Spare wheel cradle

mnde · Post by **mnde** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 11:20 am

When I had my puncture, I dropped down the spare wheel cradle in a hurry and managed to completely unscrew the raising/lowering bolt from the hook like a right numpty

When I tried to screw the hook back on it became stuck or cross-threaded on the end of the thread and I can't shift it

So at the moment the cradle is empty (spare in boot) and balanced on the hook.

Suggestions?? I'm thinking saw through the bolt and get a new one......

Mark.

Oscar · Post by **Oscar** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 1:18 pm

Couple of mates with big spanners to get it off.

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 1:26 pm

WD40, pair olf mole grips and a 19mm spanner!

mnde · Post by **mnde** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 2:58 pm

Tim, you're a genius!! Ring spanner on the bolt head, turn it until the other end of the spanner contacts the edge of the boot floor, apply lots of WD40 and welly to the hook end... I'll try it tomorrow!! Failing that I'll get someone to stand on the spanner in the boot while I twist the hook part.

Thanks,

Mark.

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 4:03 pm

How do you think I know how to do it!

mnde · Post by **mnde** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 4:53 pm

OK I won't ask...

Mark.

tim leech · Post by **tim leech** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 7:17 pm

Something you only do once

Doz · Post by **Doz** » Fri Feb 16, 2007 9:13 pm

how about "flattening" the end of the bolt with a hammer once it's all repaired. That way, the hook won't come off .... guess who lost his on the A40 in the dark (yes, it was raining)

cavmad · Post by **cavmad** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 6:12 am

And assuming you get it back on ok (i.e the bolt isn`t too twisted) don`t forget to put plenty of copper grease on it so it`s easier to remove in future should you need to

Vanny · Post by **Vanny** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 9:33 am

and while your fiddling consider getting a replacement 'hook' bit of a pug 306 which has a much taller hook section so that cunning thieves cant simply let the tyre down and push the whole cradle up and off the hook and wander of with your (probably not) brand new tyre!

Alternatively always park in 'low'

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 10:07 am

Be careful when putting a mole wrench on the threaded bit. If you put it on too tight you may crush it and make it grip the threads all the harder. - Easy to do - but rather counter-productive!

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 10:28 am

Vanny wrote:.. so that cunning thieves cant simply let the tyre down and push the whole cradle up and off the hook and wander of with your (probably not) brand new tyre.

Surely if the clamp is done up fully, with the bolt thread hard up against the cradle in the hook, then the wheel is secure.......

Vanny · Post by **Vanny** » Sat Feb 17, 2007 4:35 pm

Vanny wrote:and while your fiddling consider getting a replacement 'hook' bit of a pug 306 which has a much taller hook section so that cunning thieves cant simply let the tyre down and push the whole cradle up and off the hook and wander of with your (probably not) brand new tyre!

Alternatively always park in 'low'

Letting the tyre down (or even in some cases using a hammer and wedge to break the bead) gives them enough room to get the cradle the 15mm or so high to get the cradle out of the hook and then wander away with the tyre! Remembering also most people carry the jack in the upturned spare wheel (as in was designed) and thus the valve is quite easily accessible. It was enough of a problem in the late 90's that PSA saw fit to significantly modify the hook design!

mnde · Post by **mnde** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 11:16 am

cavmad wrote:And assuming you get it back on ok (i.e the bolt isn`t too twisted) don`t forget to put plenty of copper grease on it so it`s easier to remove in future should you need to

Ages ago I greased up the thread with LM grease and wound it up and down several times. Hence when I had the new front tyres (Uniroyals) fitted after the puncture incident, and I wanted the old spare back in the cradle, Mr National Tyre Man wasn't happy during his halfhearted attempt to shift it when he got mucky grease all over his nice clean latex gloves (!), said "well, if it's stuck I can't do anything" and WALKED OFF

My girlfriend said she saw him mouth something to the reception guy on his way through to the backroom too. Jobsworth.

I'm pretty sure I crossthreaded it, but haven't had a chance to look at it due to another problem with the car (another story).

Cheers,

Mark.

cavmad · Post by **cavmad** » Mon Feb 19, 2007 11:30 am

Probably a good thing Mark. When I worked for a couple of tyre firms it was a nightmare trying to undo these bolts from where some ham-fisted turnip had done them up with a buzz gun at a tyre house somewhere