Changing wheel / Tool kit

[Swifty1234]

I've found the spare wheel on my motorhome but the tool kit and jack seems to be missing. It's a Burstner Marano based on an older style 2006 Fiat Ducato. It seems it shoukd be located under the passenger seat but its not there. Has it been lost or perhaps removed because it wouldn't lift the vehicle? Its rated at 3500kg. I have a spare small jack I could probably leave under seat with a small tool kit but bit worried about the weight and whether I can get the force needed without a breaker bar for wheel nuts? Many thanks

 

[kev54]

I would be embarrassed to call out breakdown services to come and change a wheel for me.. yes before I get shot down I understand there may be a few cases where some folk may not be physically active enough to do it . But to not even try.. Mmm.

Sorry, but - embarrassed? No. Really. You pay for a breakdown service for just such help - why not use it?

 

[kev54]

I've found the spare wheel on my motorhome but the tool kit and jack seems to be missing. It's a Burstner Marano based on an older style 2006 Fiat Ducato. It seems it shoukd be located under the passenger seat but its not there. Has it been lost or perhaps removed because it wouldn't lift the vehicle? Its rated at 3500kg. I have a spare small jack I could probably leave under seat with a small tool kit but bit worried about the weight and whether I can get the force needed without a breaker bar for wheel nuts? Many thanks

I had a similar-age Burstner/Ducato and the kit was under the passenger seat. It sounds like yours is gone. However, that’s what a breakdown service is for! Save the weight for something more enjoyable. I note some comments that some European breakdown providers don’t have tools (not my experience) but they’re obliged to bring you to someone who does. We’ve also ditched the spare wheel for payload gain and have a spray-kit for the simpler deflationary situation.

 

[gerry mcg]

The wheel change kit and ack etc should live in a grey box that goes under the passenger seat - however on my my globecar,(and i suspect many PVC MH, the leisure battery is under the drivers seat, and the EBL is under the passenger seat, so there is no space for the factory wheel change kit.
our van came with the oem underseat grey box containing the wheel change it loose in the back of teh garage

 

[Lenny HB]

I changed a wheel over on the van a couple weeks ago I was surprised how hard it was.
A couple of years older since I did one the last time what difference that makes.
A 16" Ducato wheel weighs around 30kg not only the weight those two alightment pegs make it difficult, you can't get it on the hub then move it into position.

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[Lenny HB]

Remember, if your changing the wheel, you are only lifting a 1/4 of the vehicle so a 2 ton jack would be more than ample plus, one can get very long breaker bars but, as Clivefog said, get someone else to do it.

Depends on the jack, my 2 ton trolly jack is fine lifting the car but I can't budge the Motorhome with it, part of the problem might be the short handle.
It was a French supermarket job.

 

[L' Hobo]

Depends on the jack, my 2 ton trolly jack is fine lifting the car but I can't budge the Motorhome with it, part of the problem might be the short handle.
It was a French supermarket job.

Perhaps you should buy British?

 

[Swifty1234]

Many thanks for all your help. I appreciate everyones comments. I like to do things myself as much as possible.

Regards having a puncture on a motorway, its never happened to me touch wood, but I'd like to think I could make it to somewhere safe to change the tyre if needed. By the time you've phoned the breakdown company and they've come, it's quicker to DIY where possible. I had to wait 12 hours once for the AA but it was snowing at the time.

Original toolkit did appear to be under passenger seat but is no longer there or anywhere else.

 

[L' Hobo]

I had a similar-age Burstner/Ducato and the kit was under the passenger seat. It sounds like yours is gone. However, that’s what a breakdown service is for! Save the weight for something more enjoyable. I note some comments that some European breakdown providers don’t have tools (not my experience) but they’re obliged to bring you to someone who does. We’ve also ditched the spare wheel for payload gain and have a spray-kit for the simpler deflationary situation.

Spray kit is not much use with a blow out, better to carry a spare tyre, not wheel.

 

[Landy Andy]

Many thanks for all your help. I appreciate everyones comments. I like to do things myself as much as possible.

Regards having a puncture on a motorway, its never happened to me touch wood, but I'd like to think I could make it to somewhere safe to change the tyre if needed. By the time you've phoned the breakdown company and they've come, it's quicker to DIY where possible. I had to wait 12 hours once for the AA but it was snowing at the time.

Original toolkit did appear to be under passenger seat but is no longer there or anywhere else.

Must consider if no tool kit are you also missing the tow eye, that is often required on fwd vans?

