MTFCA Forum

Good morning! I have clincher tires on my car which I had installed by Universal 2 years ago. New tires, tubes, flaps. I keep them at 60 psi but will raise the rears to 70 per Suzanne's recent post. I have only done limited driving/touring so far, and so far, so good. But I know the day is coming when a tire will assume the non-round condition!

I repaired many a bicycle flat when I was a kid, but car tires are a new ball game. Can you tire changers out there advise what I need to carry with me to do do this repair by the side of the road? What works best for a jack? What works best for a pump? (I run with a 12 volt battery). I know Mr. Thrifty likes the HF tire irons, but what other tools are needed? Is it best to leave the wheel on the car, or take it off? Do you carry a spare tube or just a patch kit?

You get the idea. In the dark here. Thanks, Bill

Royce shows how it is done:

http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/25 ... 1343386992

You may want to try changing the tire at home instead of waiting until you have trouble along the highway. That way you'll know what to do and how to do it. Better to be off the road when experimenting rather then having cars whizzing past while you work.

Speaking of Royce, it was his suggestion that led me to the bicycle foot pump I carry. I was dubious, but found it surprisingly efficient.
I wire it to a piece of plywood to keep it upright on uneven ground.

My running board tool box contains a standard Ford screw jack which I've had to use more than once. It's fine. I also carry a piece of 2 x 8 board to put under it.

I don't carry a patch kit or a spare tube. I carry a patch kit AND a spare tube. I added the patch kit because after you use the spare tube you could still get a puncture in it.

I agree with me that the HF irons are much better than the original Ford irons. I've changed tires both on the car and off, and I don't see much difference.

Royce makes it look so easy.
I have been trying to mount my first of 4 new excelsior (SP) tires for the last month and am getting nowhere.
The rubber is soft and they smell like new, I am going to try leaving it out in the Tucson sun for a few hours today and see if that helps.
I am 80 and don't seem to be as strong as I used to be which may be the problem.

Don't know about anyone else but I have found that a patch kit is no longer worth carrying. For some reason these new tubes just won't hold a patch. I don't know if its the tube, the patch or the glue but I never had any problem patching a tube until recently and I am still running tubes with 3 or more patches that have been in service for longer than I can remember. The new tubes are garbage and I just toss them when they get a puncture. Carry spare tubes but store them correctly or they will be junk when you need them.

Royce is changing a soft white tire. I would like to see him do that with a black universal.

The new tubes are garbage...

I read that a batch of the Custom Classic tubes (India) were folded and packaged before they had cooled sufficiently, causing them to crack. I don't know if that was the reason, but I patched one seven times before I finally tossed it. There was nothing wrong with the patches. The tube just kept cracking. I've had no such problem with the Hartford tubes (China). I also have an unbranded tube from the EEC, but I haven't used it yet.

Thanks to all. Another question, how do you store tubes " correctly " ?

Put in just enough air to keep them round.