Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[Mohican]

I went to Leeds in the camper on Wednesday. On the way home, I had a puncture. (in the rain on a busy road obv).

My first job was to find the jack and wheel brace, because, I realised, I had absolutely no idea where they were. After searching under the bonnet, under the seats and under the spare wheel, I finally found them behind a little pop-off panel in the bulkhead.

I tried to crack the wheel nuts before I jacked it up but the tool that I assumed was the key to the locking nut didn't fit, which left me in a bit of a pickle really.

I had one last search through the van and surprised myself by finding a little black plastic box, about the size of a fag packet, sitting next to the fuse box. I opened it up and there was the locking nut key, along with 4 spare wheel nuts. Why would you need 4 spare wheel nuts? One perhaps, but surely not 4.

I cracked the wheel nuts and then went to remove the spare wheel, which sits in a cradle beneath the rear end. Because this cradle is exposed to road salt, the bolt that holds it in place rusts up pretty quickly, and by the look of this one, it had never been undone since the vehicle was built.

Getting it free meant lying on my back in the gutter with water running down the neck of my shirt and out through the bottom of my trousers, whilst shredding my knuckles and swearing.

Eventually I managed to get the spare wheel on, but when I came to tighten the nuts, they didn't fit properly. I assumed it was because I was replacing an alloy wheel with a steel one, and that the nuts were design to seat properly in the alloy, so I forced them until they were tight and drove home.

That night, while lying in bed nursing my torn knuckles, I realised what the spare nuts in the plastic box were for.

The moral of this story? Find out where all your emergency bits are before you need them, and put a dab of copper grease on your exposed nuts.

this is a wind up right??? the 4 spare nuts are the ones the locking ones replaced.

[Mohican]

TBF to you(having now read whole post)it makes sense for you to have 4 nuts there as the replacement is different but really your should have 8 nuts there. 4 for the spare and 4 that the locking ones replaced.

[RED-DOG]

There was only one locking nut, and three ordinary nuts, as per most alloy wheels. The 'spare' nuts were all ordinary, and, I now realise, intended for use with the thinner steel rim only.

Ah. As I was typing it dawned on me what you mean, but I still think the spare nuts are for the thinner wheel.

I will be re fitting the alloy one tomorrow, I'll check one nut, against the other. I bet the originals are longer. (Actually I should saying studs, not nuts, but we're too far in to change now). 

TBH I'm surprised and delighted that anyone bothered to read the op carefully enough to question it.

[RED-DOG]

The more I think about it, the more I think you are right Mr Mo.

[atdc21]

Ok Tom ?   Im no doctor but i reckon the trouble with your nuts is as mo says, they are the remaining ones replaced by the lockers.
Usually the studs for alloy wheels will be longer as the wheel will be thicker,and often have fatter heads ! or wider sort of built in washer or collar.
Bet Tony is jealous of all this technical stuff in your diary 

[tikay]

Ok Tom ?   Im no doctor but i reckon the trouble with your nuts is as mo says, they are the remaining ones replaced by the lockers.
Usually the studs for alloy wheels will be longer as the wheel will be thicker,and often have fatter heads ! or wider sort of built in washer or collar.
Bet Tony is jealous of all this technical stuff in your diary 

3 pages on changing a wheel?

He once took 17 pages describing how to boil the water to make a cup of tea.

[Mohican]

There was only one locking nut, and three ordinary nuts, as per most alloy wheels. The 'spare' nuts were all ordinary, and, I now realise, intended for use with the thinner steel rim only.

Ah. As I was typing it dawned on me what you mean, but I still think the spare nuts are for the thinner wheel.

I will be re fitting the alloy one tomorrow, I'll check one nut, against the other. I bet the originals are longer. (Actually I should saying studs, not nuts, but we're too far in to change now). 

BH I'm surprised and delighted that anyoneT bothered to read the op carefully enough to question it.

You find me at a unusually sober loose end on a Friday evening. Busted my poker tourneys early(not unusual) so did my forum catch up. Update on your dodgy nuts tomorrow please. If the four spare are for your alloy, I'd recommend finding 4 nuts for your spare and keeping them in the box with the others.

[Mohican]

Went to theory test center in Birmingham on the bike today. Used the sat nav in my phone via an earpiece with the screen turned off to avoid major roads. Over 3 hours only used 15% of my battery and it worked great.

Also tested my cold weather riding gear. Thick gauntlets, jeans, shirt, fleece, boiler suit, waterproof over-trousers, waterproof coat, high viz vest, steel toecap boots, ex army snood. I was toasty and dry.

Passed the theory test but it was much more intense than I expected. The hazard awareness test in particular was very, er, testing.

Those practice links rod gave me were very useful. Thanks Rod.

I also need to have a word with you about your 'protective gear' for your bike. It does it's job keeping you dry but if you're intent on riding a lot in the future, you need to start  look for gear that offers protection in the event of uninitiated rider/tarmac/vehicle* mergers.

