Extreme roadside tire-changing

[daveprice7]

I’m guessing your wife doesn’t drive manuals Dave? You’re a good man dude. I woulda rented her a car for the day rather than go through that.

She does... but, my Jeep doesn't have all of her bells and whistles, so she doesn't like to drive it. I mean, life ends without a heated steering wheel, right?

I had swapped out our wheels/tires when we got her the Willys because I didn't want her driving on mud tires, but she hated both the Sport wheels and the "tame" looking Goodyear tires, so I ordered new tires for her birthday so she could have her wheels back.

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[sf5211]

She does... but, my Jeep doesn't have all of her bells and whistles, so she doesn't like to drive it. I mean, life ends without a heated steering wheel, right?

I had swapped out our wheels/tires when we got her the Willys because I didn't want her driving on mud tires, but she hated both the Sport wheels and the "tame" looking Goodyear tires, so I ordered new tires for her birthday so she could have her wheels back.

Ok buddy then I’ll say it again. You’re a good man dude! If my wife had the same tires as me and asked if I could put her tires on my Jeep so I could take them in to the tire guy…….It’d be a good way for her to collect insurance because I’m quite certain I’d die laughing.

 

[XJfanatic]

Can’t say the weather extremes but my most extreme tire change happened when I blew a valve stem on a nasty hill climb. It ended up taking out a leaf spring center pin. We had to stabilize the Jeep with three winches as we high lifted the rear. It was sketchy and extreme to say the least.

 

[Headbarcode]

Well, it was a very mild temp evening and was at the family repair shop with both my father and younger brother in attendance, but there was a tire involved.

We were prepping our tractor trailer for a rigging job scheduled for a couple of days later. My father is a big boy, so I lifted the back of the trailer with the crane, so he could comfortably stand under it and inspect/adjust the brake system. My brother was in the steel fabrication area in the back of the shop. I was airing up a new to us (not really new but still had nipples all over it) spare tire for the trailer.

For lack of a proper cage or even a lock on air chuck/regulator, I had it leaning against the side of the shops rollup door and was crouched down with both knees against the sidewall using a bubble gage that needed to be held onto the valve stem. My target was 105-110psi. Not long after seeing that it was just past 95psi, something moved in my right peripheral and I turned my head. A moment later, the tire exploded. It never gave the slightest warning of having any issue. Next thing I remembered was picking myself up off the floor on the other side of the 20x20ft door, and I was completely blind and deaf. Several hours later, I regained enough of my sight and hearing to drive home. I had rubber and steel shrapnel, the size of large grains of sand, peppered all over the left side of my head and face and all the way down to my belt line. My shirt was ripped like a Hulkamaniac and the brim was ripped clean off of the hat I was wearing. I also had a ring of keys in my back pocket that were bent at a 45° angle, and an accompanied yellow and green bruise on my right ass cheek. The next day, I saw the tire. It failed right on the shoulder where the tread meets the sidewall, right at top dead center and facing me. I also found out that the flap of tread bitch slapped me, and it was the frayed steel cords that gave me a face full of bloody scratches to go along with the shrapnel. I was curious about those. I've been half deaf in my left ear and prone to massive migraines ever since.

Tire cages and locking chucks, people! They're worth it.

 

[MtCamper]

We had a cabin at McGregor Lake, 10 miles from beutiful downtown Marion, Montana. I think it was the winter of 1986, but don't quote me on that, I'm old and don't remember so well. We went up there to spend the weekend ice fishing, it'll be fun we thought. Got over 40 below that first night and even with the wood stove roaring you could see your breath the first night. Finally warmed up the cabin by Saturday afternoon. Noticed the flat tire when we got up Sunday. Took about an hour to get it changed. Oh to be young and bulletproof again.

 

[sf5211]

Well, it was a very mild temp evening and was at the family repair shop with both my father and younger brother in attendance, but there was a tire involved.

We were prepping our tractor trailer for a rigging job scheduled for a couple of days later. My father is a big boy, so I lifted the back of the trailer with the crane, so he could comfortably stand under it and inspect/adjust the brake system. My brother was in the steel fabrication area in the back of the shop. I was airing up a new to us (not really new but still had nipples all over it) spare tire for the trailer.

