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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Do I need a spare wheel?

A bit left field this. I'm planning a trip to Venice next year in the Sprite. Done it before, in 1981, but this time it will go on the train from Dusseldorf. So what to carry? Leaving the spare wheel behind will leave a lot of space for luggage and spare parts. I have a tyre inflater kit, and new cars are often delivered without spare wheels now. In 40 years the car has only suffered one puncture, and other failures are a lot more frequent. Based on bitter experience, I plan to take with us these spares:

Water pump
Head gasket
Dynamo and starter brushes
Spark plugs
Throttle cable
Pack of gasket paper
Axle half shaft
Ancillary drive belt
Thermostat
Fuel hose
Brake rubber seals
Relays, fuses, bulbs etc

In any case the spare wheel is original with a very old tyre, probably illegal to use in most countries. I don't see the value in buying a new tyre that I will never use, as the other wheels are 5" Minators. Has anyone else done this?

Les
L B Rose

I’d say a definite yes you need one. And £50 for a new tyre is nothing compared to the nightmare of being stuck at the side of the autobahn at night in the rain! Those inflation kits only work on about 50% of deflations.

John Payne

I have now done over 95,000 miles in my Sprite without a spare in board. And never needed it. That's not to say I wouldn't take one if going around Europe with it. Depends on if you can squeeze it in.

I did once, many years ago, get home after getting a flat tyre by stuffing the cover full of dry grass from the verge. But that was on an Austin 7.

I would add to your list, Radweld, jump leads, a 3 metre length of insulated wire, duct tape, zip ties, some tying wire,a couple of jubilee clips , half a dozen nuts bolts and washers and some hand cleaner.
GuyW

yes take the spare. I was in Northern Spain 3 years ago crossing the Picos de Europas. A nail went through the sidewall. No way would an inflator kit have helped and I would have been stuck on the mountain.Finding a replacement 145X13 tyre afterwards was not easy.

A comment on the list, I did not worry about the thermostat as it can run without one especially if its warm. I also did not bother with the dynamo water pump or half shaft as I figured if they go I will get recovery home. I did check the pump and dynamo before I went for brush wear etc. I did take a fuel pump. What about hoses? although PVC tape can fix it.
Bob Beaumont

Short answer - yes.

Duct tape and cable-ties - the TVR repair kit!

More involved answer if you want to read it is below.

If you really need to take all the stuff listed in this thread so far should you be taking that car?

Wouldn't it be better to replace any faulty or suspect parts well before going so that you can check and test any parts you have replaced are fully functioning and reliable with regular real world road tests as part of your use and enjoyment of the car.

Any parts you do take need to be tested, the most reliable way to do this is as above, so you'd then do what, take the parts you have just taken off as spares and/or get other spare parts which you'd need to test on the car as above, where's it end.

I've never been to Venice, is it at the backend of beyond, through deserts or 4th world areas without mobile signals and civilisations that have seen cars.

With various classics I've had enough breakdowns or stoppages or faults to last me two lifetimes but that has been with various vehicle and piss-poor modern parts and car trade employees.

Small items as a security blanket I can understand as they don't take too much space but the big heavy stuff and all the big heavy tools required for fitting work is beyond me.

I'm the same as Guy I've not carried a spare wheel (or jack and brace) for decades, I do carry a manual foot pump (and separate accurate gauge) which have helped others mostly but got me home very easily IIRC the once I had to use it for that. I've had IIRC three punctures in 42 years of driving.

I gave up carrying the tyre inflation foam cans years ago when they went out of date.

Given everything else to be carried and the fact that damaged tyres or wheel is third most common cause of breakdowns (according to the AA) then yes take a spare wheel and tyre.

Of course the AA list for breakdowns covers all sorts of drivers many of whom carry out very few if any maintenance checks and may not be over careful with their driving (wrongly inflated or loaded tyres, bumping up kerbs regularly at too greater speed, unnoticed faults in tyres, excessively worn tyres, ect.).
Nigel Atkins

Les,
if you have a look on the B and A sections in the Archives you'll see some very comprehensive lists and suggestions.

One chap not only carries a spare fuel pump it is actually fitted, wired and plumbed up only requiring a flick of the switch to take over from the standard fitted pump should it start to ail.

