Thread: Old sayings proven and maybe a new one made up?

Hello All,

This morning I set to work on getting my latest acquisition closer to becoming road worthy. In the process I proved the validity of a couple of sayings that every one probably knows.

1) Some things are best left alone & 2) Discretion is the better part of valour. When I got my Series 3 ute last weekend (18/03) three of its tyres were flat - not flat as a pancake flat but definitely needing more air. So I went to do what I thought would be a simple task. Having started up the air compressor and dragged out the air hose I went to undo the valve cap on the first tyre. There was this nice alloy anodised blue valve cap - "oh that looks pretty I thought". Then I went to undo the valve cap with my fingers - no go. So back into the shed for a spanner I went - hmm … still no sign of it undoing. Now this is where the previous owner and the mechanic who had been working on the Series III probably took the advice given in the two old sayings above - then they promptly walked away thinking some air in the tyre is better than no air in the tyre.

I went back into the shed and counted the number of spare tyres the Series III came with that were still sitting in my trailer. I also came out with a pair of vice grips to help hold the valve stem while I tried to undo the valve cap with the spanner. Despite my best efforts the vice grips slipped while I was turning the spanner and then I was met by an on rush of air. The point of no return had been reached and exceeded. So I changed the wheel. There were three pretty anodised alloy valve caps on the Series III; one was finger tight and the last of the three was like the first one – stuck fast. Yep and then the same thing wound up happening and I put the second spare on the Series III

So the new saying is "Do not put pretty things on a Series III because they do not like it, and they will seek their revenge upon you." Or maybe if you want to put nice pretty anodised alloy valve caps on a valve stem use an anti-seize compound. I was lucky that this all happened in my back yard and on a concrete slab. Not on a highway between here and nowhere or out on some dirt track.

I also found out that one of my rear wheels has a stripped wheel stud which I will need to replace. I just hope getting the horn, indicators and brake lights working won't prove a couple of more sayings like - "fools rush in where angels fear to tread"

Kind Regards
Lionel

I beseech thee...

DO NOT

google Murphys laws for mechanics...

for remember

Ignorance is bliss.