zomerzet
Part of things
Have Metro. Will Rust.
Posts: 98
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Dec 12, 2011 12:56:25 GMT
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As I am an incredibly tight fooker ;D I'm looking at removing 11kg steel spare wheel, plus jack from my car to save petrol. I drive a 998cc Metro and am thinking that anything I'm lugging around that I don't really need is a waste. I know there are loads of ways to save petrol (I await the suggestions) but driving a smaller capacity engined car, things like this should make a difference, although not a very noticable one!  I commute 50+ miles to work every day and money's tight. Has anyone ever needed to use one of these Tyre Welds? I know it's emergency only, but I only need to limp home to get a spare on worst case scenario |
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1989 Rover 'Retro Metro' Clubman (1310 to be built..slowly)
1982 VW T25 'Project Aircooled' Devon Moonraker Campervan
2009 Toyota 'Sensible Car' Yaris T2
If you're not accelerating or braking, you're WASTING YOUR TIME.
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Dec 12, 2011 13:17:37 GMT
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I don't carry a spare tyre in my ute. I've never had a puncture before in 7 years of driving and I've got a roadside assistance card (RAA), so I'm willing to risk it.
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oldchap
Part of things
just hanging about
Posts: 202
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Dec 12, 2011 13:26:58 GMT
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I carry two cans of tyre weld, but as yet haven't had to use it, I have heard that a lot of tyre repair places won't fix puntures after the tyre has been filled with it due to the mess in side. But the chances are the tyre will be no good anyway they always seem to punture to close to the side wall for repair when it happens to me.
As for being more economical in a smaller lighter car it will make a small difference as the spare etc will be a greater percentage of the overall weight, but it may take a lot of miles to pay back the cost of the tyre weld.
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what's that awful noise
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bortaf
Posted a lot
Posts: 4,549
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Dec 12, 2011 13:40:21 GMT
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It works but writes off the tyre in the process and there is better out there at doing the same job (check out what the army uses) TBH in over half a million miles of diriving i've only had 3 puntures whilst actually driving, all the rest are slow or you come out to get in the car and notice they've gone flat overnight or sumink BUT i do check my tyre on a REGULAR basis, note the emphasis on the regular bit  |
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R.I.P photobucket
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Dec 12, 2011 13:40:29 GMT
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They work really well. But that depends in the damage to the tyre. Remember they're for a quick fix toget you to a tyre fitter or home, or even just to get you off the motorway. So for what you need yes, get one. But if you have a blow out it's useless.
Oh and tyre fitters hate them! Ha ha.
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 !!!SPREAD THE WORD OF MR PIKE'S RETRO EMPORIUM!!! |
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Dec 12, 2011 13:48:18 GMT
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can of tyre weld = £9-ish
Saving of fuel over a month or so, mayyyybe £3?
and if you get a torn sidewall/blowout, you're screwed. Just keep the spare tbh
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You're like a crazy backyard genius! |
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zomerzet
Part of things
Have Metro. Will Rust.
Posts: 98
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Dec 12, 2011 14:56:53 GMT
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I had two punctures within weeks once. One of them was driving over some massive right-angled pliers (Which I picked up and still use today!). I've got breakdown cover if I really need it in the case of a full on blowout. Had tyres repaired when hole was within tolerance too.
Would it be possible to clean the stuff out yourself after use, then get it repaired. As long as the surface where the repair is going is clean, It should be fine. I smell 'we can't fix that' being an easy tyre sale, but again, I'm tight.
Also, the actual financial side I'm going to save may be negligable, but it IS a saving. If nothing else it makes me feel better!
Does anyone actually know a reason why a repair place would not carry it out? The chemicals in the repair effects the rubber or something?
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1989 Rover 'Retro Metro' Clubman (1310 to be built..slowly)
1982 VW T25 'Project Aircooled' Devon Moonraker Campervan
2009 Toyota 'Sensible Car' Yaris T2
If you're not accelerating or braking, you're WASTING YOUR TIME.
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Dec 12, 2011 15:53:58 GMT
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11kg won't make much difference at all - it'll probably take you ages to recoup the cost of a tin of tyreweld. If you're going that far it would be useful to remove the carpets, sounde deadening (earplugs!), excess seats, radio, etc. Things to make your car more economical: [ecogeek] -Tune engine up: 1) new lower-viscosity oil (in gearbox too), 2) new filters, 3) new plugs (iridium are supposed to be good), 4) check valve clearances, 5) as much ignition advance as you can get without pinking, 6) correct mixture (maybe a touch lean) and dashpot oil. -Use low rolling resistance tyres at a high pressure. -Set up the engine to run on super unleaded. Allows more ignition advance and thus better economy - I get 54mpg on super compared to 49 on regular, which means that a 300-mile journey comes in about £1 cheaper despite the more expensive fuel. However, if the compression ratio is low you won't see any benefit from super, since you will already be able to run optimal ignition timing on regular. -Drive more economically. If you're accelerating or braking, you're burning lots of fuel... ;D If you are driving fast for any distance on your commute (ie over 30mph) then aerodynamics are worth a look: -Gaffer tape over all of the panel gaps other than the driver's door for better aero. Block up some of the rad grille for same - and quicker engine warm-up in cold weather. -Remove near-side wing mirror, aerial, spoilers, door handles(?) for better aero. -Add aerodynamic aids: moon discs at front, wheel spats at back, flat floor panels, rear 'boat tail' or kamm back: ecomodder.com/forum/fuel-economy-mpg-modifications.php#41[/economy geek] |
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barty
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,088
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Dec 12, 2011 16:05:02 GMT
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some of the new cars don't carry a spare at all, ie the new rav 4 but they do have run flat tyres which cost an arm and a leg, some even carry a can of instant repair but me id much rather have an old fashion spare. If your unlucky enough to get a flat and use your can of tyre weld what happens if your really unlucky and get 2 in as many days, you will still have to get the flat repaired. I used to keep a can in the boot just in case my wife gets a flat but thats about all id use it for. Stick to your jack and spare you wont save that much on fuel anyway, if your that worried strip the car of all the seats, radio, carpet etc lol
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scruff
Part of things
Posts: 621
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Dec 12, 2011 17:05:14 GMT
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Beware that the AA will not honour 'relay' if you are supposed to have a spare in the car.
