in my garage that is stamped Tire block or something like that. It was used to chock a wheel to keep the car from moving a bit if your not on level ground. If I can find it I will a post a pic of it. I carry a 2x4 block with me anywhere I go. Just got use to doing it when I first started driving. I picked up the habit from my Father years and years ago.

Noticed the tire pump fitting lost some threads in the modification process, which would concern me. I'd suggest using a discarded tubeless tire stem with core removed, screw it on the original hose fitting, and then using the stem as a guide carefully drill out the center of the hose fitting. Just a suggestion, jb

Noticed the tire pump fitting lost some threads in the modification process, which would concern me. I'd suggest using a discarded tubeless tire stem with core removed, screw it on the original hose fitting, and then using the stem as a guide carefully drill out the center of the hose fitting. Just a suggestion, jb

Yes, the grinder did get the outer end of the threads. Fortunately not very much, and the connector works as it should. I like the idea of using a valve stem as a drill guide. It doesn't have to be tubeless. A stem cut off an old junk tube should do as well.

Was thinking of some items that might be needed - radiator & hub cap if missing from souvenir takers, band-aid items, and hard to find maintenance parts.

Only mistake I see is the spelling of mistake. LOL!

Only mistake I see is the spelling of mistake.

I wondered if anybody would notice.

LOL!

Steve, you are evil! These ex grade school teacher eyes are offended by poor spelling. That someone as erudite as you should deliberately mis-spell a word is most irresponsible.I was hoping no-one would notice. You have set a very poor example.

Allan from down under.

Steve,
Another item you might recommend carrying is at least one spare tube, for those times when a tube can't be repaired or you don't have the time to find a leak. And as a friend who came touring this way this summer would tell you, it's a good idea to actually have a spare tube under your seat rather than just think you have one there.
Ralph

Ralph, that is an excellent recommendation, but it is likely to give a false sense of security. The tubes available today are junk quality. A folded tube under a back seat, exposed to summer heat and that from the muffler, will quite quickly crack at the folds, rendering it not suitable for use. It should be checked regularly and replaced if it has deteriorated. If you can lay your hands on a butyl rubber tube from the 70's, grab it. Then remember to remove it and store in a cool place once you get home again.

Hope this helps.
Allan from own under.

Steve Jelf wrote: ↑

Tue Oct 27, 2020 2:05 pm

Only mistake I see is the spelling of mistake.

I wondered if anybody would notice.

I dud but someone else already pointed it out. You can correct it by selecting the pencil icon in the upper right corner of your first posting

Another item you might recommend carrying is at least one spare tube...

Between trips I store them.

Steve, that is the next best way to storing them, and clearly easier than fitting them into and mounting a tyre. I could not believe how well two red rubber Goodyear tubes came out of some old, mounted tyres. Keeping them out of the light also helps. My spares are stored in the cellar, which never varies from 72 degrees.
Allan from down under.

Good information and a reminder of what can happen. I recently had a tire problem that was going to develop into a small crises. I had noticed on my race car that the tire may have looked a little low when I left for breakfast. It is a 26-27 21'' on steel spoke rim. When I arrived at the cafe, I noticed the stem on my tire was crooked, so the tire had slipped on the rim. It was still up but would not last long in this configuration. I wasn't carrying anything that was going to fix it. Luckily some of the other guys had a jack and hand pump to get me going. This is the first sign of tire trouble I have had, but it is real and needs to be thought of.

That being said maybe some videos of how to... do the non demountables on the car probably would be a good thing. As always thanks for putting it out there.

You kids today!
I've always bought tires that go flat on the TOP and not the BOTTOM, so I can always get home.
Just saying.

I noticed the misteak mistake immediately.

But if it was intentional, was it a mistake? I like steak! jb

Steve - A couple very minor suggestions that you might consider adding to your excellent "flat tire" tips (unless already included but missed by me) and understand that you won't "hurt my feelings" if you don't use them:

Rather than the little plastic "cheapie" valve stem caps that most tire stores supply, I like to keep the old style metal valve stem caps on my cars that have the little tapered "spigot" with the notch that fits the valve core for removal. The tip you might consider is to carry with your tire tools, a modern rubber tubeless tire valve stem with such a metal valve cap affixed to it with lock-tight. Makes a much easier to use tool to remove and/or tighten valve cores than just the tiny little metal valve stem cap by itself,...especially with cold or wet fingers!

Also, I caught the fact that you mentioned "ambient" air is pumped into your tire with the old fashioned compression tire pump that screws into a spark plug hole. However, it seems that many, MANY people assume incorrectly that this device will fill your tire with gasoline fumes, which of course it won't. I'm thinking that many readers will miss your term "ambient", and you might consider adding one more sentence to advise that this compression pump merely uses engine compression to operate the pump which only pumps clean fresh air into your tire.

As always,...."FWIW",.....harold

Nice job, Steve. To be as prepared as possible with the tools and supplies for such a common repair is a big help, not to mention others' contributions on this thread. That's what this place is all about!

Count me in as someone who noticed your "misteak" right away. But I was quite certain that your misspell was deliberate and that you wouldn't have committed such a cairless error.

.....and, if he had indeed made such a "misteak", he'd have been sure to catch it on the first "poofread"!