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[Swifty1234]

Yes missing that too

 

[Lenny HB]

Must consider if no tool kit are you also missing the tow eye, that is often required on fwd vans?

Worth carrying two of them they break very easy, designed for towing in a straight line onto the back of a transporter.
If you ever get towed out of a field make shure you stay in line with the towing vehicle or it will break.

 

[Cush]

Managed to take both rears off to change the bump stops last week. Surprisingly easy with a trolley jack and a breakout bar! Not sure I would try it on the road though. All depends on the situation but definitely glad I tried.

 

[Swifty1234]

Can't find a pre 2006 towing eye on ebay

 

[Coolcats]

I would be embarrassed to call out breakdown services to come and change a wheel for me.. yes before I get shot down I understand there may be a few cases where some folk may not be physically active enough to do it . But to not even try.. Mmm.

Why would anyone be embarrassed? It’s also not about a level of fitness, My wife can easily change a wheel ( then again she is quite fit) the guys at her office were taken aback when the car wouldn’t start one day and she produced a hammer and thwacked the starter solenoid and car started.

You pay for breakdown service so why not use it. !

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[Thornebt]

When I bought my Autosleeper Cotswold the sales guy pointed out the spare wheel location under the van and the winding handle to lower the cage it is in. He said if I got a puncture to call the breakdown people. He said they won't change the wheel either, they will just recover it.

 

[Roger J Holman]

Not MH related, but relevant.
A few years ago I was driving my Discovery up the M5, approaching the point ay which one turns off to join the M4 Eastbound. Travelling quickly in the outside lane, I had a (thankfully) rear wheel blowout. I managed to pull over to the hard shoulder, and took stock, at which point I realised that it was not a hard shoulder, but a running lane for those turning left.
Exited the car via the passenger door and hopped over the safety barrier, and really started to take stock! 40ft artics were barreling down the inside lane to turn left, and facing a crisis as they came across my car, stopped in a running lane, and couldn't move out a lane because of other traffic. There were some very scary moments when I thought "this is it!"
I telephoned the police, the only number in my head, and was asked "Is this an emergency?" "No" I replied, but it very soon will be if you don't get someone here, fast".
Quite quickly, two of those DoT Traffic Officers turned up and set up a cordon of cones behind the car, which took a little bit of pressure off (at that point the blow out was on the inside, LHS). I got the wheel changing gear out, having changed many tyres, it held no worries, unfortunately, the little black plastic 'tool' for removing the covers to the wheel nuts had broken, and was inoperative. I asked the Traffic Officers if I could borrow the one from their vehicle, also a Discovery. "Sorry", they said, "we don't have any tools on board, they are all removed." "What do you do if you have a puncture" I asked. "Call the rescue service and sit and wait." they said!
Back to the head scratching again, and sorted out a solution, however, a very, very scary time, and not one that I am in a hurry to repeat.

 

[pat100]

Not MH related, but relevant.
A few years ago I was driving my Discovery up the M5, approaching the point ay which one turns off to join the M4 Eastbound. Travelling quickly in the outside lane, I had a (thankfully) rear wheel blowout. I managed to pull over to the hard shoulder, and took stock, at which point I realised that it was not a hard shoulder, but a running lane for those turning left.
Exited the car via the passenger door and hopped over the safety barrier, and really started to take stock! 40ft artics were barreling down the inside lane to turn left, and facing a crisis as they came across my car, stopped in a running lane, and couldn't move out a lane because of other traffic. There were some very scary moments when I thought "this is it!"
I telephoned the police, the only number in my head, and was asked "Is this an emergency?" "No" I replied, but it very soon will be if you don't get someone here, fast".
Quite quickly, two of those DoT Traffic Officers turned up and set up a cordon of cones behind the car, which took a little bit of pressure off (at that point the blow out was on the inside, LHS). I got the wheel changing gear out, having changed many tyres, it held no worries, unfortunately, the little black plastic 'tool' for removing the covers to the wheel nuts had broken, and was inoperative. I asked the Traffic Officers if I could borrow the one from their vehicle, also a Discovery. "Sorry", they said, "we don't have any tools on board, they are all removed." "What do you do if you have a puncture" I asked. "Call the rescue service and sit and wait." they said!
Back to the head scratching again, and sorted out a solution, however, a very, very scary time, and not one that I am in a hurry to repeat.