Now this was because he'd previously had a fuel pump problem.

So did I years ago, on another car, but I took another approach I fitted to my current midget a Hardi (Q&H) type (electronic) fuel pump and have never worried about it since.

Nigel Atkins

I did once mend a puncture with a self-tapping screw.

Having parked and locked the car, I was walking away and noticed a hissing sound behind me. I returned to the car to find that there was a puncture in the NSF tyre.

Not wanting to empty the boot and change the tyre, as it was quite late at night, I got out my tool case from the boot, found a suitable screw and fitted it into the hole in the tread.
As I also had an electric pump, I blew it up to the correct pressure, job done.

As the tyre was nearing the end of its useful life, I had it replaced the next morning, but the temporary repair got me home and to the tyre shop the next day.
Dave O'Neill 2

A cautionary tale.

In my MGA in thirty years for space reasons I have left the spare at home. On both of those two occasions (and on no others!) sod's law struck and I had a puncture. Both times I was able to limp from one air station to the next until I got home, but in both cases I was within 70km of home when the first problems surfaced. Needless to say I am now paranoid about leaving the spare behind.... It seems toact as a talisman against punctures in my case.

If you have a can of puncture foam and think you can get tyres easily en route, go for it. Otherwise Mrs Les needs to pack fewer shoes.!

BTW when I buy new tyres I always buy a set of five and change all of them - on all my cars. There is no point having a problem and finding the spare is unusable. That said if your spare is a bad as you say, it's just dead weight and there is absolutely no point taking it without fitting a new tyre.
Dominic Clancy

Leave the spare and the whole list of parts at home.
You will always break the part you did not bring!

If you are in doubt about the state of your car service it and replace anything in doubt.
A creditcard, breakdown recovery insurance and a bit of patience will solve all troubles you encounter.

O K

I don't carry a spare. Only twice in 45 years have I needed one. On both occasions I was able to get away with it, albeit once by driving 50+ miles dead slow on a flat until I could get a new tyre fitted.
As your tyre size is nowadays unusual have you considered taking just a tyre which can be stuffed with other spares? You could get it fitted by any tyre place without having to worry about finding the right size in bongo-bongo land.
On the other hand squirty cans aren't exactly expensive and will get you out of roughly 50% of tyre problems. Temporarily...
I used to carry them but I don't anymore because every one I bought I ended up chucking away, like Nigel.
Greybeard

I am trying to take a risk-based approach.In 40 years breakdowns have included:

Head gasket - several
Half shaft - 4
Fuel pump - 3
Thermostat - several
Heater valve - 2
Water pump - 1 (that was on the first Venice trip)
Dynamo pulley - 1 (Venice again)
Dynamo - 2
Fanbelt - 1
Puncture - 1

I agree that the tyre repair cans might not always work, but maybe there is a good enough chance they will. I really don't want to put a 5" wheel in the boot and have even less space. Anyway just thinking about this at the moment. I have restored the boot rack so I might put the spare on that.

Les
L B Rose

Was it the SAAB that used an emergency space saver spare that fits a Spridget? It's been mentioned on here before. Of course that pre- supposed you can find one.
GuyW

AFAIK the SAAB wheel is 14" and fits the MGB.

I wouldn't carry a spacesaver, they are speed limited and a "get you home" item. As well as the fact that you have then to find space for the full sized wheel & tyre it replaces....

Take the normal wheel with a new tyre, turn it upside down and you can pack things in the centre as well as around it. Suitably sized soft luggage will also squash in the boot and behind the front seats.

Chris at Octarine Services

Personally I'd carry a spare as in the 12 years of using my Sprite as a daily driver I've needed one on a couple of occasions. I wouldn't bother with spare brake seals as unlikely to fail suddenly but if you take them then spare fluid would be required which I would take in preference to the seals, neither though would take up much space.

A mate and his wife toured Europe in a Caterham 7 and the storage in a Sprite is cavernous by comparison. They had a minor collision in the UK on the way to the port which resulted in a later stub axle failure on the continent. It got sorted quickly and they carried on their journey, this was in the 1990s IIRC, replacement part quickly shipped out and fitted, you can't carry every spare. I mentioned it to another guy I knew and he said he wouldn't tour in a Caterham as he would like to have enough storage for more than a change of underwear.
David Billington

Les,
just because something has broken before doesn’t it or it’s replacement will break again.