*delete as required

[RED-DOG]

Ok Tom ?   Im no doctor but i reckon the trouble with your nuts is as mo says, they are the remaining ones replaced by the lockers.
Usually the studs for alloy wheels will be longer as the wheel will be thicker,and often have fatter heads ! or wider sort of built in washer or collar.
Bet Tony is jealous of all this technical stuff in your diary 

Yes. I have to say that it didn't occur to me that they are the ones that the lockers replaced.

I don't think Tony has anything to worry about. There are so many things discussed on his diary that I have virtually no knowledge of.

Examples would include

Most sports.

Betting,  horse racing and bookmaking.

Most music after about 1982.

Maths.

Stocks & shares.

Property / mortgages.

Business, etc etc...

[RED-DOG]

Went to theory test center in Birmingham on the bike today. Used the sat nav in my phone via an earpiece with the screen turned off to avoid major roads. Over 3 hours only used 15% of my battery and it worked great.

Also tested my cold weather riding gear. Thick gauntlets, jeans, shirt, fleece, boiler suit, waterproof over-trousers, waterproof coat, high viz vest, steel toecap boots, ex army snood. I was toasty and dry.

Passed the theory test but it was much more intense than I expected. The hazard awareness test in particular was very, er, testing.

Those practice links rod gave me were very useful. Thanks Rod.

I also need to have a word with you about your 'protective gear' for your bike. It does it's job keeping you dry but if you're intent on riding a lot in the future, you need to start  look for gear that offers protection in the event of uninitiated rider/tarmac/vehicle* mergers.

*delete as required

I'm glad you brought this up, I was going to post about it.

More to follow....

[tikay]

There will now follow 9 pages about a pair of gloves. Probably with a poem included.

[Mohican]

There will now follow 9 pages about a pair of gloves. Probably with a poem included.

As opposed to 9(00) pages on concrete elsewhere on this forum.

[RED-DOG]

When my daughters got married, (Within a month of each other) I learned that if you go into a bridal equipment shop and ask for a pair of ladies white shoes they will cost somewhere between £200 and £500. But if you go in to shoe shop and buy a pair of ladies white shoes they will cost between £50 and £80, and that's for good quality ones.

Well from what I can see, it's the same with motorcycle clothing shops. A pair of waterproof over trousers in a motorcycle shop, (just the plain pvc ones, not armored) cost £35. Same thing in a work-wear shop, £8.

Now I know I'm supposed to wear tear resistant, armored jacket & trousers, but a good, waterproof pro shell jacket is between £500 and £1000. Yes, I know you can buy cheaper ones, but they're not much better than a good quality Gortex jacket, and certainly nowhere near as waterproof.

I will get good stuff eventually, but I'll get it from eBay or a charity shop.

In the meanwhile I have good gloves, good stout boots, and a good helmet.

Gonna get me a leather jacket and some heavy denims for the summer....

[Rod Paradise]

When my daughters got married, (Within a month of each other) I learned that if you go into a bridal equipment shop and ask for a pair of ladies white shoes they will cost somewhere between £200 and £500. But if you go in to shoe shop and buy a pair of ladies white shoes they will cost between £50 and £80, and that's for good quality ones.

Well from what I can see, it's the same with motorcycle clothing shops. A pair of waterproof over trousers in a motorcycle shop, (just the plain pvc ones, not armored) cost £35. Same thing in a work-wear shop, £8.

Now I know I'm supposed to wear tear resistant, armored jacket & trousers, but a good, waterproof pro shell jacket is between £500 and £1000. Yes, I know you can buy cheaper ones, but they're not much better than a good quality Gortex jacket, and certainly nowhere near as waterproof.

I will get good stuff eventually, but I'll get it from eBay or a charity shop.

In the meanwhile I have good gloves, good stout boots, and a good helmet.

Gonna get me a leather jacket and some heavy denims for the summer....

Aye, it's a dear game.

But keeping an eye out & reading some of the bike press can help.

I got a Richa Bonneville jacket - http://www.morebikes.co.uk/new-bonneville-waxed-motorcycle-jacket-richa/ for less than £200 - shoulder, elbow & back CE approved armour, wax cotton, waterproof membrane & looks like a £500 Belstaff. It's a great jacket - I wear it when walking as well  - it's not let in a drop when out for 2 hours in a downpour.

Found a site where I got water resistant (keep you dry in a  shower), kevlar lined & armoured jeans for £60. I just use cheap overtrousers with them (altough I've found a pair of wax cotton overtousers on a shooting website for £20 - will get them sometime.


Dearer than your gear - but not as expensive as it could be - and I've a bit more protection.

[RED-DOG]

There's loads of waterproof membrane stuff on the market, and while that keeps you dry, the outer layer of the jacket gets soaked and then it's still wet the next time you pot it on.

The wax cotton outer on yours probably solves that problem though.

I like to park the bike up and go for a walk around, and I don't really want to look like a biker while I'm doing that.

Click to see full-size image.