Over weekend had a leaky valve on Fiesta, so at 4.30pm on Saturday call into one National chain of tyre fitters - First thing guy on desk says is "I'm about to finish my shift in a minute, but what can we do for you". I tell him about valve. He says to wait while he goes and sees if anyone is free. He is gone for 1 minute, when he is chatting to a guy doing brakes on a car. Comes back and says "IF you give us a ring tomorrow, may be able to look at it then".
I give up and after driving around find another national chain, 10 mins before closing.
Guy behind desk is doing paperwork. Mention problem, he gets up, grabs a few tools and
within 1 minute he has tightened up a loose valve and gave me a spare cap and valve for free. No charge.
Guess where I will be going for my tyres next time.
I really wish I could mention the names of the chains concerned but I guess I cant.
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For possible future occurrences you should get a tool to tighten the core. They're quite cheap. tinyurl.com/66yjpp I know the link leads to a motorcycle site but I expect the principles are the same.
Edited by L'escargot on 14/07/2008 at 11:31
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Schrader make a metal dust cap with the tool built into it. Not pretty but extremely useful.
I keep one on my spare wheel - then I know where to find it.
659.
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You can buy the tool and the valve caps at any accessory shop-even Halfords.
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Valve repair tool.
tinyurl.com/5laud3
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I know the slotted end is for tightening the valve core, but what are the threaded ends for?
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One cleans the thread on the inside of the valve core-one on the outside and the tapered one is for the removal of a damaged valve core.
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THanks - knew about tool, but since the last time I had to tighten a valve was when I had a bicycle in the 1970's - so haven't bothered with one. Would have thought it may have come free with some of the bits and pieces you get with a tyre pump.
(Maybe I should have looked in the remains of the box that came with the tyre pump bought 6 months ago)
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I ordered my tyres online & had them fitted at a place in Hemel Hempstead where I work. They scratched the alloy so badly I had to get them to agree to pay for the whole wheel to be refurbed, what a false economy that was, it was only £20 less than KF who I have always used for the last 9 years with no problems whatsoever.
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They scratched the alloy so badly .......... KF who I have always used for the last 9 years with no problems whatsoever.
I was going to say it all comes down to the individual fitter, rather than the company they work for, but then I remembered that different companies have different equipment and facilities.
Edited by L'escargot on 17/07/2008 at 10:42
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I had that done at a well recommended independant specialist in Warrington. The fitter somehow scuffed/gouged the face of one alloy and broke the surface of edge of both rims.
They did immediately offer to pay for them to be refurbed, but on an 18mth old car that is prone to wheel corrosion, that messes up the warranty. I'd really only have been happy with new wheels and that wasn't going to happen.
I was gutted really, more so because I thought I'd found somewhere that would take care of them, only to have that hope dashed.
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