It’s amazing how quickly things go from bad to worse. I believe that in “Chaos Therory” it’s called “Period doubling “ Trying to get those pesky nut covers off with your finger-nails is very frustrating.

 

[jockaneezer]

Can't find a pre 2006 towing eye on ebay

Try a local scrap ?

 

[Headrush]

With reference to the above 2 posts, I would like to mention locking wheel nuts.
No, just no.

In a situation where you need to change a wheel, they are a failure prone nightmare. I take the first opportunity to remove them and breathe a sigh of relief when it's done.

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[tonyidle]

I would be embarrassed to call out breakdown services to come and change a wheel for me.. yes before I get shot down I understand there may be a few cases where some folk may not be physically active enough to do it . But to not even try.. Mmm.

I changed a wheel over on the van a couple weeks ago I was surprised how hard it was.
A couple of years older since I did one the last time what difference that makes.
A 16" Ducato wheel weighs around 30kg not only the weight those two alightment pegs make it difficult, you can't get it on the hub then move it into position.

Lower the van rather than lift the wheel. These days that's what I have to do.

 

[LesW]

Can't find a pre 2006 towing eye on ebay

Perhaps a daft comment from me.. but the towing eye on our 2004 Peugeot based Inca is part of the chassis, on the (front) left hand side under the 'bumper'.

 

[L' Hobo]

Perhaps a daft comment from me.. but the towing eye on our 2004 Peugeot based Inca is part of the chassis, on the (front) left hand side under the 'bumper'.

Many are loose and normally with the jack etc. Perhaps yours is already screwed in or,as you say, part of the chassis?

 

[Swifty1234]

Perhaps a daft comment from me.. but the towing eye on our 2004 Peugeot based Inca is part of the chassis, on the (front) left hand side under the 'bumper'.

Doh! You are correct

 

[gus-lopez]

Sorry, but - embarrassed? No. Really. You pay for a breakdown service for just such help - why not use it?

To me a puncture is not and never would be classed as a breakdown.
Engine,gearbox or transmission or electrical failure to start is a breakdown.
A vehicle can still be driven without tyres therefore isnot broken down.
I've never understood why they even offer it?

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[68c]

Perhaps a daft comment from me.. but the towing eye on our 2004 Peugeot based Inca is part of the chassis, on the (front) left hand side under the 'bumper'.

Have a good look around the area, it is a favourite rust spot for older Sevel vans. That ring is welded to the bolt-on crossmember under the radiator, the crossmember corrodes but as it is not an MOT item may be in a very poor state. The crossbeam is bolted to two forward chassis extensions which also corrode. I would not pull on that ring unless I was certain it is secure. Better to run a strap around the sub chassis.

 

[mitzimad]

dont bother looking for the fiat tool kit the wheel brace is made of warm chocolate

 

[Odd-no-more]

I changed a wheel over on the van a couple weeks ago I was surprised how hard it was.
A couple of years older since I did one the last time what difference that makes.
A 16" Ducato wheel weighs around 30kg not only the weight those two alightment pegs make it difficult, you can't get it on the hub then move it into position.

Back in the distant past, when I changed truck wheels I found a shovel very useful, unfortunately we are not likely to have one in the van, if a shovel is not available two metal bars can do the job but that way needs two hands to lift so alignment is more difficult.

 

[Lenny HB]

Back in the distant past, when I changed truck wheels I found a shovel very useful, unfortunately we are not likely to have one in the van, if a shovel is not available two metal bars can do the job but that way needs two hands to lift so alignment is more difficult.

Now you tell me, like all well prepared Motorhomers I keep a shovel in the Motorhome garage.

 

[kev54]

To me a puncture is not and never would be classed as a breakdown.
Engine,gearbox or transmission or electrical failure to start is a breakdown.
A vehicle can still be driven without tyres therefore isnot broken down.
I've never understood why they even offer it?

If it’s offered - I’d accept

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[SpeedyDux]

The people on here who have experienced seized on wheels, either need to question their garages or their servicing. My wheels, all of them come off at least once a year, by me, when my van is serviced. How can a van have a proper service if they haven’t properly checked the brakes, which includes the park brake.

I am certain that the Fiat Professional fitters have never removed the wheel trims on mine, except the front offside wheel when there was a safety recall to carry out. The cable ties I fitted on the other 3 wheels when I bought the MH are still intact. Steel wheels not alloys.

Anyway this thread reminded me to add a short scaffold pole to my toolkit. Just in case I need to loosen the wheel nuts.