Honda Car Forum

I just had a flat tire. I get out, open the Civic trunk and find a spare tire, a
jack and a lug wrench. Then I reach inside to grab the spare tire, it's stuck.
Somehow the tire is bolted down with some kind of a rabbit ear nut. No
matter how hard I try to twist it, the rabbit ears will not move.

This was my scenario last night when I had to walk home two miles just
to get a monkey wrench to twist the rabbit ears. If this were your car how
would you do it differently?

Thanks

On Tue, 08 Mar 2005 04:42:43 GMT, "Tim Zimmerman" <Z@UCBerkeley.edu>
wrote:

>I just had a flat tire. I get out, open the Civic trunk and find a spare tire, a
>jack and a lug wrench. Then I reach inside to grab the spare tire, it's stuck.
>Somehow the tire is bolted down with some kind of a rabbit ear nut. No
>matter how hard I try to twist it, the rabbit ears will not move.
>
>This was my scenario last night when I had to walk home two miles just
>to get a monkey wrench to twist the rabbit ears. If this were your car how
>would you do it differently?
>
>Thanks

I would have beat the $shit out of those rabbit ears with the lug
wrench until it submitted to my will. Then I would have tossed it
into the woods so it may never be found before the end of the
Universe.

Then I would have mounted the tire and driven home.

Lg

In article <73aXd.5096$C47.404@newssvr14.news.prodigy.com>,
Tim Zimmerman <Z@UCBerkeley.edu> wrote:
>If this were your car how would you do it differently?

During periodic inspections of the tires, would have had to remove the
spare tire to check its air pressure (assuming typical under the trunk
floor mounting). At that time, would have made sure that the spare
tire could have been removed without tools not normally carried in the
car.

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Timothy J. Lee
Unsolicited bulk or commercial email is not welcome.
No warranty of any kind is provided with this message.

"Tim Zimmerman" <Z@UCBerkeley.edu> wrote in message
news:73aXd.5096$C47.404@newssvr14.news.prodigy.com ...
>I just had a flat tire. I get out, open the Civic trunk and find a spare
>tire, a
> jack and a lug wrench. Then I reach inside to grab the spare tire, it's
> stuck.
> Somehow the tire is bolted down with some kind of a rabbit ear nut. No
> matter how hard I try to twist it, the rabbit ears will not move.
>
> This was my scenario last night when I had to walk home two miles just
> to get a monkey wrench to twist the rabbit ears. If this were your car how
> would you do it differently?
>
> Thanks

Had a similar problem with a tire *on the car* (2003 EX with alloy
wheels) recently.

Went to remove to bring in for repair of slow leak. Wheel would not
budge from the hub. Stuck tight. Banged with fist a few times. Nothing.
Hit with rubber mallet a few times. Nothing. Hit over and over all around
the wheel figuring it was just a little rust spot somewhere between wheel
and hub that needed a little nudging. Still wouldn't budge.

Began to get frustartaed. Hit even harder with rubber mallet. Was
surpised to see it leave marks on the wheels. Put back against stone wall
that runs along my driveway, kicked as hard as I could at 3 spots where
rubber mets rim. Didn't even give the slightest hint of breaking loose, but
almost knocked the car off the jack. Now I'm getting mad. And sore from
all this kneeling, banging, and kicking. Got piece of 2 by 4 from workshop.
Strapped to wheel with bungie cord. Took heavey metal hammer. Wound up
like Tiger Woods for a 400 yard drive and smashed the hell at it. Yes -
came loose.

Lesson learned. A little grease where wheel meets hub before returning
repaired tire to car.

Wouldn't have expected the same situation the trunk. Moisture must be
getting in there. Same solution should keep from happening again.

Bob

Timothy J. Lee wrote:

> In article <73aXd.5096$C47.404@newssvr14.news.prodigy.com>,
> Tim Zimmerman <Z@UCBerkeley.edu> wrote:
>
>>If this were your car how would you do it differently?
>
>
> During periodic inspections of the tires, would have had to remove the
> spare tire to check its air pressure (assuming typical under the trunk
> floor mounting). At that time, would have made sure that the spare
> tire could have been removed without tools not normally carried in the
> car.
>

Does anyone actually do this? I'm assuming that the tire is mounted
"face up" of course.

