"Rich S." wrote in message ...
"Stealth Pilot" wrote in message
...

my last flat tyre took me 2 minutes to swap on the shoulder of a busy
freeway.

Wow! The next time I need a "tyre" changed, may I call you? :^0

The tires needed to be rotated on my 1987 Ford 3/4 ton pickup. I cleared out
the 2-car garage/shop and spotted the truck in the center. The overhead
lights were brightly lighting up the work area, the compressor was charged
and I brought out the floor jack and jack stands.

It took but a few minutes to lift all four corners of the Ford off the
ground and secure it on the stands. I popped off all the hub caps and set up
the impact wrench. Great working conditions! Dry, warm and pneumatic tools -
what more could you want? No buttheads talking on cellphones whizzing past
three feet away; just the soothing tones of Rush Linbaugh on the radio,
"Talent on loan from Glaxo-Smith Kline Pharmaceuticals".

Ten minutes later, I finally had the spare tire down from its hiding place
under the bed. "Ooh - my back is starting to twinge already, I'd better pace
myself. Where's my Bud?" "Okay - spare's ready, now to spin those lugnuts."

Twenty minutes later, I have one nut unscrewed about four turns. It has now
stopped turning and no amount of force I can apply will budge it in either
direction. I believe it has welded itself to the lug. Before you ask, yes -
I wire brushed all the lugs and allowed plenty of time for the penetrating
oil to do its work. BTW, the rear lugs have an inch of excess thread beyond
the nut to allow for the installation of duallies, so four turns is just a
small beginning.

The hubcaps and the spare tire went in the truck bed. The jackstands were
put away and the truck taken to the local tire shop. That was fifty bucks
well spent. He even charged an extra fiver to stow the spare.


Ah yes, the lovely 'hide the spare' gimmick. Seeing as how my PU is a
'work' rig not a pussy wagon, I put an in-bed mount in and had the
underbed hanger removed (read torched) off (to eliminate rattles).
All I had to do after getting the PU was picture myself out in the
boonies and needing the spare to decide in bed was the only logical
place.

Harry K
Rich "I'll never go *there* again!" S.