Kwik-fit and a puncture.

#1

Mate had a puncture - a screw in the tyre of his new Audi A3. It's done
less than 1000 miles. Asked for some help since he's got a problem in one
hand.

Went round and took off the wheel - it's got a space saver spare so
decided to get it fixed there and then so just left it jacked up. The
screw was in the outer main groove of the tread - quite a way in from the
edge so thought it would be repairable.

Took it to Kwik-Fit - they are the nearest tyre place. Bloke got out a
special ruler and then a some sort of round template and pronounced the
tyre scrap. Quoted 160 quid for a new one...

Went to a specialist place I'd used for tracking - they have a four wheel
computer alignment setup - and they fixed it for 7.50.

What is the formula for how close to the edge of the tread it can be? And
is it somewhat of a guess?

BTW, congrats to Audi for giving the wheel bolt torque in the driver's
handbook. 120 Nm If only they took their own advice - it was nowhere that
tight when I took it off.

--
*Why can't women put on mascara with their mouth closed?

Dave Plowman dave (AT) davenoise (DOT) co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

#2

On Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:46:52 +0000, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

Quote:

Mate had a puncture - a screw in the tyre of his new Audi A3. It's done
less than 1000 miles. Asked for some help since he's got a problem in
one hand.

Went round and took off the wheel - it's got a space saver spare so
decided to get it fixed there and then so just left it jacked up. The
screw was in the outer main groove of the tread - quite a way in from
the edge so thought it would be repairable.

Took it to Kwik-Fit - they are the nearest tyre place. Bloke got out a
special ruler and then a some sort of round template and pronounced the
tyre scrap. Quoted 160 quid for a new one...

Went to a specialist place I'd used for tracking - they have a four
wheel
computer alignment setup - and they fixed it for 7.50.

What is the formula for how close to the edge of the tread it can be?
And is it somewhat of a guess?

No, it's covered by BS AU 159f.

This may help:

http://www.etyres.co.uk/etyres-press-media/repairable-area-gauge.htm

Quote:

BTW, congrats to Audi for giving the wheel bolt torque in the driver's
handbook. 120 Nm If only they took their own advice - it was nowhere
that tight when I took it off.

The problem is with the dealer; it should have been checked as part of
the PDI.

Chris

--
Remove prejudice to reply.

#3

In article <50b8192ccddave (AT) davenoise (DOT) co.uk>, Dave Plowman (News) says...

Quote:

BTW, congrats to Audi for giving the wheel bolt torque in the driver's
handbook. 120 Nm If only they took their own advice - it was nowhere that
tight when I took it off.

Was it rechecked after 60 miles from its last removal?

--
Conor
www.notebooks-r-us.co.uk

I'm not prejudiced. I hate everybody equally.

#4

Dave Plowman (News) used his keyboard to write :

Quote:

BTW, congrats to Audi for giving the wheel bolt torque in the driver's
handbook. 120 Nm If only they took their own advice - it was nowhere that
tight when I took it off.

They can settle in a little, especially so on a new car. The advice is
to recheck them after a period.

--
Regards,
Harry (M1BYT) (L)
http://www.ukradioamateur.co.uk

#5

On Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:06:00 +0000, Harry Bloomfield wrote:

Quote:

Dave Plowman (News) used his keyboard to write :
BTW, congrats to Audi for giving the wheel bolt torque in the driver's
handbook. 120 Nm If only they took their own advice - it was nowhere
that tight when I took it off.

They can settle in a little, especially so on a new car. The advice is
to recheck them after a period.

By what process would a wheel bolt, tightened to the correct torque,
become significantly less tight?

Chris

--
Remove prejudice to reply.

#6

"Chris Whelan" <cawhelan (AT) prejudicentlworld (DOT) com> wrote

Quote:

On Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:06:00 +0000, Harry Bloomfield wrote:

Dave Plowman (News) used his keyboard to write :
BTW, congrats to Audi for giving the wheel bolt torque in the driver's
handbook. 120 Nm If only they took their own advice - it was nowhere
that tight when I took it off.

They can settle in a little, especially so on a new car. The advice is
to recheck them after a period.

By what process would a wheel bolt, tightened to the correct torque,
become significantly less tight?

Chris

--

Every garage and manufacturer and main dealership must be wrong. If you
don't know the answer then you might as well give up !
Still, it's given us all a laugh.
On this odd occasion, Kwik Fit was correct. Did you get a receipt from the
garage that did the puncture repair as you might need it for a legal claim
against them in the future.

#7

On Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:40:57 -0000, Chris Whelan
<cawhelan (AT) prejudicentlworld (DOT) com> wrote:

Quote:

On Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:06:00 +0000, Harry Bloomfield wrote:

Dave Plowman (News) used his keyboard to write :
BTW, congrats to Audi for giving the wheel bolt torque in the driver's
handbook. 120 Nm If only they took their own advice - it was nowhere
that tight when I took it off.

They can settle in a little, especially so on a new car. The advice is
to recheck them after a period.

By what process would a wheel bolt, tightened to the correct torque,
become significantly less tight?

Chris

Dirty joint face. That's why you always retighten them, it's fairly common.

#8

On Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:47:42 +0000, Duncan Wood wrote:

Quote:

On Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:40:57 -0000, Chris Whelan
cawhelan (AT) prejudicentlworld (DOT) com> wrote:

On Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:06:00 +0000, Harry Bloomfield wrote:

Dave Plowman (News) used his keyboard to write :
BTW, congrats to Audi for giving the wheel bolt torque in the
driver's handbook. 120 Nm If only they took their own advice - it was
nowhere that tight when I took it off.

They can settle in a little, especially so on a new car. The advice is
to recheck them after a period.

By what process would a wheel bolt, tightened to the correct torque,
become significantly less tight?

Chris

Dirty joint face. That's why you always retighten them, it's fairly
common.

I would consider myself a fastidious owner. I have always re-torqued
wheel fastenings every time someone else has removed/replaced a wheel on
one of my own vehicles. I have done this for more than 30 years; I have
never, ever experienced one becoming less tight.

Of course, I would never re-mount a wheel on a dirty joint face...

Chris

--
Remove prejudice to reply.

#9

In article <ZsiKm.17$uh1.10 (AT) newsfe20 (DOT) ams2>, Chris Whelan says...

Quote:

By what process would a wheel bolt, tightened to the correct torque,
become significantly less tight?

When the wheel heats up during the journey. Or do you drive a magical

car where the brakes don't get hot?

--
Conor
www.notebooks-r-us.co.uk

I'm not prejudiced. I hate everybody equally.

#10

On Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:54:42 -0000, Conor <conor (AT) gmx (DOT) co.uk> wrote:

Quote:

In article <ZsiKm.17$uh1.10 (AT) newsfe20 (DOT) ams2>, Chris Whelan says...

By what process would a wheel bolt, tightened to the correct torque,
become significantly less tight?

When the wheel heats up during the journey. Or do you drive a magical
car where the brakes don't get hot?

If that plastically deforms your bolts then retorqueing them won't help.