The uselessosity of spares.

[88V8]

Sunday.

First outing for 5 years and more.

Sunny.

Country roads.

Wye Dean group. 120 miles in prospect.

Twenty miles out, not yet reached the jump-off point, we have a labour dispute.

One cylinder has downed tools.

 

Easy to ascertain that it was an injector.

Fear not !

I can fix it by pulling the tit.

And, in the boot I have spares.

 

But my tool kit is in another car.

Now I'm seriously down in the dumps. We putter back home, me kicking myself.

 

But this morning I discover that even if I'd had the toolkit I couldn't have fixed it, because it didn't respond to the tit pulling trick, and I wouldn't have had the right spanners to fit a spare. So I've been carrying those spares around for 10,000 miles & years to no purpose.

 

Made me think - a rare event. I have other spares. Fan belt of course. Stat. Hoses. Points. And others.

Do I have the tools to fit them??

 

Errrm.

 

The uselossity of spares without the corresponding tools.

 

Ivor

Edited April 24, 2017 by 88V8

[TR NIALL]

Welcome Back Ivor,Uselossity was Invented to TRy your Mechanical Skills.

[boxofbits]

Or the uselosity of tools without the spares ? I carry a small tool kit in my TR4a but I don't really carry anything to fit.

 

Least your half way there Ivor !

 

Kevin

[Nigel A]

Good to hear from you again, will you be making an appearance at Malvern.

 

Cheers

 

Nigel

[foster461]

Welcome back Ivor. You will get the hang of it again soon.

 

Stan

[barkerwilliams]

Ivor,

 

Well we had nine cars at "the jump off point" so if you had joined us we would have been able (perhaps) to assist, I carry injector & tools, and you would have eight other cars for further spares etc. But you missed a great day out.

 

Perhaps next trip, Haynes Motor ?

 

See you,

 

Alan

[Richardtr3a]

Did you get the garage built and how is life in Gloucestershire.

 

I remember we discussed it a lot at the London Group meetings.

 

Let us know,

 

Richard & H

[North London Mike]

........excellent thought provoker as we start to new 'season'

 

And then you have the specialist tools, the cut down spanner so you can reach the rear bolt on the mech fuel pump (4 pot)

 

Or the 12mm spanner for the new hi torque starter (etc etc) all learnt on the job and now in the tool roll so you'll have it next time

[Nigel C]

Has anyone actually attempted the basics "from the boot" like change a wheel lately? I raise this point as we are all guilty of taking the wheels off (on a regular basis) in the workshop with a trolley jack, planks to raise, blocks of wood etc but can you do it at the side of the road.....with what you carry on board? well clearly not after showing my youngest son how the other day!

 

Great terminology (uselosity) and I will definitely empty the boot and reassess its contents before touring Jersey this summer.

[TorontoTim]

Good thread.

 

It's not necessarily entirely useless carrying spares that you don't have tools for: first, if you always travel with others (or are going on a trip together) you could share tools...so long as you are close enough to use them! Second, a handy workshop/garage might have tools for an emergency job, but are much less likely to have the parts/spares.

 

Having said that, I totally agree on the usual rule that you should only carry spares that you know how to fit and have the tools for.

 

Re: changing a wheel, I always take a trolly jack with me. It's neither heavy enough or bulky enough to leave at home, and it makes a roadside change immeasurably easier imo.

 

Cheers,

Tim

Edited April 24, 2017 by TorontoTim

[RogerH]

Hi Nigel,

I had exactly that problem - change wheel by roadside - three years ago.

I had the spare tyre/wheel, the socket/wrench and a scissor jack.

 

The scissor jack was the killer.

It would go under but trying to wind it up in the fully collapsed state with cars flashing past me inches away wasd almost impossible.

The following day with advice from the forum I bought an electric scissor jack - a life changing purchase. What a wonderful thing.

It also makes removing/refitting the gearbox a joy

 

Roger

Edited April 25, 2017 by RogerH

[harlequin]

Two years ago a few of us went to the German version of the international, one of the cars had a UJ fail in deepest darkest rural Germany on the Sunday.

The local TR group found a garage that was on call and they fitted the spare UJ from the box of bits loaned to us by TRGB, the garage only had metric tools but between us we had what was required and within a couple of hours we were on our way, all done on a Sunday afternoon.

 

George

[stuart]

Welcome back Ivor good to see the 6 is still on the road (or almost) hope your at International, be good to catch up.

Stuart.

[Dave Larnder]

Roger

Tell us more about the electric scissor jack, like how much boot space it needs, it´s lowest and top height, where to get it and how much.

Thanks

 

Dave

[carld]

Something like this I guess, not sure 125mm is low enough?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-Ton-12V-Automotive-Electric-Scissor-Car-Jack-Lift-Van-Garage-125-350mm-UK-NEW-/262935145386?hash=item3d3827ebaa:g:76oAAOSwtfhYo86O

[Dave Larnder]

Thanks Carl, but what I need from Roger ( because he has one), is what are the dimensions of the case or however it comes to fit in the boot or spare wheel well of a TR3A.

 

Dave

[RogerH]

Hi Dave,

I'll measure the low height later this morning.

On my 4A I have it on the left hand side of the boot tucked between the wheel arch and the rear light. I don't use it's box (too bulky)

 

It fits under the chassis rails with a flat tyre and is effortless to raise. The mechanical jack is very difficult at its low setting.

 

As mentioned I also use it to help remove/insert the GB for alignment.

 

The ebay clip above loks very similar to what I have and about that price.

 

Roger

[TR5tar]

Perhaps there's an idea here for a new competition at the IWE. Participants enter the ring and are given a basic breakdown scenario (they don't know what it'll be beforehand), and then they have to rely on their knowledge and toolkit to be able to replace a part. I'm not thinking of anything too taxing.

 

Then again, perhaps not such a good idea as it'll probably upset the H&S bods.

[Dave Larnder]

Thanks Roger, the lowest height and length would be interesting to see if it will go in the spare wheel compartment ( without box obviously) or maybe in the upside down spare wheel itself.

 

Dave

[Robert Sackley]

Irrespective of which type of jack you choose, the one essential item to carry is a piece of board or metal plate at least 10'' square. Anyone who has had to change a wheel on soft ground will know why!

[Robert Sackley]

Irrespective of which type of jack you choose, the most essential item to carry is a piece of board or metal plate at least 10'' square. Anyone who has had to change a wheel on soft ground will know why!

[harrytr5]

Roger which one did you buy (electric scissor jack) and the minimum height was?

Regards Harry.

Going to SPA soon and really need one.

[Dave Larnder]

Harry and All

If you are coming onto the Continent, I would advise you to bring a spare coil as they don´t seem to have the right type here. I have had mine for a couple of years now attached to the battery strap so I don´t go without it.

 

Dave

[harrytr5]

Thanks Dave but I am on EFI and the coil is common with modern cars.

Roger what is the minimum height of your electric Jack and where do you stow it?

Can someone prompt him if he missis this post?

Regards Harry.

[RogerH]

Hi Harry,

I spotted the post this morning but have been running round like a fly with a blue backside.

 

It is from ebay - Detroit is the name on it.

It lowers to less then 5". The beauty of it is that it take no effort to raise the car from fully lowered.

And,,,, you can stand behind the car whilst it is being raised and not in the traffic stream.

 

I keep it (out of its box) on the lefthand side of the boot; between the wheel arch and the rear light cluster.

 

Roger