As Onno has put prevention is better than cure.
Head gasket – I’ve done a whole weekend tour with HGF and I know someone who must have been running his classic for 18 months (mind he was a proper classic owner and infrequently used it but at least one run to Scotland and back) with minor HGF.

Halfshafts I’ve never had one go, I’d look at stronger ones (or is two sets in 40 years good?).

Fuel pump – as I put before I replace with a Hardi (QH) electronic, fit and forget, as you know I’ve no time for hitting with sticks or farting about with points.

Heater valve – well those modern made Mini ones are known to be poor (standard heater taps generally just weep/leak.
Water pump, yes they can go but are so cheap you’d replace them whilst doing other work as a service/prevention item.

Dynamo pulley on Venice trip so could that have related to or contributed to the water pump perhaps.

Dynamo twice – faulty parts or (and obviously I don’t know) perhaps preventative maintenance required.

Fanbelt – I’ve never had a fanbelt go but I do replace any I don’t know the history of or at 3-5
years old (depending on car) (I’ve spun two fanbelts off showing off in cars, one the Midget, but that’s a different matter and obviously my fault, no issues either time).

Puncture – as with others, I’ve never had a problem, I just carry manual foot pump (and separate accurate gauge).

Take whatever makes you comfortable you don’t want your holiday spoilt because you’re unsettled.

As I put before have a look at the MGA and MGB Archives here for comprehensive lists on what might be needed and other ideas.

I couldn’t even begin to make a list of all the stoppages and breakdowns I’ve experienced in the last few years let alone 42! – That’s why I now bang on about preventative maintenance and servicing and loathe being a roadside repairer – or waiting to be recovered.
Nigel Atkins

David,
tell the other guy once again Westfields are better as you can get more than one pair of knickers in the boot, and you can have a lockable boot lid (better car too :)).
Nigel Atkins

Looking at risks -

Classic car No 1 – some owners (present company excluded), some in the car business and piss-poor modern made parts.

AA top 10 breakdown causes –

1. Flat or faulty battery – Usually very easily avoided or got around.

2. Lost keys – Give your wife a spare set of keys and documents to keep safe.
I always alternate the set of keys I use at the 6-month service, that way I get more even wear on keys and locks plus it means I know where to find the spare set and that they all fit and work easily.

3. Damaged tyres and wheels – Well we’ve covered those already.

4 & 5 – For diesels.

6. Engine oil – Well hopefully we’re not the average motorist and engine oil and carbs is classic bread and butter.

7. Alternator faults – I suggest a lot of alternator, like other faults here, relate to the average modern driver – certainly more than a classic owner that drives and looks after their car regularly.

8 Starter motor – Easy to get around normally, bit of a luxury item in a Spridget. :)

9. Fuel problems – run out of fuel, put the wrong fuel in, foolish mistakes to make – and yes I’ve run out of fuel more than once (not anymore as my wife refused to push the cars anymore years back) and busting for a pee (an age thing) and not thinking diesel in the Midget (covered by my insurance, the wrong fuelling not my old age problem).

10. Overheating – Again modern drivers lack of vehicle sympathy but perhaps overheating is prevalent in classics but again if it’s just getting very warm, or even overheating, it can be got round.
Nigel Atkins

I'd be taking a spare, if you stash it away with the back of the wheel upwards you can find yourself a plastic bowl to fit inside the rim and throw all your smaller spares in there- INCLUDING- as you have Minators on ,
you probably need a set of wheel nuts to fit the wheel as well---------
William Revit

Good point by Willy, my Minators use the standard wheel nuts but those are for the Rostyles (unless Les has those hubs too).
Nigel Atkins

Too late Willy - I already said that about the wheel upside down! If it is clean then no bowl needed and spares can be wrapped in bubble wrap to stop them rattling about.
Chris at Octarine Services

Ahh Chris--sorry mate, I missed that---
The bowl just makes it easy if you have to use the wheel, just lift the bowl and all it's contents out as one----
For my clothes when touring I used to have a small suitcase for my mgb it just sat flat on the floor in front of the passengers seat, completely out of the way
William Revit