My situation is unique in that I have a collapsible spare (Porsche 944)
so checking tire pressure is irrelevant. You also loosen the spare with
the lug wrench so hopefully leverage wouldn't be an issue.

nate

--
replace "fly" with "com" to reply.
http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

"Timothy J. Lee" <remove22@sonic.net> wrote in message
news:d0jcjb$pbs$1@bolt.sonic.net...
> In article <73aXd.5096$C47.404@newssvr14.news.prodigy.com>,
> Tim Zimmerman <Z@UCBerkeley.edu> wrote:
>>If this were your car how would you do it differently?
>
> During periodic inspections of the tires, would have had to remove the
> spare tire to check its air pressure (assuming typical under the trunk
> floor mounting). At that time, would have made sure that the spare
> tire could have been removed without tools not normally carried in the
> car.
>
Not me - I'd have taken Lawrence's approach. Then I would have gotten all
mopey and searched for hours for the little devil and put a bit of
lubricant - maybe petroleum jelly - on the threads to make it easier next
time. Remorse, you know.

Mike

in a nutshell..."grease is your friend!"
"rjdriver" <rjdrivers@cox.net> wrote in message
news:RwfXd.23825$Az.20927@lakeread02...
>
> "Tim Zimmerman" <Z@UCBerkeley.edu> wrote in message
> news:73aXd.5096$C47.404@newssvr14.news.prodigy.com ...
> >I just had a flat tire. I get out, open the Civic trunk and find a spare
> >tire, a
> > jack and a lug wrench. Then I reach inside to grab the spare tire, it's
> > stuck.
> > Somehow the tire is bolted down with some kind of a rabbit ear nut. No
> > matter how hard I try to twist it, the rabbit ears will not move.
> >
> > This was my scenario last night when I had to walk home two miles just
> > to get a monkey wrench to twist the rabbit ears. If this were your car
how
> > would you do it differently?
> >
> > Thanks
>
> Had a similar problem with a tire *on the car* (2003 EX with alloy
> wheels) recently.
>
> Went to remove to bring in for repair of slow leak. Wheel would not
> budge from the hub. Stuck tight. Banged with fist a few times. Nothing.
> Hit with rubber mallet a few times. Nothing. Hit over and over all
around
> the wheel figuring it was just a little rust spot somewhere between wheel
> and hub that needed a little nudging. Still wouldn't budge.
>
> Began to get frustartaed. Hit even harder with rubber mallet. Was
> surpised to see it leave marks on the wheels. Put back against stone wall
> that runs along my driveway, kicked as hard as I could at 3 spots where
> rubber mets rim. Didn't even give the slightest hint of breaking loose,
but
> almost knocked the car off the jack. Now I'm getting mad. And sore from
> all this kneeling, banging, and kicking. Got piece of 2 by 4 from
workshop.
> Strapped to wheel with bungie cord. Took heavey metal hammer. Wound up
> like Tiger Woods for a 400 yard drive and smashed the hell at it. Yes -
> came loose.
>
> Lesson learned. A little grease where wheel meets hub before returning
> repaired tire to car.
>
> Wouldn't have expected the same situation the trunk. Moisture must be
> getting in there. Same solution should keep from happening again.
>
> Bob
>
>

Bob, in you case I would have loosened the lug nuts about 1/8" and
lowered the car partially to put some weight on it. Then I'd wiggle the
car back and forth. That should have don it.

Lawrence Glickman wrote:
> On Tue, 08 Mar 2005 04:42:43 GMT, "Tim Zimmerman" <Z@UCBerkeley.edu>
> wrote:
>
>
>>I just had a flat tire. I get out, open the Civic trunk and find a spare tire, a
>>jack and a lug wrench. Then I reach inside to grab the spare tire, it's stuck.
>>Somehow the tire is bolted down with some kind of a rabbit ear nut. No
>>matter how hard I try to twist it, the rabbit ears will not move.
>>
>>This was my scenario last night when I had to walk home two miles just
>>to get a monkey wrench to twist the rabbit ears. If this were your car how
>>would you do it differently?
>>
>>Thanks
>
>
> I would have beat the $shit out of those rabbit ears with the lug
> wrench until it submitted to my will. Then I would have tossed it
> into the woods so it may never be found before the end of the
> Universe.
>
> Then I would have mounted the tire and driven home.
>
> Lg
>

Yeah, me too. Take your frustration out on those little tabs.
Although, that's why I have a cell phone now. I just call my buddy who
can bring me a real jack and a real tire. Especially because I don't
carry a spare in my summer car - the nitrous bottle takes up the room.


Ray

Larry:
What are you doing out of the MS reservation?
I try to avoid this by checking the spare tire preasure
every oil change. And to chekc the preasure you have to
remove the spare.
Terry