They will only take you to the nearest tyre place.
I had an argument with them about it as I ripped a sidewall and the old Elise never had a spare or anywhere for one!
They wanted to take me to a Kwik-fit in Barrow at 0730 on a Sunday morning when I live in Preston...
Erm, they aren't open for another 3 hours, they won't have anything like what is fitted to the other side and I really don't want to be stranded in Barrow waiting for them to find something all day - just take me home now!
Eventually they did but it cost me £60 for excess milage!
/rant
In short carry a spare if possible!
I even went as far as swapping the space saver on the Porker to a full sized alloy, I'd rather have a decent spare everywhere than risk going without.
(I carry tyre foam too just in case... but it was cheap in halfords bargain box.)
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1994 Lotus Esprit - Fragile red turbo with pop up lights.
1980 Porsche 924 - Fragile red turbo with pop up lights.
I spy a trend...
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Dec 12, 2011 18:47:50 GMT
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as has been said, keep the jack and spare, they are the easy option and the weight saving wont be that much. you'll probably get greater economy by checking your tyre pressures and possibly increasing them slightly to reduce rolling resistance. Ive got a 1L polo, and the inside of that car just has a headlining, drivers seat and dashboard, the rest has been stripped, including the sound deadening on the floor. a completely stripped out shell does make a difference, bit its a very noisy experience and I don't carry passengers either
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murran
Part of things
Posts: 610
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Dec 12, 2011 19:24:30 GMT
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having said that a can of tyre weld works well.
had a tiny leak in the side wall of a tyre i bought on ebay (6mm on it) not so long ago. banged a can of that sh1t in it. and it never lost another pound till it wore out and was changed.
but id be putting 40psi in the tyres and removing the wing mirrors before going to the lengths of fuel saving required to be chucking the spare at the side of the road.
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djefk
Part of things
Posts: 844
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If you are driving fast for any distance on your commute (ie over 30mph) then aerodynamics are worth a look: -Gaffer tape over all of the panel gaps other than the driver's door for better aero. Block up some of the rad grille for same - and quicker engine warm-up in cold weather. -Remove near-side wing mirror, aerial, spoilers, door handles(?) for better aero. -Add aerodynamic aids: moon discs at front, wheel spats at back, flat floor panels, rear 'boat tail' or kamm back: [/economy geek] Wow, now that's obsessive (although technically sound) advice! If you have breakdown cover then maybe it's worth trying only on your commute: try a week of carrying your jack and spare, try a week of not, note the mpg figures for both? I'd defo carry a spare for longer journeys though, destroyed a tyre on a Devon pothole on a brow of a hill 200+ miles from home on a Sunday once. Can't imagine what I'd have done without a spare and the jack when that happened! |
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bl1300
Posted a lot
Posts: 1,678
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Dec 13, 2011 15:58:47 GMT
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Just carry a spare.
What my tyre fitter told me on those cans is that they can clean the tyre out and repair it but its an absolute curse word of a job and most places as a result just won't. Oh and I hate space savers with a passion horibble things. Mind my uncle had a MGTF with a full size spare but the spare had a directional tyre. As the wheels where different sizes front and back it could only be fitted to the offside front and left for all other wheels the same rules applied as to a spacesaver
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Current fleet.
1967 DAF 44
1974 VW Beetle 1303s
1975 Triumph Spitfire MkIV
1988 VW LT45 Beavertail
1998 Volvo V70 2.5
1959 Fordson Dexta
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Dec 14, 2011 14:15:02 GMT
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Last Edit: Dec 14, 2011 14:16:51 GMT by 8bitash
1970 Porsche 911E
2002 Porsche Boxster S
2002 Peugeot Partner 1.9sdi
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Dec 14, 2011 15:01:27 GMT
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Why not just replace the steel spare with an alloy one for a little weight saving (perhaps a kilogram or so.)? Oh, and don't forget to fold the back seats down for a few added mpg! |
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scruff
Part of things
Posts: 621
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Dec 14, 2011 16:15:47 GMT
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I haven't heard the old 'fold the seats down' for years - where did that come from?
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1994 Lotus Esprit - Fragile red turbo with pop up lights.
1980 Porsche 924 - Fragile red turbo with pop up lights.
I spy a trend...
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Dec 14, 2011 16:46:34 GMT
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Didn't some kid with a corsa say he folded down the back seats to make it lighter?
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Dec 14, 2011 17:43:29 GMT
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These are no longer legal. Work really well though, I use them all the time on my lawn mower. |
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1986 Panda 4x4.
1990 Metro Sport.
1999 Ford Escort estate.
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Dec 14, 2011 21:01:35 GMT
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2nded!! brilliant and quick,however i use it on me quad as we don't carry spares, as long as you can find the hole or damage iot takes 5 mins to repair, then a quick squirt of lighter fuel inside the tyre, fire it up and carry on riding!! ;D These are no longer legal. Work really well though, I use them all the time on my lawn mower. |
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