Jacks

[lightbody]

My purchase of "new" alloys for my MINI raises a questions in my mind... Can I change the 'mobility system' pack thats in the boot for a wheel-change kit with a jack/wheel brace? If so, how and how much does it cost?

Ta.

- Rob

[Wul]

Rob - you will be able to buy all the necessary components but it will cost a few bob! the jack and brace cost me about £25 when i got them and then you still have the wedge and foam surround to get for the set.

You just missed me selling said jack last week too!

Are GAJ's/ Your 5-Stars not Run-Flats anyway? In which case you can keep the mobility sytem and stick the jack in the shed for when you require it?

[lightbody]

the mobility system, i presume, is no use with the run flats, so just seems a bit pointless, thats all. Also, I thought i might use on of my current wheels as a spare now for when i'm venturing further afield - its always bothered me not having a spare!

Cheers

[Wul]

Rob - I have a permanent puncture repair gunk in my run-flats just now - tyresafe - it works in a similar way to the mobility stuff but you keep it in there for the life of the tyre - has worked a treat and only cost £19.99 for all 4 wheels! Can repair holes up to 6mm and no need to stop for a repair etc. That way you won't need to worry about humping a spare with you - using up valuable boot space!

www.tyresafe.com

[Duncan Stewart]

quote:Originally posted by lightbody

I thought i might use on of my current wheels as a spare now for when i'm venturing further afield - its always bothered me not having a spare!

Not if you want to carry any luggage. I carried a 15 inch as a spare for a few weeks after my puncture which was to large for the gunk to seal. Does not fit in boot. takes up 2/3 of rear seat. Why on earth did they not put a proper spare wheel in the new Mini?!?

[Wul]

Duncan - you can get one for £35ish from new - but it's not available as a retrofit as they adapt the chassis in the boot to allow a wheel to be suspended below the boot. It's still only a space saver though!

[KenL]

quote:Originally posted by Duncan Stewart
Not if you want to carry any luggage. I carried a 15 inch as a spare for a few weeks after my puncture which was to large for the gunk to seal. Does not fit in boot. takes up 2/3 of rear seat. Why on earth did they not put a proper spare wheel in the new Mini?!?


Yes, spare can be ordered for £35 when speccing the car on either the ONE or Cooper. Not possible on the MCs though due to the position of the exhaust and battery.

[Duncan Stewart]

I had planned to get one when I ordered the car but was talked out of it by the sales woman - not work having! I wish I had ordered it now.

[KenL]

quote:Originally posted by Duncan Stewart

I had planned to get one when I ordered the car but was talked out of it by the sales woman - not work having! I wish I had ordered it now.


The sales guy thought I wouldn't need it but I much prefer having the spare. The gunk fix seems fiddly and it wouldn't fix a big puncture.

[Wul]

Have to say though - i'm still a fan of the run flat principal - I really hate the idea of having to change a wheel in the pouring rain in the middle of the night - my option would still be the run-flat(or normal) tyre filled with tyresafe as this has proved pretty indistructable so far on my car (touch wood)!

[KenL]

I agree Wul that runflats are a good idea. Nice though to have the option of a spare in case you want to move away from the expense of runflats or go to a stickier compound.

Also for those with 15" wheels they are not runflats.

[lightbody]

The only times I've had flat tyres, the tyre has been destroyed to a point where no gunk would help! I worry that this could happen in the middle of nowhere (My family has a cottage in the middle of nowhere...). I'm not planning on humphing a 15" wheel around with me the whole time, just when leaving civilisation!

I phoned Henry Bros and was told that I could get a jack/brace for £20 in 2 days time if i paid over the phone...

I then phoned Harry Fairbairn. They claimed that it was not at all possible to purchase a jack/brace! I told him What HB had said and asked him to check/call me back. He did so, and insisted I could not get a jack/brace for my car!

Ho ho ho. Henry Bros 1, Harry Fairbairn 0.

So I called HB back to order them - and was told that i could have them tomorrow and that there was no need to pre-pay.

[Wul]

That's a good result then Rob -interesting take on the two dealers though!

[lightbody]

We managed to get GAJ's 4 16" alloys plus a spare tyre into the back of Charlie tonight - wow - although the rear visibilty was very impaired on the drive back to Glasgow and he definitely felt a bit low at the back!

The neds in the Corsa were well impressed at a MINI with EIGHT alloys going past!

Question: Trolley Jacks: SHould I use one to change the wheels or stick to the proper jack? Where do i stick it?

[Willie M]

Most trolley jacks won't fit under the MINI's sills Rob. I had to use one once and drove the wheels up onto two large railway sleepers so I could get the jack underneath. It worked but must say I've used the MINI jack every other time.

[Big Gordy]

I have a standard trolley jack and it fits OK under 'Mutley' with either the 15" steels or the 17" alloys fitted :approve: I also made up a block of wood that fits into the square jacking slot so I'm not jacking metalwork to metalwork and it works a treat if I do say so myself :p:D:approve:

[lightbody]

Thanks guys, very useful.

In my days of Classic Minis, you could do damage with a trolley jack by putting it just about anywhere and that was what i was mindful of... I think i'll probably just use the MINI jack and take my time over it.

[GAJ]

I used the MINI jack to change my wheels. It worked quite well - no scraped knuckles! I had expected it to be pretty useless 'emergency use only' but it was fine.

Glad you made it home safely!:)

[Wul]

WARNING RE USE OF A TROLLEY JACK!

http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15137&highlight=trolley+jack

The mini's jack points have a plastic enclosure (the square section the standard jack sits in) as Big Gordy says - a block of wood etc which sits in the square will help but please be careful out there folks!:blackeye::eek:

[lightbody]

Just as a follow up to this...

changed all four wheels using the MINI jack that I bought last week. Its a bit tricky to get it to jack vertically, but once you've got the hang of it, its very easy to use and theres no doubt about whether its in its socket properly or not.