Perhaps look at upgrading a few parts with higher quality items?
For example if you had 4 halfshaft failures it might be a good thing to switch to stronger ones.
As for HG failures if they are that common then perhaps an proper engine build/cooling system overhaul is needed.
Fuel pump go for a solid state SU or simple Facet

Yes those solutions might be more expensive to buy once but to me the lack of failures is worth it

Most of the other failures won’t stop you or can be fixed with no parts or localy available ones.
And Moss can ship quickly to any hotel or campsite ;)
O K

The Frogeye doesn't have a boot lid so it means dragging stuff over the seats I think Willy's idea of a bowl may have merit for lifting and storing plus a bowl may come in useful for other uses (catching tears of desperation at yet another stoppage/breakdown/broken or faulty parts).
Nigel Atkins

On my car with minilite copies I had to fit extended studs. This means that a steel wheel won’t fit without a spacer as the nuts bottom out before clamping the wheel. Another thing to check.

Am I imagining it or did we used to have a sort of register of people willing to help in case of breakdowns? Would be handy in case of major breakdowns to have a friendly name to contact in the country you are in that knows Midgets.
John Payne

John

I think that was a MASC thing.
Dave O'Neill 2

My experience with half shafts is very long. The original Frogeye ones twist up like barley sugar. In 1972 I put a 1098 engine in my first Frogeye and both shafts broke within months. I fitted new 1275 ones and no problems after that. When I rebuilt the present car I had several parts heat treated, including the shafts, but both broke. Currently I have late Spridget ones. One of these broke 4 years ago and I rushed down to Andy Jennings to pick up another pair of 1275 ones. There was no time to get new ones delivered as the car was required for my son's wedding using wedding cars sevenoaks! So far they have been OK. Of course, they are more likely to break at the inner end which is a pain.

The fuel pump is SU but with the Burlen electronic pack and a new coil.

Head gaskets have not failed since I had the head skimmed - it was 4 thou warped.

Les
L B Rose

I am with Onno although I once was in serious trouble without spare wheel. Why not buy Peter May competition half shafts? (yes 210-250 pound ex VAT, but don't tell your better half) a Pierburg fuel pump did not let me down in 21 years. A mobile phone and credit card is better than a lot of Spridget spares. have fun.

Flip
Flip Brühl

From a design point of view the Dennis Welch ones look better and are pre Growlerised but are spendy https://www.bighealey.co.uk/sprite-midget-parts/spridget-axle-4/competition-12-shaft-sprite-zcrax152
David Billington

Those Dennis Welch ones don't look growlerized to me. You need to carry the shaft thinning into the splines to stop the stress riser caused by the splines. The DW ones will still be susceptible to snapping in the same place as standard halfshafts. Reading the description they use better material and thin the halfshaft to save weight. If they had carried the thinning into the splined area it would have been a lot stronger as well.
Rob
MG Moneypit

I've mounted the spare on the boot lid previously for a foreign trip. Used a scrap fixing cut from a boot floor and drilled for bolts - temporarily remove the octagon badge, cant remember - may not even needed to drill new holes under the badge. Cut a bit of thin circular foam for the tyre to rest on. Worked very wheel - needless to say - didn't have to use it.
S G Macfarlane

When my Sprite's wearing it's Minlite clones I carry one of the steel wheels as a spare. This thread has made me realise that, as the Minilites have 165 tyres, the steel wheels have 155s, I suppose with that set up it technically becomes a space saver, so I'll have to limit the speed if I ever have to use it.

Like John, I found that, after I fitted longer studs for my Minilite clones, the unthreaded shank was too long so that the nuts couldn't clamp the steel wheels.

I solved it by making spacers out of wheel nuts. I drilled thread out and a neighbour turned them down to 10mm thick. I just have to remember to turn the nuts round and put them on flat end first.

And Flip's got the right idea with half shafts. When SWMBO saw the credit card bill after I bought my pair of PM competition shafts, she wasn't impressed and had a few choice comments to make. What I didn't tell her was that I paid for one of them with cash!

