A "little" something picked up around Davis,CA.

Posted by: BigH47 on 15 August 2008

It amazes me that this 6", yes six inch nail managed to get fully through the tread on out hire car tyre (sorry tire). Still an authorising phone call a £20 vulcanised patch(reimbursed) and 1/2 an hour was all it took to sort out. Can't help think that in the UK a new tyre would have been required.
An interesting experience.

Howard

Posted on: 15 August 2008 by KenM

It depends on the location of the puncture. In my experience, sidewall punctures usually result in having a new tyre. I have had one or two tread punctures repaired free of charge by my local Kwikfit.
Ken

Posted on: 15 August 2008 by Exiled Highlander

Howard

quote:
Can't help think that in the UK a new tyre would have been required.

We are just much more green over here....

Jim

Posted on: 15 August 2008 by 555

We got a flat tyre on the motorway heading to WOMAD recently.
Don't know what caused it, but the tyre was wrecked.
From 'phoning our breakdown service (theres no way I'm going to change a tyre on the hard shoulder of the M6!) to getting on the move again took 20 minutes.

Posted on: 15 August 2008 by BigH47

I was posting in some respects because I (like the repair guy) was amazed at how that huge nail got in the tyre at almost 90 degrees to the tread. I think we got it after coming off the freeway, it made such a noise as the nail was hitting the wheel, the tyre it self remained inflated though.
Service was really good.

Posted on: 15 August 2008 by Guido Fawkes

quote:
Can't help think that in the UK a new tyre would have been required.

Or a new car.

Posted on: 15 August 2008 by Willy

quote:
Originally posted by BigH47:

It amazes me that this 6", yes six inch nail

Howard

Would that be something similar to a 150mm nail?

Willy.

Posted on: 15 August 2008 by 555

152.4mm

Posted on: 15 August 2008 by andy c

6mm is the max hole diameter for a repair in the Uk...

say that i know this but...

Posted on: 15 August 2008 by BigH47

quote:
Would that be something similar to a 150mm nail?

No it would be 6 inches on account of it being American, or have you been metricified? If so are they metric miles on the highway signs, metric gallons a the fuel pump and metric pounds in the grocers etc etc.

Posted on: 15 August 2008 by BigH47

quote:
6mm is the max hole diameter for a repair in the Uk...

It's OK the nail is 1/4" diameter.

Posted on: 16 August 2008 by Willy

quote:
Originally posted by BigH47:
quote:
6mm is the max hole diameter for a repair in the Uk...

It's OK the nail is 1/4" diameter.

Surely you mean 6.35mm?

Willy.

Posted on: 16 August 2008 by Derek Wright

So how was the trip, you got home just before the sterling plunge - very fortunate

Posted on: 16 August 2008 by BigH47

quote:
So how was the trip, you got home just before the sterling plunge - very fortunate

The trip was fantastic, 2 nights Las Vegas a trip tip to Grand Canyon flew to San Fran 8 days car hire drove 2000 miles including LA,Monterey,Big Sur Yosemite ,Lake Tahoe, Carson City,Reno(Sparks) Napa Valley, Sonoma and back to San Fran for 4 nights.
Quite exhausting but so enjoyable, everything is huge the distances,the sights and of course the food.As in our other trips the less expected sites Truckee and Virginia City were a lovely discovery, a custom car show in Sparks (Reno) NV .The realisation the we were above 8000 feet for 4 days was a strange one.
All together a grand trip.Getting back what we paid for our currency was a bonus.

Posted on: 17 August 2008 by BigH47

quote:
Did you and Sally go and see the Beatles Love in Vegas?

No not a lot of time and the Cirque de Solai are the least discounted shows.
Sally says she saw the real thing and doesn't need to go to a show!!!

Posted on: 18 August 2008 by NaimDropper

Nice nail. Glad you found it before the t(y)ire was damaged at speed and you didn't have an accident!
Most interesting object I picked up causing a flat was a spark plug!
It was in an old MB 240D that I had JUST sold. Picked it up on the drive to lunch. It was to be picked up that afternoon.
Made a very nasty hole.
Cost me a new tire, though the irony of a Diesel being disabled by a spark plug was not lost on anyone.
David