In comp.sys.laptops, on Sun, 11 Oct 2020 10:24:52 -0400, micky
Post by micky**I once had surgery in December, and it snowed and tthe snow was more
than half-way up my car's wheels, and I wasn't supposed to go out for
several weeks until my shoulder healed. One of my wheels didn't have
its wheel cover on (I don't know what happens now that so many cars
have no wheel covers or hubcaps) and in the spring I took my brother to
Newark airport. When I got back to the car, that tire was flat, and I
coudln't get the lug nuts off.
This was a rear tire, iirc. RWD car. I think. The studs came out of
a thick disk at the end of the axle, not out of the brake drum.
Post by mickyFinally, by standing on, jumping up and down on, the lugwrench, I got it
off but broke 3 of the 5 studs. Or maybe 4. I lived in Brooklyn
What a responsible adult would do is find a garage in Newark to tow my
car in (on Sunday) and fix it on Monday, and I would talke public
transportation to Manhattan, and the subway to Brooklyn, then come back
the same way when the car was fixed.
There was no web so I'd have to try to glean who to call and how to get
home and back.
It would have taken over an hour, to find a repair shop on the phone and
wait for his tow truck to arrive, then over an hour to get home from the
airport. Maybe more than 4 altogether. It was 7PM on Sunday.
The next day, I guess it would take 2 to 4 hours to get to the shop,
probably have to take a cab from the airport or train station.
Post by mickyOR, I could drive home.
When I went straight or turned left, the car was okay, but when I turned
right the wheel went clunk, clunk, clunk.
If I still had 2 good studs when I left hte airport, at some point I
broke one. Then I got to the Holland Tunnel. If you break down there
they charge you a lot to take you out. They have a tow truck that sits
there 24/7 waiting for people to break down, so they have to pay for the
tow truck with the fees they charge, plus they're annoyed, so they
charge more.
But I decided I'd drive through the Holland Tunnel. That went okay,
and I turned east on Walker St. NYC downtown is very quiet on Sunday
evening. Just before I got to Broadway,
Only a quarter mile from the tunnel exit.
Post by mickythe last stud broke and the
wheel fell off the car. Phone call, I'll finish later.
So the wheel fell off the car but the tire didn't go far. I walked up
to Broadway, which is one-way south, and looked around. I found a
little parking lot only 50 yards north of Walker St. It was empty
because it was Sunday evening
I must be an idiot but I jacked up the car and put the wheel back on,
with NO lug nuts. Lowered the jack and drove and I got no more than 6
inches and the wheel fell off again.
Jacked it up again, put the wheel on, lowered the jack, drove and I
got about 6 feet!!
Jacked it up again, put the wheel on, lowered the jack, drove and I
made it 30 feet to Broadway, turned left, 150 feet to the parking lot,
turned left, drove over the curb and into the lot.
I couldnt' believe it. I still can't. And I guess I'm not an idiot.
No cars on that part of Broadway on Sunday evening so I was able to go
north on the south-bound street
Took the subway home, read the shop manual about using a hydraulic press
to take out the broken studs, and to insert new studs. Next morning
road my bicycle to Atlantic Wheel and Rim, only a mile away.. I
commented on my problem and the parts guy said, "No one does it that
way. Use a punch and a hammer to take them out. Then put the stud
through the hole and tighten the lug nuts until the studs are in."
(then take off the nuts and put the wheel on.)
Went home, gathered up a few tools, took the train to my car, and did
what he said. Took maybe 30 minutes. Cost me 40 years ago about
$10, a dollar for each stud and each nut. Plus 1 1/2 x the cost of
parking all day in the lot. I parked sideways and went over 3 spots,
and he asked for 3x, but easily settled for 1.5. He could have parked 1
car next to me and it was only about 10AM. He could probably fill all 3
spots. --- There is an office building there now.
You all know this already from your own experience, but this was the
most outstanding example in my experience of often able to do things
quicker and better than the book instructions.