C



C Mee

I was fortunate when I got my alloys they came as a set of 5 off an FSO Polonez I guess fitted by the UK importer, they're Xacton and I've only ever seen about 3 other sets of the same design. The Polonez had a larger PCD so I machined the wheels to 4" PCD and fitted stainless adapters to take sleeve nuts.
David Billington

It is quite interesting to see what people have to say with regard to what spares to carry.
I have travelled far and wide at home and abroad in my cars sometimes on organise tours, sometimes on tours that I have organised, and sometimes on my own. Czech Republic; Hungary, Slovakia. I have been privileged to drive every major, and several minor, GP Circuit in Europe in one or other of my Sprites.

On a tour that I have organised I will often take a spare Dizzy set up with points. It is an easy swop and does not delay the group. If on my own I carry base plate with points and condenser.

Parts can be sent out to foreign locations: if time permits. We have had an alternator sent to Nice; Maniflow exhaust system to a gite near Le Mans, a half shaft brought by a friend of the recipient to Arnage "High Street", Le Mans and FWB to Mulhouse.

Having taken along various rubbers I have rebuilt a slave cylinder, really fit for the dustbin, in a Hotel car park. Cut a suitable brake cylinder rubber in the village square, in France - 18mths on and it is still working well.

I have made various brackets from a perforated strip of steel that I carry.

I have supplied Fuel pump.
Some problems are by lack of maintenance for example I have had to chisel a rotor arm off a Dizzy as it cracked by rust expansion. Garage maintained?
But not all. A rare failure on my Sebring Rep: a small wire, internal, broke on my alternator high on a mountain with darkness falling.
We swopped my battery for another and whilst I ran down the battery mine was charged on another car till be reached the Hotel.

On a Frogeye a thin plastic, compartmental, case fits nicely between the heater and the battery for small items. I have a spare coil bolted under the bonnet.
The rest are in the boot in a motorcycle pannier bag.

The picture is of a breakdown, some years back, in France. The lady, whose house we were outside, brought out a tray of coffees for us all. Noticing her car had a flat we repaid her generosity by changing the wheel for her.



Alan Anstead

After all this chat about risk of breakdowns, on Monday the car did just that. Bad electrical connection to fuel pump. I knew where to look (as I had rewired the car) but could not work on a busy main road. I was near home so walked back and called the breakdown service. Just as well I was not waiting in the car in a blizzard as, seven hours later, they had still not turned up. Long story short, the service is provided by Axa and they initially said it would be 60-90 mins for recovery. The recovery contractor texted 20 mins later to say it would be 2 hours, ie nearly 3 hours since I originally called. They promised to give me 10 mins warning so I could return to the car. Needless to say I never heard any more, and had to keep phoning Axa who never knew what was going on. The recovery contractor always took over 5 mins to answer the phone, and frankly was not bothered. After the last promise was broken I walked back to the car and damn me if it didn't start up. Then I had the final frustration of getting through to the contractor to cancel the call-out.

Next day I got a very apologetic call from Axa and an offer of cash compensation. I found the fault - one of those awful crimp connectors. I soldered it. Took a bit of time to find as it's a long way from the fuse box to the pump and there are several connections.

But "revenons à nos moutons" as they say across the water. I think I am gravitating towards ditching the spare wheel. If I had to use it when touring I would have to unload the boot, and then stow the wider and dirty road wheel under our luggage. Then after getting the tyre repaired or replaced I would have that all over again. My breakdown insurance doesn't exclude punctured tyres so I think that if the inflater can failed I would still have backup. A risk is getting stuck somewhere remote without phone signal but we are not crossing the Alps.

Les
L B Rose

I successfully repaired a trailer tyre with one of those mushroom shaped repairs, but you need to remove the tyre from the wheel.

But I have wondered about getting one of these kits. For the price it would be worth a try. They do get good reviews.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/163744358682
GuyW

Bad luck Les and so annoying.

I think I put in another thread recovery drivers and vehicles are (were?) fewer and further between as the chap who picked us up, coming from Nottingham to Northampton, explained the pay was now poor and few wanted the work so less of them and they had to travel further.

I've had trouble with piss-poor modern (pre-insulated) spade connectors so now buy from better sources and for various reasons now use a ratchet crimper that I'd never needed previously but I wished I'd got one sooner, same for bullets.

