If you are fairly new, or never changed a tire on a 911, read this!

[SCWDP911]

Tonight was a lucky night and I am definitely counting my blessings right now. I had a PCA meeting in Memphis tonight. It is 1.5 hours from my house. I got back into town about 9:30pm tonight but had to stop by the Walmart for my son (he asked me to pick up an extra small air compressor for his bike trip this weekend). Thank you son for needing an air compressor. As I left Walmart and headed up a long onramp to get on the road that goes toward our house, I was driving next to the concrete wall, and then:

POP!

My first reaction was a MAJORLY SERIOUS backfire! And then in mere milliseconds, I knew exactly what had happened: left front tire blew out, and I mean blew out! I was luckily not going very fast and able to get to the side of the road very quickly. Initial inspection shows no obvious damage to my Fuch. I hope that will be the case tomorrow with closer inspection. I immediately started thinking about if this had happened only 20 minutes earlier... yuk!

OK, here is why I titled this "read if your are still somewhat new". I have looked at the collapsed spare tire in my trunk many, many times in the last year and a half. I never realized until tonight that if you do not have a compressor, that spare won't do crap for you (unless I missed something major here). But as fate had it tonight, my son had just had me stop to buy an air compressor... Yes! Changing the tire was a breeze and then I had to wait about 5-10 minutes to inflate the collapsible spare. Like I said, maybe I have missed something, but if you are new to 911's, make sure you have a portable air compressor as part of your assortment of tools in the trunk.

One question: there is another little stem right next to the schrader valve. I was going to look in my manual tomorrow, but is this some sort of go-nogo pressure indicator? I guess piece of advice number two, is read the manual. I have read through most of mine, but honestly never pais attention to the spare tire situation before tonight.

So thank you for not letting me do this at 70 mph on the I-40, thank you for not letting me have to do it in Memphis, and thank you to my son for needing an air compressor tonight.

[Nashville84Cab]

Hey Shane,

Sorry to hear about your tire, but I am very glad to hear that you are ok. Now get some fresh rubber tomorrow so we drive at the Fun Run on Sat.

Oh and I guess I should add that a jack is also needed in the trunk... obvious, but don't ask me how I know.

See ya on Sat!
Darrell

[SCWDP911]

yeah, roger that on the new rubber... Hey, you know the run is next Saturday, right? the 29th. I will see you there. Did you get your parts installed yet?

[the]

You also need to have a lug nut wrench to get the lug nuts off.

[SCWDP911]

Originally Posted by the

You also need to have a lug nut wrench to get the lug nuts off.

Oh man... The funny thing for me is that I was pretty careful early on to make sure my tool pouch was complete. Never thought about the air compressor, and honestly, though I have seen them for sale here and elsewhere so many times (the Porsche ones) I just passed it off as something extra they added. This clearly shows a flaw in what was my understanding of the Porsche principles of design for purpose.

[the]

Also be sure you don't let the fuel tank run too low.

It would be really funny if you had the inflatable spare, the lug wrench to get it on and off, the jack to jack the car up, and the compressor to pump it up, but then you ran out of gas.

[3.2 CAB]

I remember when the 914 had full size spare tires... but the air in the spare is what "powered" you windshield washer!
I do not mind the "extra" weight of the spare tire, full factory tool set, the air compressor, the jack, and wheel chocks. I would rather have the weight of all of these items, than need just one of them and not have it. I really don't care about the weight issues like some do.

[911Rob]

Huh, I "just" got a flat tire last night too!

I was driving my car home from getting a new alternator, when BAMM.
Got it changed OK and limped it home.
The bummer was taking out all the 'as new', never used, perfect condition tools, tire and carpeting to get the tire out and change it. Oh well, I'll tuck it all back together and hopefully it'll be as good as new?

My buddy said to me today, "ah, bummer getting a flat 'eh?"
I replied, "well at least it was a flat on a 993 TT and not a Geo"
Ordered 4 new Yoko Z's today, they'll be here on Monday/Tuesday.

Cheers,

[slodave]

Glad you are OK Shane. BTW, It's Fuchs - singular or plural. Fuchs = Fox.

[SCWDP911]

Originally Posted by slodave

Glad you are OK Shane. BTW, It's Fuchs - singular or plural. Fuchs = Fox.

I stand corrected most humbly sir...

[wolf]

so, are you buying two new front tyres?

[SCWDP911]

Originally Posted by wolf

so, are you buying two new front tyres?

No, I am far enough along to warrant a full set. This set was Yoko ES100's. I had no issues with them other than they seem to wear quickly. After looking around online last night, plus the last couple of weeks I had already been thinking about it, I think I am going to try the Fuzion ZRi's. I have heard more good things about them than other tires when looking at good to bad comments ratio. They are priced decently in case they turn out to be total crap. I decided to go with the ZRi's over the VRi's only because the price difference wa a few dollars. Unless I change my mind, I will report my thoughts on them in the ultimate tire thread later when I have some miles on them. Anyone else used them before?

[charleskieffner]

spring for the michelin pilot sport cups and be over with it! you will thank me........over and over and over!

smartest thing i have done.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

A AAA card is lighter than either a collapsible spare or compressor.

[SCWDP911]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

A AAA card is lighter than either a collapsible spare or compressor.

True, but often it is not nearly as fast.

[tsuter]

Better to just carry a $3.00 can of "Run Flat". That stuff doesn't hurt the tire anymore or blow up in the mechanics face like it used to. It'll fix 90% of flats...OK not a blow out shreaded tire........

I'd do that way before changing a tire on the side of the road............. oh I have done it! 1 minute fix and off you go!

[Wil Ferch]

I think the stock two-stem Schraeder valve allows a quick deflate to collapse the tire faster when it needs to go back into its "hole" in the trunk......

[JeremyD]

I drove from Chicago to St. Petersburg 5 years ago without a compressor. I just assumed it was there - I'm glad I didn't have a flat.

But I am prepared now = I have a spare that will actually clear my big brakes (for a year had a spare in there that was pretty much worthless) and a portable compressor...

[SCWDP911]

Originally Posted by Wil Ferch

I think the stock two-stem Schraeder valve allows a quick deflate to collapse the tire faster when it needs to go back into its "hole" in the trunk......

Ahh, that makes sense...

[Hendog]

I'm curious to know, since I've never had to use my spare but often wondered, if it's still good. V8Ranch, is that the original spare in your 83 Ruby Red Cab which you had to use?