Laid up for a couple of days

[Gramps]

Well the weekend has come and gone we went to Adelaide for our youngest Grandie as she was getting Baptized.
We had the wifes mother in our car and what a pain she is on trips.
Our daughter set of about half an hour before we did with her 2 girls.
So we knew we would only catch them at the next town where we had planned to stop to have breakfast.

But we get a phone call and the daughter is on the other end crying.
What had happened was she got a blow out on one of her close to new tyres.
And she had to run into a ditch which we found wasn't too bad when we got there.
But we heard the blow out and the ditch.
So I thought well if its this bad I will stop with her car and she can go in our car while I waited for the tow truck to take us back to town.

We got there and there she was are off the road but the ditch wasn't as bad just a little lower than the road.
I tried to get to the tyre and knew if I tried to jack it up the side of the road had a lot of rain so it was soft.
So I jumped into her car and drove it onto the road so I had a hard surface so I could jack the car up to get the tyre off.

As we walked up a truck driver (Prime Mover Driver for you over in America) he was walking up to help and then seen I was there and turned around as he knew she was in safe hands now. So I yelled out to him thank you for stopping I really appreciated it. He waved back.
I got the car on the road which was where there is a double whte line which here means NO OVERTAKING.
But it was the only way to do it.

I tried to get down low and my knee which is only 3 weeks out of being operated on killed me as I tried to get down.
I finally say on the road but to to put the jack into place.
Then I went to loosen the wheel nuts. Well these tyre places using compressor guns to put them on it was close to impossible.
I am strong and I am not saying this to show of but I really am strong.
It took me nearly all my strength to undo them all.
Now I had to get the tyre off.

When another car stopped and the wife mentioned to him about my knee and my back.
And he came over and just took over the rest of it.
Wow so much help and I thanked him and his son for their help.
He got it all done and was off as quick as he got here.

So there are still some nice people in the world.
But now I could hardly move with my back and knees.
I am not looking for sympathy but what I am trying to say is this.
Please if you have got a wife/girlfriend or daughter teach them how to change a tyre.
But in this case not even my daughter would have been able to do it as the nuts were on way too tight.

So when you teach them find a metal pipe about 3 feet long that will fit on to the long end of the wheel nut brace.
A little more leverage will make it a lot easier for them. As I know even men would have struggled to actually get them off.
So this could and should be a part of your tools that is in your car at all times.
I am thank full I can put my pains behind me and do what I had to do.
But Please do this for them and then I will be happy that I know I have helped others.
And now I am in bed due to my back and a little on the knees also.

[Jay]

Sorry for the trouble gramps and I have run into the impact gone overtightened bolts in the past. They are very difficult to get off without a "breaker bar" I have a 2.5 foot piece of pipe for this very purpose, but It's not in my car which is very important! I had to change my wife's tire the other day because we got a flat while driving and it really did take a lot of strength to get the bolts off with the default car kit tools provided. I had to use my foot and full bouncing body weight to break all the bolts with the small little wrench.

I know you are not looking for sympathy, because I know you well enough by now. However, that sucks and getting older is brutal. I feel for you!

My Dad is around 68 and he is in excellent shape for his age, but just can't do the same things anymore. It kills his spirit at times and I can see how this will happen to me over time. It already has to some degree of course, but not that bad these days thankfully.

On another note, I am convinced that most people in this world are nice. It just does not seam that way from the TV in my opinion and some of the other negative outlets on the web. When it comes down to it, people step up and help in most cases I have found. I try and do the same, but rarely have the ability to stop and help people. I can't stop with the kids in the car or be late for work. However, if I have the time and I see someone in need I will offer help if I am able. I think everybody should do the same, and most people do if all is well in the area (safety...)

Get some rest my friend and catch up with you later

Jay

[Lucille]

Gramps..... You are a good man.

[wilmeland]

Gramps..... You are a good man.

I second that and hope you're feeling better soon.

Great tip on keeping the pipe in car for extended leverage. Last stuck lug nut I recall was many years ago. I was using one of those cross type tire irons & was pushing down with my foot on one side, while pulling up on the other side of it. It freed the nut suddenly, spinning the wrench, which managed to whack my shin coming around as my foot went down. Huge knot on my shin that lasted for weeks. I took this as a sign from God to buy AAA membership & officially gave up any mechanic related stuff.

Willie

[Gramps]

Thank you all to your replies to this. I really wanted to get the message out there for other to be warned of this way these people put wheels back on to our cars.
I am sure if I took it back to them and told them to do it manually like I did many of they would have failed.
Just thought its a good warning for everyone to take note of and I have now got a pipe in the daughters car as well as one of the 4 sized wheel brace things.
She always said she never needed it but now I think she woke up to the fact she did need it in the car.

On your point about your Dad, Jay it can very well do that to ya over time.
I was watching a commercial on the tele and this little kids was running around and kicking a ball and throwning it.
And he was just have so much fun with his mother, and then they went back to show the Dad who we know should have been out there.
But he was standing there one arm supporting himself on the bench and one hand on his back.
I hit a cord with me as I had to listen to my kids having so much fun with a good family friend.
He wasn't doing to to make me feel bad but I felt so bloody useless.
It bought a tear to my eyes as I watched that as it is now.
It is a horrible thing to have this thrown on you and then to have people say I am, as many others are just putting it on.
Its not nice to be questioned about how bad it is. Sorry for the rant but, yer just sorry.

Please just make sure you teach your wife, girlfriends, mothers and daughter on how to do this.
Its so important for them to know.
Thank you to everyone.

[BrianC]

Gramps..... You are a good man.

I third this sentiment; motion carried

I hope you are feeling much better now, Gramps.

Excellent tip on carrying an additional-leverage pipe along for the lug nuts. That helps! Totally agree on making sure that your girlfriend, wife, daughter(s) know how to change a tire (as well as how to do other auto maintenance things). I'm very lucky; I have a Very Handy wife. She is especially expert in the destruction phase of remodeling, and at taking mechanical things apart to see how they work. I call her 'Destructa',lol

[Gramps]

Really good to hear BrianC, I think the more this sort of message gets out there just might help a few of the ladies we know and even don't know.
But there are some out there that will just say I am not going to dirty my nails. Oh sorry, some of these girlymen are the same these days.