I'm not a fan of soldering connectors as it's a brittle connection on a wire that flexes, a good crimped connection is better, I also prefer the pre-insulated type.






Nigel Atkins

Nigel,

I have a similar set and really like them and they're affordable now, just try finding the instructions for the correct way round to use them.
David Billington

David,
I've got the instructions on the packaging for the Draper crimps but I find the tension information confusing. I don't think much else matters with those.

The bullet IIRC is obvious but no instructions anyway.
Nigel Atkins

Nigel,

Mine impresses dimples in the insulation to indicate that the correct crimps have been used for the connector size, those should be on the terminal part of the insulation not the cable. So with mine it should be cable in the left side, terminal on the right with the crimpers as shown in your image.
David Billington

I've been using crimp connectors for decades, using the proper tool like Nigel posted, and I've never had any problems with them except when I thought it would be a good idea to buy a box of assorted terminals from China.

Wrong.

I only buy British made ones now, usually from RS. (Edit: City Electrical Factors do them over the counter too). And I've never had to adjust the tension of the crimping tools.
That said I nearly always protect the terminals with a coat or two of Scotchkote which completely prevents corrosion of the terminal and the exposed end of the wire. Great stuff.

Nigel probably wouldn't like it because it's possible to get it on your fingers and make a mess!

I'm intrigued by the kit that Guy linked to - it's tempting to get one just to try it, even if I had to purposely make a hole in one of the trailer tyres (which are ready for replacement anyway).
Greybeard

Guy, you beat me to it, I have contemplated those kits. According to an ex tyre fitter I know they use them on tractors and JCBs so should certainly be alright to get you out of trouble.

Trev
T Mason

David,
pleased don't take this the wrong way (but what other way is there) you're getting as bad as me for memory! Yikes! We've been through this before.

You've got some fantastic crimps that impress a different symbol for size/colour of crimp (cycle, square? and er?) I'd love some but I've never seen any or mention except from yourself.

Grey,
anything manly, macho, messy I don't like and that stuff looks very messy. And being away, and keeping away, from anything cold, wet and nasty like the sea, rivers and reservoirs I'm not too bothered about the extra protection plus it's quite dry and mild weather here in the Midlands. :)

I forget where I got my last couple of packets of pre-insulated connectors from but they had a BS number and it wasn't something like ISO 9001.
Nigel Atkins

Trev,if your read the reviews they seem well liked by bikers, - who clearly never carry a spare wheel! If they are good for a tyre on a high speed bike I guess they would be ok on a Spridget tyre.
I know that they cannot be used if the puncture is at the edge of the tread, and obviously no good if the cover is ripped or shredded, but given the negligible cost and minimum space/ weight it would seem like a good addition to have in the boot.
GuyW

I recall my father in the 60 / 70s using what is essentially the same type of repair kit as Guy suggested and it was fine. Probably when tubeless tyres first came into common use.
Doug Plumb

Nigel,

I had a feeling when I posted that we have had this discussion re crimpers before. Mine aren't even branded but seem well made and didn't come with any instructions which is why I looked for them online. The reason for looking is that the crimping dies are different either side of the centre line of the crimping dies so I assumed they had a correct use orientation. I did find instructions online which matched my crimpers and with the details of the witness marks to indicate correct crimp use.

For the witness marks mine has a single dot for red, 2 dots for blue, and a bar for yellow, these get impressed in the insulation.

I've posted these images before IIRC but had to take my first opportunity to try uploading 2 images in the same post.






David Billington

The 2 image posting option would appear not to be working as the 1st is the same as the 2nd. My 2nd image was this.


David Billington

The two images came out OK on my PC.

I remember the discussion about your crimpers leaving witness marks, but I can't remember if I checked my crimpers, or what the outcome was if I did.
Dave O'Neill 2

There are quite a few (lengthy) threads in the archives about whether to carry a spare or not.

Here's a pic that I posted previously of a repair kit I saw in France. It was in a shop which was the French equivalent of Wilko.


Dave O'Neill 2

I also found these comments from Prop. Made me smile.

