I have just had my second puncture at motorway speeds this year. In both cases it was fine, because I managed to get off the road within a small number of miles and change the tire for the full size spare I had. Also in both cases the flat tire was ripped to shreds before I found somewhere safe to park up, though I think the wheel itself will be fine. The last time I had to change a tire on the road, about a decade ago, was after hitting a block of wood on the road that I decided was safer to hit than swerve round. That destroyed the wheel properly, but I was able to continue my journey with the spare. This is a small price to pay for getting off the highway to a safer parking spot.
One thing we could discuss is the tendency of cars these days to not have spare tires. I do not understand this idea. I want to be able to carry on my journey after destroying a wheel or tire getting to safety, or by hitting debris in the road. I am carrying about over a tonne of metal already, do I really want to give up having a spare for another 20 Kg or so? Some people use that spray in repair foam stuff, it seems rare that could help you even if you trusted it, which I would hesitate to do. Even space savers irritate me, and I do not understand why they exist on company cars, but they are so much better than nothing or foam.
The other thing we could talk about is that in all those three cases I was almost not able to change the tires 'cos the wheel nuts were done up with pneumatic wrench at the tire place. This time I just managed by bracing myself within the door frame and using my whole body strength on the wheel brace, I may not have managed if it had been the front wheel. I used to keep a 40-50 cm length of scaffolding pole in my car, but I lost it along the way. I have to get another, but I am not sure the best way. Googling for it I get things like the below, I am not sure how they work. Surely a metal tube will work with any wheel brace, so is the best solution.
What do you have in case of a flat tire or damage to your wheel?
One thing we could discuss is the tendency of cars these days to not have spare tires. I do not understand this idea. I want to be able to carry on my journey after destroying a wheel or tire getting to safety, or by hitting debris in the road. I am carrying about over a tonne of metal already, do I really want to give up having a spare for another 20 Kg or so? Some people use that spray in repair foam stuff, it seems rare that could help you even if you trusted it, which I would hesitate to do. Even space savers irritate me, and I do not understand why they exist on company cars, but they are so much better than nothing or foam.
The other thing we could talk about is that in all those three cases I was almost not able to change the tires 'cos the wheel nuts were done up with pneumatic wrench at the tire place. This time I just managed by bracing myself within the door frame and using my whole body strength on the wheel brace, I may not have managed if it had been the front wheel. I used to keep a 40-50 cm length of scaffolding pole in my car, but I lost it along the way. I have to get another, but I am not sure the best way. Googling for it I get things like the below, I am not sure how they work. Surely a metal tube will work with any wheel brace, so is the best solution.
What do you have in case of a flat tire or damage to your wheel?

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