Alas - my first 2 hours of driving (my '79 MG Midget Project) were to
function as
a nail magnet. Within about 10 miles I had found the largest nail in my
County,
and it had found my right rear *tyre*.
Seemingly holding back the sea (there was no pressure loss for about 1.5
days),
I flirted with disappointment by holding off just one more day (WTH, it
needs 2 new
front *tyres* anyway, the purchase of which would shortly allow me to
postpone the
likely nasty front end suspension and alignment repairs (which must have
'driven'
the front *tyres* to their sad (and likely not legal) state in the first
place).
Passers-by were the first to notice and inform me of the resulting flat. I
was
impervious to any sensations of flat tyre - maybe these MGs always ride like
this?
OK, so add repair of the RR to replacement of both fronts - I can handle
this...
Next Lesson - What was actually in the *boot* ? - I remember looking
glowingly at it
(pre-purchase), and asserting that, yes, there IS a jack in there, and a
spare.
Now I discover that the spare is also flat - fixed that - and the jack,
although limply
hanging the 'wrong way' actually does work....But the tire iron is the wrong
size, and
only 5" of leverage anyway, so eventually with lots of help got changed.
But the
spare had an off-sized wheel, and I had to limp back home, hoping it did not
become
a projectile...Made it....
Now to pay up about $300 for 4 new tires....But the ham-handed teenage tire
assistant
at Big O actually popped off one of the rusted on lug nuts together with all
associated
stud metal. AND...gee, the LR wheel is now held on with only 3 (that one
popped off), the
RR seems to be held on OK, the LF and RF are only being held on with 2 each,
with the
other half of the lug nuts &/or studs stripped to the point of being able to
hand rotate -
I again limped home.
Don't dare drive much or very boldly - losing a front wheel could actually
be distracting...
I now must find a repair shop in Colorado Springs that won't panic at the
lack of computer
data on the MG, or maybe try to jump in and take apart all 4 assemblies to
get at the
replacement of the 16 appropriate studs (available, apparently, from Moss
Motors).
I can get a tire iron soon, but...
Any advice on replacing the studs & lug nuts? I don't want this as a
"first" repair project,
and the Haynes seems remarkably silent on how to accomplish this (maybe if I
look deeper?)
...The other books are still in the mail.....
Anyone else notice the high cost of education these days???
JL
> ********************************
> John Lundy
> Senior Astrodynamics Engineer
> Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC)
> PHONE: (719) 637-8740 x248 FAX: (719) 573-7936
> EMAIL: john.d.lundy@cpmx.saic.com
>
> ********************************
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