"Prop and the Blackhole Midget, Missouri, USA
I try to keep a plug repair kit close by ... but its rare I need them, so ive got around 5 kits, but I couldnt find them if I had 5 days to search for them

As to the spare... I just carry the tire its self for trips out of town....mainly for blow outs because finding a j5.5 13 inch tire at furry squirial nuts tire and lube shop in boners creek arkansas, population 328...is probably not going to happen,

besideds the empty tire is a great place to stores those extras that like to roll around and get lost In the boot plus it weighs so little ...the wheel its self is where the weight is

Prop

Posted 20 August 2013 at 13:40:27 UK time


Prop and the Blackhole Midget, Missouri, USA
The plugs work great... ive always used them, they easily last the life of the tire

No lawerance... you cant Recycle them when the tire is scraped...lol

They were legal to be installed at the tire shop until about 8 years ago...now they must be patched but the plug kits for the diy is still avialible at any walmart store for less then $10

Posted 20 August 2013 at 13:47:07 UK time "
Dave O'Neill 2

He certainly had a way with words Dave. Made me chuckle into my coffee!
I like how he endorsed my compromise of packing only a tyre without the ironmongery and stuffing it with loose bits. Maybe that's where I got the idea.

Boners Creek, Arkansas haha!
(RIP mate)
Greybeard

David,
I think those crimpers are great and an excellent idea. I like the way they put the connector insulation wrap to the wire insulation, so neat too.
I can't remember seeing a photo of the jaws, but perhaps I've just forgot. BTW both photos show in your first post on my machine.
Nigel Atkins

I like -

>>furry squirial nuts tire and lube shop<<

it was only only Prop that had worser speeling and grammer than me

and -

>>No lawerance... you cant Recycle them when the tire is scraped...lol<<
Nigel Atkins

According to the ex tyre fitter I know if you buy one of those kits get one that includes a tube of rubber solution as some dont such as in Dave's picture. Some will tell you that you dont need it but he says it will make a better job of it if you use it.

Trev
T Mason

Nigel,

My first post with 2 pics had 2 different images but when I view them I get the same image as I have seen with other postings with 2 images, the same image from both image links. The javascript:doWin shown when hovering over the image link is the same for both the 1st and 2nd images so seems not to be working as intended on Firefox 72.0.2 .
David Billington

One for the webmaster.

It’s fine on IE11 and iOS.
Dave O'Neill 2

David, Dave,
I reluctantly had to give up on Firefox as I had issues with it (can't remember what now) but I'd left and returned to it before.

I'm now on Gaga Chrome again and both photos in the same post are fine so I'm not sure Mike would be able to help but you could ask as I even less about computers than I know about engineering and mechanics.

On a good day computers send me gaga and on a bad day they boil my blood.
Nigel Atkins

It works in Firefox if I have the setting for viewing the images inline which I normally don't, I normally have it set so that I have to click the image link to view it in which case the 2nd image displays the same as the 1st image. I twigged that as I just checked with Chromium browser on the Rasberry Pi and the images displayed correctly as it defaulted to inline image viewing. That makes me think it's a BBS software issue rather than a browser issue.
David Billington

Fair enough, my apologies for doubting you.

Inform Mike, I'm sure he'd want to know.
Nigel Atkins

Have now sent a message regarding the problem to the webmaster.
David Billington

I'm sure the wheel will soon be back on. :)
Nigel Atkins

Yes, I had a reply from Mike earlier and the problem is now fixed. The image links do now display the correct image.
David Billington

I would check your recovery insurance re spare wheel - ours say if originally fitted you must have one...
David Brenchley

Thought I would revive this thread as got a puncture on the modern due to picking up a screw somewhere, so thought I would give the repair kit that Guy and Dave highlighted above a go.

It came today and although it didnt have far go come I thought it was very prompt considering I didnt order until late Sunday night so not processed until Monday. I have repaired the tyre and can confirm the kit does work as the tyre has been inflated for about 3 hours with no loss of pressure. As expected the tools are cheap Chinese things and I suspect the handles will part company at some time as you do need to exert a fair amount of pressure on them to get the strip into the tyre (it helps if you can get a bit of air into it first) but cant expect much else for three quid. The strips are a big messy and the finish is not great but that was because the hole was in a groove so cant get the knife in easily to cut it off clean. I may run a hot poker over it sometime just to make it look better.

