Guest peter Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 It's a no brainer really. Unless you're a cheapskate like one poster, that would risk a valuable asset and you and you families lives for the sake of a few quid by getting a wheel and tyre from a scrapyard. Unbelievable ! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billggski Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 (That's 0.5% and Autotrail by the way,) It's been a long day laying slabs to get a level parking space for the MH. I still get bits for my old Landy from scrap yards, but never safety items. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peter James Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 Whats the difference between buying a wheel from a breaker, and buying a second hand van? Either way you don't know what treatment the wheels and tyres have had. At least with the wheel from the breaker you are going to have a good look at it off the van before you fit it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billggski Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Breakers, as their name suggests,are breaking up old or damaged vehicles, and old or damaged wheels go with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madge Gentle Posted November 12, 2013 Share Posted November 12, 2013 Tyre checked inside and out before putting on undamaged wheel. Tyre had been used as a spare - never even touched tarmac and still hasn't. 8mm tread. Wheel balanced perfectly. Only ever likely to be used for a few miles at a maximum of 40 mph. Unbelievable? You must have money to burn! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billggski Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 Anyway, enough of that. Just different views. There was a brand new wheel and camping tyre for £72 on eBay last week, in Cornwall, I was in Plymouth and beaten by 50p! Didn't need it, but what a bargain. Back to the OP. I would use a breaker for wheel bolts. They are surprisingly expensive new, and you need five, or if changing all wheels you need 20 of them! The length and seating profile will be different for alloys and steel so need to be checked carefully. Also the ducato has two different stud patterns, the one on the maxi is wider, so you could end up with a spare wheel that won't fit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 Wheel bolts are very cheap actually. I do know, I've recently bought some and would certainly not go to a breaker for something so cheap. Some people, £50k motorhome and baulk at paying a couple of quid each for new and correct wheel nuts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted November 13, 2013 Share Posted November 13, 2013 Madge Gentle - 2013-11-12 8:07 PM Tyre checked inside and out before putting on undamaged wheel. Tyre had been used as a spare - never even touched tarmac and still hasn't. 8mm tread. Wheel balanced perfectly. Only ever likely to be used for a few miles at a maximum of 40 mph. Unbelievable? You must have money to burn! But......how old is that tyre? It seems liable to be quite old: I can't see any other reason a tyre fitter would have it kicking around otherwise. I would suspect it was removed from a van when its wise previous owner had his tyres changed due to their age. But how long ago was that? I'm also interested in how you can possibly know when your wheel will need changing. Isn't "a few miles at a maximum of 40 mph" a bit of a hostage to fortune? Tyre blows early Sunday, and you are booked on ferry Monday, with 400 miles to travel. You have now lost time changing the wheel. At 40MPH you would not in any case get the the ferry, even if you drove all 400 miles at 40mph. You may argue with my scenario, but the principle is freely transferable. The only reason for carrying a spare is to eliminate the risk of being stranded in the boondocks with a damaged wheel and tyre. It is a small risk, but it does happen. Relying on an unknown wheel and tyre, or a wheel and tyre that are not up to spec, seems to me to totally negate the reason for carrying a spare in the first place. Better no spare at all, than one that lets you down when your planned few miles at 40 mph just won't suffice. Better by far, IMO, to get a wheel from a known, reliable, source, and stick on it a tyre that matches the others on your van. Then, if you puncture, you can drive for as long, or as far, as your journey and circumstances require, at undiminished speed, and deal with the necessary repairs at a time and place of your choosing. Same goes for wheelnuts. Old wheel nuts are an unknown quantity. Get new. You know it makes sense! :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
betsy Posted November 14, 2013 Author Share Posted November 14, 2013 Thanks for all the interesting (and some not so interesting) comments on my spare wheel and tyre thread. Yesterday I was discussing my problem with a pal who is well up to speed with wheels/tyres etc (mostly pertaining to HGV's) and, amongst other things, he confirmed that an incorrectly sized wheel and tyre could cause expensive damage. I am happy to say that my personal problem has now been sorted - by MMM! In the low cost items section in the back of this month's MMM, a fellow motorhome owner, who had switched to alloys, is (was, now) advertising a wheel and tyre which are the correct year and size for my van. We met today over a cup of coffee and an interesting chat about touring Europe in our 'vans. The gentleman concerned even supplied me with 5 wheel nuts. Not only have I solved my problem but made a new pal. Thanks, again everyone. I love MMM! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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