For lack of a proper cage or even a lock on air chuck/regulator, I had it leaning against the side of the shops rollup door and was crouched down with both knees against the sidewall using a bubble gage that needed to be held onto the valve stem. My target was 105-110psi. Not long after seeing that it was just past 95psi, something moved in my right peripheral and I turned my head. A moment later, the tire exploded. It never gave the slightest warning of having any issue. Next thing I remembered was picking myself up off the floor on the other side of the 20x20ft door, and I was completely blind and deaf. Several hours later, I regained enough of my sight and hearing to drive home. I had rubber and steel shrapnel, the size of large grains of sand, peppered all over the left side of my head and face and all the way down to my belt line. My shirt was ripped like a Hulkamaniac and the brim was ripped clean off of the hat I was wearing. I also had a ring of keys in my back pocket that were bent at a 45° angle, and an accompanied yellow and green bruise on my right ass cheek. The next day, I saw the tire. It failed right on the shoulder where the tread meets the sidewall, right at top dead center and facing me. I also found out that the flap of tread bitch slapped me, and it was the frayed steel cords that gave me a face full of bloody scratches to go along with the shrapnel. I was curious about those. I've been half deaf in my left ear and prone to massive migraines ever since.

Tire cages and locking chucks, people! They're worth it.

Wow Mike that’s some story. You do realize you’re lucky to be here. I’ve heard stories of people getting all of their clothes blown off and or killed with truck tires blowing up. It’s literally a bomb.

 

[Headbarcode]

Wow Mike that’s some story. You do realize you’re lucky to be here. I’ve heard stories of people getting all of their clothes blown off and or killed with truck tires blowing up. It’s literally a bomb.

Yeah, I've always been thankful of whatever it was that made me turn my head. I could've been permanently blinded and/or completely deafened if I kept staring at the tire when it went off.

 

[RubiSc0tt]

Tires? Not really.
I did change a wiper assembly in -2 in my parent's driveway, before a snowstorm. My wipers died the previous day on the way home from work. I got the parts, spent all night doing my programming 101 HW. I was uploading the assignment last minute while doing this. I finished the swap, and went to work. Wiper motor failed again. And the project upload failed 2 mins before the deadline. Got a new wiper motor and swapped it that day, in the parking garage, while on lunch break. Beat the snowstorm but failed the class.

EDIT:
Actually- the day before my best bud(RIP) left for GA. We swapped tires in front of my parents house. 2 hi-lifts, an LJ and a TJ. It started pouring rain... and then the lightning started.
We did it. But we got soaked.

 

[aldo98229]

For the record, my two extremes for performing a roadside tire change are:

• Minus 2° on I70 at the Continental Divide
• Plus 114° in Metro Phoenix.

That's 116° delta between the two. Can anybody beat that?

I cannot, and to be honest, I am glad

I have a non-flat tire story, though.

It is October 2012, Los Angeles, Calif. It is a beautiful sunny Saturday morning; perfect 75 degrees outside.

I am shopping online for a new Dodge Challenger 392 SRT, 6-speed. I see a gorgeous one in Fort Collins, CO: it is Blue Streak with silver stripes. Just stunning. I call the dealer to see if it is still available. It is. They run my credit check. Then take down my information and a deposit.

It is now almost 11am. Jump into the shower, put on a shirt, some shorts and flip flops, grab my wallet and my phone and I rush to LAX.

An hour-and-a-half flight later I land in Denver. Local time is now 5pm. A dealer car picks me up. We take another hour to get to Fort Collins.

The car is ready and the finance guy waiting. The car is downright gorgeous. We are done within 45 minutes and I head out.

By the time I hit the road it is about 7pm and is almost dark. The outside temperature is around 65 degrees. I get on the freeway and start driving west.

Drive past Denver. I can see the city lights. Never been to CO before, so I try to take it all in.

By 9:30pm I am now past Denver. I notice the outside temp is starting to drop. Sixty degrees, then 55, 50, 45, 40, 35, 30... I check the elevation on my Navi and it dawns on me that I have to drive over the Rockies! Doh!

I start to see snow on the sides of the road. The snow banks keep getting bigger and taller. The outside temperature continues to fall. It is now in the 20s.

So here I am: driving a brand new RWD car on summer tires, with no spare, wearing a Hawaiian shirt, cargo shorts and flip flops! Then a though crosses my mind: if I get a flat tire they won’t find me until spring... ?

Eventually make it to the mountain pass. Drive past the ski resorts. It is mounts upon mounts of snow in every direction. I am holding onto the steering wheel with white knuckles.

I start my descent on the other side and the snow starts to go away. Thankfully nothing bad happens.

By 1am I am at Grand Junction. I find a hotel with the vacancy light on. I park the car. Inside is a 20 year old doing the night shift. He sees this kook running in from the cold wearing shorts and flip flops. I ask for a room. He stares at me like I am Peter Sellers asking for a “reum.” —young members please refer to video clip below

I have a good night sleep. By 5am Sunday morning I wake up anxious to keep going. Start heading west by 6am and I make it home by mid afternoon.

When I show up to work on a Monday morning, my boss asks “How was your weekend?” “Great!” I reply. “Picked up a new car in Colorado and drove it home.”

She gave me the same stare as the kid at the hotel front desk.

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