# Flat rear tyre. Can we/should we, call the AA



## Pollydoodle (Aug 18, 2005)

Just discovered one of the van rear tyres is pancake flat. My husband has tried pumping it up but air is hissing out around the valve area. I have forbidden him :roll: to try taking the wheel off - he is nearly 80 and not in the best of health!! He has managed to take some of the weight off the tyre to try and save further possible damage

As we have AA Home Start, I wondered if we are justified using it - we are not intending to go anywhere at the moment and everything locally is now shut for the weekend. I just feel a bit unsure of what to do in this situation

I have to say, if we were packed up ready to go somewhere I would not hesitate - or if we were on the road

What would you do?


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

I'd not hesitate to call out the AA. We've called on our Saga insurance in France for a van tyre and would not even think of doing it ourselves. It's a job that needs a proper jack etc and some strength and knowledge.

Give them a ring !

G


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## wakk44 (Jun 15, 2006)

Sounds like the valve is faulty,if you have a spare I would get the AA out to put it on,then you can take the faulty tyre to a tyre fitters who may be able to replace the valve and save the tyre.


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## Pollydoodle (Aug 18, 2005)

Son has just arrived unexpectedly so has offered to change the wheel for us.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Is there a limit on how many call outs?
If so, I would save the call out for something more important. :!: 
When you really need it!


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Your paying for it Polly. Call em, they can only say yes or no.

Ray.


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

When this happened to me last year, the result was:

6 months of slipped disc and trapped sciatic nerve.

Call them out.

tony


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Not speaking for anybody else or trying to imply what they should do.
After changing a few truck Supersingles in my life, I would be quite embarrassed to call a breakdown service van out to simply change a wheel at my home, when I would have all the time in the world.
But there again, I am reasonably fit


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## mikebeaches (Oct 18, 2008)

My advice would be to call the AA - they will soon tell you if you are covered or not. And I'd let them sort the whole thing out for you too.

Motorhomes and motorhome wheels are hefty things - leave it to the professionals. 

When I last changed the wheel on my wife's little Citroen car it took three months for my back to recover. And I thought at the time I was being extremely careful the way I was doing doing it.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Incidentally, there is no need to lift a wheel up to the wheel studs, just place a bar under the tyre and use leverage. That was how we changed Supersingles as there was no way we could lift them.
The hard part is getting at the spare in the first place. I keep ours easily accessible in the garage, so no crawling under the van.
Hardly any lifting, just technique!


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Try levering up a wheel and tyre on to the back of a pick-up to take it to Kwik Fit to find it was a faulty wheel, then to Fiat for them to test order a free replacement then all back again etc etc Aint much levering or technique involved. 8) 

tony


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

You could have used a plank.
Yes Technique :lol: :lol:


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## Pollydoodle (Aug 18, 2005)

Thanks everyone

Wheel now changed - we had a large trolley jack in the garage - and is now in the back of car to go to tyre place on monday.

Once it is mended we can drive the van there to get it put back on.

WE used to be able to everything ourselves, but increasing age and health problems mean we now have to rely on others  just a sad fact of life we all come to eventually.

Thank goodness for a lovely son calling in unexpectedly


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

Pollydoodle said:


> WE used to be able to everything ourselves, but increasing age and health problems mean we now have to rely on others  just a sad fact of life we all come to eventually.


I suppose, I have this to look forward to  not long I expect  
Good to hear you are sorted, and thanks for letting us know.


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## dipsie (May 30, 2008)

A bit late for advise on this one, but a usefull tip, if at home, put the replacement wheel on the front of a shovel, ease the wheel into place and push down on the handle untill the holes line up. Dipsie.


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## Auricula (Aug 13, 2012)

Good post topic; reminds me to ask.....

If you are not in the AA or similar, and have a puncture in the UK in your M/H what's the best way to deal with this? Is there a national UK tyre service that is cost effective and efficient?

I have a spare tyre fixed below the rear chassis and, for practice, I attempted to remove studs from wheel on the four running tyres. They were just too tight to take off without using a compressed air drill. Doing this on a main road in the dark would be very difficult!

Is there a good insurance policy that anyone can recommend that will attend to breakdowns in the UK that includes tyre replacement. And, is the same policy OK for Western Europe or is it best to take out a separate policy when travelling in France etc?

Views will be appreciated!


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## KeithChesterfield (Mar 12, 2010)

There was a thread recently about having a spare wheel or just relying on a can of puncture repair gunk.

Presumably the repair gunk is of no use with the problem you have and a spare wheel with a decent tyre is essential at the moment.

If you have a tyre problem when the MH is on your drive think what deep sh*t you'd be in if you had the same problem when you were in deepest Europe and no spare wheel. 

Spare wheel? Gunk? - no contest!

PS - one essential of my married life was to get my wife to learn how to change a wheel at the roadside (and drive a ride on mower) - I just claim a bad back and let her get on with it.

I hope Bruce Forsyth has finished and I can get back to the tele!


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