If the handles do break I had thought that you could probably use a small tap wrench on them to get enough purchase. In place of the rasp you could use a drill bit of the right size, even putting it in a drill if it home.

Trev
T Mason

I just had a look at the tyre repair kit Guy wondered about, a couple of months ago https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/163744358682 Either eBay is recycling links or it was an ironic suggestion in the event of tyre failure to use Shanks’s pony!
EmmaJacobs

Most unusual for an eBay item number to be reassigned so quickly.
Dave O'Neill 2

I’m glad you linked to that Emma, I have just linked to it and would have blamed that elusive little gnome that hides the tools in my shed and now is interfering with my computer.
L Langley

Isn't that odd! That link I posted back at the beginning of March definately worked at the time, and showed a set of tyre plugs similar the the ones Dave found in France. At least the replacement offering isn't too bad - it could have been a lot worse! ha ha!
GuyW

last Monday week I used a tyre plug kit when my wife's car showed a puncture caused by a large nail. I had purchased the kit to go in my touring kit ahead of all the Continental Tours I had organised for this year that I have now, because of Covid-19, had to cancel.
I was quite impressed.

The kit comprises a T-bar handled rasp for roughening the rubber around the hole.
A needle with T bar handle for insertion of the plug.
Half a dozen plugs.
A glue.

After removal of the nail the rasp, by way of its T bar handle, is inserted into the hole and the hole sidewalls roughened.
The sticky plug is placed through the eye of the needle: equidistant.
Some glue is applied to the already sticky plug and the needle with plug pushed into the hole until a third of the plug is still visible outside the tyre.
The eye of the needle is split allowing it to open so that when you give a hefty tug to pull the needle out the split opens allowing the needle to extract without pulling the plug out with it.
I then used my garage compressor to inflate the tyre but 'on the road' further boot space has to be used up by carrying some sort of air pump.
To date the repair is good.

What to carry on tour is always a problem. I have worked on many peoples cars abroad. Some have been serviced by garages and some by the owners before departure. Others have had no maintenance whatsoever ever.

It can be infuriating when on one tour, repairing a breakdown, you tell someone to buy a new coil only to have to deal with its failure on the next tour!

It would be a very long list if I were to list all the repairs I have had to do over the years that I have organised group tours or even on tours that I have not organised.

There are sometimes unforeseen problems but there are parts suppliers throughout Europe: I usually take a list of those I know or find en route.
Depending on time available parts can be flown or posted out.

Alan Anstead

I had one of those plugging kits in 1968! I can't remember how long the repair lasted. I think I will carry the plugging kit and the inflator can, which even with the tyre pump will take up far less space than the spare wheel.

Les
L B Rose

Les


Whilst enthusiastic over this puncture repair kit t It is limited in its scope. Nail, screw traed puncture wounds.


Depending upon which route you take to Venice. Last time I drove there i went via Offenpass, Fluelapass, Stelvio skipping the Gavia and then down through Trento. If you were to cut a sidewall on a roadside boulder you might make a wish for a spare wheel.
Every time thst I have been over the Stelvio the weather has been different: sunshine, fog, snow!


I carry one as in some places I have driven there is no phone signal at all. You can always invert it and fill the centre well with gear.
If, like me, you run alloys and your spare is an old steel wheel do remember to take the appropriate wheel nuts for your spare.

Alan






Alan Anstead

Alan, I will be a total wimp and put the car on the train from Dusseldorf to Verona. We did the Stelvio a few years ago in the motorhome!

Les
L B Rose

I am with Alan on this. On my trips abroad I have always carried the spare. I was most thankful for it when I punctured on a quiet country lane in the Loire with poor mobile reception. The assailant was a piece of rusty metal wire probably from a farm fence. It ripped through the sidewall and wrecked the tyre. Cheesed off as the tyre was only 18 months old! I have always found it possible to carry the basic tools and key spares plus all the baggage for a 2 week trip for two in the boot and around the floor of the Frogeye. I guess you pays your money and takes your choice.
Bob Beaumont

If you dont mind the hassle of changing it you could just take a spare tyre (and tube if you have wires) and tyre levers. You can then pack things inside the tyre.

Trev
T Mason

This thread was discussed between 22/02/2020 and 09/05/2020

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