Puncture

[AGL80]

So. Had a puncture on the front off side.

Firstly, what treat to see all the tools and stuff you get with an Audi. Could do with an extension to the wheel brace as the bits were ****** tight.

Got the nuts off but couldn’t get the wheel off. Far more mechanically minded mate came over and we loosened the nuts and drove the car forward a foot, gave the whee a kick and it loosened. Seemed to be some corrosion between the wheel and hub? If that’s right. Bit surprising as the pads and tyre are fairly new.

It was a screw in a Michelin Primacy 4 which was repaired for £20, thankfully, rather than the £140 the tyre place reckoned it would have been to replace.

Anyway, all resolved. Where’s the warning triangle? (2015 A4 Avant)

 

[Jon B]

I had a puncture recently on off-side rear and the wheel was an absolute pig to get off and I didn’t have a friend to assist. I snapped the guide tool that screws into the bolt to assist installation, fortunately I had some pliers in the car to remove the piece stuck in the bolt hole, otherwise I’d have been stuck!

 

[AGL80]

I thought the wheel brace had split at one point. I had my hand on the A pillar with all my weight on the brace to get it to turn the nuts.

My mate greased it all up but I’m tempted to take the other wheels off and put them on again to make sure they’re alright.

Thankfully, this was all in the driveway but don’t fancy the hassle on the roadside. We have RAC but I’m not waiting a couple of hours to change a wheel if I can do it in 20 mins.

 

[Jbradford97]

answering your question: Where’s the warning triangle? (2015 A4 Avant)
its in storage area in the tailgate itself - behind the number plate (but from the inside)

 

[AGL80]

Thank you.

 

[rum4mo]

Buy either a reasonable quality wheel brace that has an extendable handle complete with a 17mm socket, don't buy the cheaper versions as it seems that the handle extensions can/do split! In my own car I have an 18" 1/2" sqr drive breaker bar and a 17mm hex socket. I've forgotten what length the standard wheel brace handle is - the one in the kit for my daughter's new SEAT Leon Cupra looks to be about 6" long - and that is not very handy for her, but I'm sure that she should have a wheel brace with an expendable handle some where in her car, as I did buy her one in the past!

I'm surprised the locating dowel/pin snapped though, I've never had to use one yet, I've only ever used the alloy version from the big VW 4X4 etc when changing wheels in my garage.

 

[AGL80]

In my car the brace is about a foot long.

Though the nuts seemed to have been done up to about 160!

 

[rum4mo]

I'm guessing that your "about a foot" is slight exaggeration and my "about 6" " is also exaggerating the other way, so both the same but useless length!

Edit:- things could be worse, I remember back in the early 70's trying to change a LandRover wheel, first the "quality" (chocolate) wheel wrench handle rolled up when I stood/jumped on it, then the supplied "quality" double screw jack sent the outer screw section down into the hard standing 0/10 for quality reliable British engineering - Solihull and/or Birmingham hang your heads in shame! (both place names proudly appeared on LandRover badges around that time).

 

[Seantdi]

Take the wheels off and put some copper grease on the faces where they mount to the hub.

Also Halfords do a very good bar. It's not foldable or anything but is very strong and about 3 foot long so loads of torque when you stand on the end.

 

[rum4mo]

You just need to be careful where you apply copper grease, nowadays aluminium loaded grease is the preferred option it seems, I've yet to change - I've got the aluminium loaded grease but the old copper loaded grease has not all disappeared yet!

A 36" long breaker bar is serious stuff, I use a 24" breaker bar in the garage and even with that I need to be careful not to over torque the bolts as they should be only 120NM, I do finish off tightening these bolts with a torque wrench - always as it makes sense.

 

[Seantdi]

Sorry it's actuall a 2foot bar in Halfords in the half inch. I was thinking of my 3/4 drive bar.
It's ideal for the boot in case of a flat. Almost anyone will be able to open the studs with one.

Been using copper grease on alloys for almost 20 years. Never had an issue. Just put a light coat on the hub or mounting face of the rim with a small brush.

 

[rum4mo]

I tend to end up with the dreaded black spots appearing on the inner face of the wheel barrel, a bit annoying when you are trying to keep your car looking good/clean! Due to small spots of cooper grease being slung out at speed!

 

[spartacus68]

I use a marine grease on the wheels when they've been off for cleaning. Apply a smear of Star Brite red grease to the hub face. Halfords extending 1/2" square extending wheel wrench is an an absolute must have tool too to have onboard. If wheels fail to come off, a rubber mallet is the only thing I'd hit the inside of an alloy wheel with.