Nail In Tyre & Other Issues

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Mon 12 Sep 2016 12:00
Nail In Tyre & Other Issues - joegrundy

Just returned from holiday to Andorra & week trolling round France. 2004 x type diesel, 2400 miles, 55 mpg, used no oil, now done 163,000 miles. Temp gauge mostly at 1/4, got up to 1/2 climbing the Pyrenees in 34 deg outside temp. Pretty pleased with a car that is worth effectively £1k-zero. Did notice that after many miles of gentle cruising (even at 130 km/h) changing down and heavy throttle produced big black smoke from exhaust. Have learned to use this 'James Bond' style against tail-gaters. Wondered about using 'stop smoke' additives but undecided so far. (Diesel in Andorra 87c, France supermarkets 1.07 euros, French autoroutes 1.27 for excellum).

Yesterday son called round with his 1yo Sandero. Had picked up twisted/bent 4" nail in r/o/s tyre. He borrowed my car overnight and this morning took his to local trusted tyre indy. (No warning light from TPMS). They pulled nail out. It had gone horizontally (IYSWIM) through the (plenty of) tyre tread, no puncture, no air loss. They advised no need to change tyre. I trust these guys, and perhaps in a high performance car it might make sense to change the tyre but in the real (i.e. cash-strapped) world it seems reasonable to carry on and just keep an eye on the tyre.

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Mon 12 Sep 2016 12:46
Nail In Tyre & Other Issues - Bolt

Didnt they even patch the hole on the inside or had it not gone through?, I think I would have had the tyre off and checked anyway cash strapped or not

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Mon 12 Sep 2016 13:08
Nail In Tyre & Other Issues - daveyjp

I've had numerous occasions where I have noticed a screw head in a tyre, the last one picked up on a service, minus its head, but it was in sideways.

I slowly unscrew it, if I hear air escaping I screw it back in to seal the hole and have a repair done, if no air escapes, happy days.

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Mon 12 Sep 2016 13:28
Nail In Tyre & Other Issues - joegrundy

No, it hadn't gone through - it was laterally hrough the (plenty of) tread.

No problems, it seems.

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Mon 12 Sep 2016 13:37
Nail In Tyre & Other Issues - gordonbennet

So long as it didn't nick any cords on its travels, then no probs, any tyre man worth his salt will have probed the extracted nail path with his tyre prodder and checked for any signs of cords.

Your holiday sounds great, and just goes to prove you don't need a car still under makers warranty to enjoy reliable economical motoring.

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Mon 12 Sep 2016 19:14
Nail In Tyre & Other Issues - skidpan

Yesterday son called round with his 1yo Sandero. Had picked up twisted/bent 4" nail in r/o/s tyre. He borrowed my car overnight and this morning took his to local trusted tyre indy. (No warning light from TPMS).

He would not have got a TPMS warning since the tyre had lost no air.

The clue is in the initials TPMS = "tyre pressure warning system"

Its not a NITWS = "nail in tyre warning system"

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Mon 12 Sep 2016 20:19
Nail In Tyre & Other Issues - joegrundy

Skidpan:

Yes, of course you're right. I mentioned the absence of a TPMS warning to indicate that there had been no apparent penetration (steady!) and thus no loss of pressure.

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Mon 12 Sep 2016 20:35
Nail In Tyre & Other Issues - joegrundy

Gordon:

Thanks for your comment.

I know that 'pride comes before a fall' etc. and I may be inviting disaster, but I could not help but look around me at the queue for the ferry. Some cars had cost 20,30,40 and more times what mine is worth. None looked more comfortable or could do anything mine couldn't. Some of the really posh stuff would no doubt cost more than mine is worth for their next 'interim' service. And I did notice a couple of cases where someone with a prestige car was a bit deflated when someone with a newer/bigger prestige car pulled up!

Plus, of course, any 'dings' on mine can be ignored or fixed with a pot of Wilko black gloss.

I am now old enough to be an official grumpy old b*gg*r and enjoying it. Nothing to prove, and I certainly don't need a p*n*s pump to prove it.

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