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Topic: Blow out in France

duffs54

13/7/2014 at 9:41pm
Location: Cambs
Outfit: Ford Duetto Autosleeper

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Just coming back to Calais yesterday and we had a blow out on the N28 with about 250klm to do, doing 80mph very scary, but our trusty volvo estate stayed straight enabling me to pull very safely (did anyone pass us?), my SIL following thought our car was exploding!, luckily all insured with Vehicle Rescue Direct Breakdown Cover. should of been on the 6.30pm train, but no chance of getting there now SIL sorted it out that they knew and we weren't charged. The motorway safety van there in 10mins, the breakdown lorry took over 45mins and it was only 6kms away.

Anyway the breakdown driver and their staff at their depot in the middle of nowhere, never spoke to us or acknowledged us. But the lady at the office demanded 190eur cash or card as she couldn't get through to the rescue company, it rang 6 times and she gave up. it took an hour to sort it out all because no one actually took any info off of me at the time of me reporting the incident. then finally spoke to a lovely french lady who sorted it all out for us.

But not a nice experience, and you can guess it, where was our get you home tyre, yes under 2tons of camping stuff, then the alloy plus shredded tyre was just stuffed into back of car, so OH really just had to stuff everything back in anyhow he could. Got 11.45pm train which was delayed till 12.30, got back to SIL at 3am due to only being able to do 50mph.

Nightmare end to a perfect holiday

Post last edited on 13/07/2014 22:08:15

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Duffs54

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Baguette95

13/7/2014 at 9:45pm
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Glad you're all home safe. Glad you had breakdown cover; a good lesson to all. European breakdown cover is an essential!

Val A

15/7/2014 at 7:47am
Location: West - North Yorkshire
Outfit: Swift Speedbird 490 Mondeo Estate

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We've had a blow out once on our caravan, and it is scary - but fortunately we were on a minor road in Burgundy and able to change the tyre ourselves.

A word of warning, though, now you will need to replace both tyres on our caravan if you have to go into a dealer, or take it to a garage, and the reinforced tyres you need on a caravan aren't easy to get hold of. Always carry a spare, and when travelling make it accessible.

Big Roy

15/7/2014 at 9:50am
Location: Southport
Outfit: Mondeo Titanium Swift Challenger 580

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Please don't take this the wrong way and I don't know you so I don't know if you have any disabilities, if so please ignore if you have but you would save yourself a lot of hassle if you got someone to show you how to change a wheel.
It really isn't rocket science and you would have been on your way in 15 mins.
It amazes me when I am out and about how many grown men I see standing at the side of the road with a puncture, waiting for someone to turn up and change a wheel for them.

Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!

minicamper2001

15/7/2014 at 10:46am
Location: West country
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Indeed, we had a puncture on our last trip, annoyingly it was on the short section of peage just south of Rouen, and we only decided to take it as we were approaching Rouen. It delayed us about 30 minutes, as OH changed it himself. I was back up the road with yellow jacket and warning triangle!!

Boxman

15/7/2014 at 10:49am
Location: None Entered
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Glad you got over your problems with minimum (considering the circumstances) fuss duffs.

If it is of interest, we were staying at Canet Plage last year and whilst out in the sticks some 10 miles from the nearest habitation (Tuchan as it happens) on a drive out got a ruined tyre caused by a screw going into the side wall. I am perfectly capable of changing a wheel but because nuts were overtightened with an air gun I couldn't shift them with the normal car kit.

Fortunately I had a mobile signal so called Green Flag in Leeds who arranged for someone to come out and with the traditional bit of pipe for better leverage got us sorted and on our way within 40 minutes. Top marks to GF.

Found a kind of 'Halfords' tyre depot/workshop called Feu Verte on the same site as the big Carrefour store between C Plage and Perpignan who although very busy at the time couldn't have been more professional and helpful, with a guy who spoke some English. They fitted a replacement of my preferred make (Continental to match the others) within an hour and at a unit price which was cheaper than I had paid at home for the wrecked tyre a couple of months earlier.

anie7

15/7/2014 at 2:45pm
Location: up North
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My car, like some others, doesn't have a spare at all.

If the worst happened I am supposed for use some compressed foam or something - it's all in the car but I wouldn't trust it to drive on.

Am hoping my European RAC cover will suffice if anything bad did happen.

Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!

cliffystephens

15/7/2014 at 3:58pm
Location: welsh
Outfit: sante fe swift challenger 580 sr

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Quote: Originally posted by anie7 on 15/7/2014
My car, like some others, doesn't have a spare at all.

If the worst happened I am supposed for use some compressed foam or something - it's all in the car but I wouldn't trust it to drive on.

Am hoping my European RAC cover will suffice if anything bad did happen.

think you will find some recovery firms want you to have a serviceable spare wheel............

snapzzz

15/7/2014 at 5:12pm
Location: None Entered
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Quote: Originally posted by cliffystephens on 15/7/2014

Quote: Originally posted by anie7 on 15/7/2014My car, like some others, doesn't have a spare at all.

If the worst happened I am supposed for use some compressed foam or something - it's all in the car but I wouldn't trust it to drive on.

Am hoping my European RAC cover will suffice if anything bad did happen.

think you will find some recovery firms want you to have a serviceable spare wheel............

Often the polices state that you must carry a serviceable spare if the car is designed to carry one. My qashqai doesn't have one.

duffs54

15/7/2014 at 6:49pm
Location: Cambs
Outfit: Ford Duetto Autosleeper

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Quote: Originally posted by Big Roy on 15/7/2014
Please don't take this the wrong way and I don't know you so I don't know if you have any disabilities, if so please ignore if you have but you would save yourself a lot of hassle if you got someone to show you how to change a wheel.
It really isn't rocket science and you would have been on your way in 15 mins.
It amazes me when I am out and about how many grown men I see standing at the side of the road with a puncture, waiting for someone to turn up and change a wheel for them.

Well no offense taken Big Roy, we can change wheels ok, but with the estate car packed to the brim with camping stuff too much risk of our toilet rolls, food bags wine etc going all over the motorway was too dangerous plus our dog as well,there wasn't enough room for us to do it safely and the hard shoulder was narrow The motorway police, just sighed and said non and gestured a tow off the motorway.

Plus I don't think we would of been able to get the nuts undone either.

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Duffs54

Crach

15/7/2014 at 7:01pm
Location: France
Outfit: Hobby 460Ufe

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Quote: Originally posted by duffs54 on 15/7/2014
safely and the hard shoulder was narrow

Strange as it sounds you are not meant to stop on the hard shoulder except by the phones where it is normally much wider so that you can pull behind the safety barrier and perform such feats as tyre changing etc in comparative safety. Lorry drivers though sometimes use them for places to sleep.

The hard shoulder is normally reserved for emergency services to reach accidents etc. if there is a long tailback.

Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!

duffs54

15/7/2014 at 7:12pm
Location: Cambs
Outfit: Ford Duetto Autosleeper

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Quote: Originally posted by Crach on 15/7/2014

Quote: Originally posted by duffs54 on 15/7/2014safely and the hard shoulder was narrow

Strange as it sounds you are not meant to stop on the hard shoulder except by the phones where it is normally much wider so that you can pull behind the safety barrier and perform such feats as tyre changing etc in comparative safety. Lorry drivers though sometimes use them for places to sleep.

The hard shoulder is normally reserved for emergency services to reach accidents etc. if there is a long tailback.

Yes we saw the little layby's on the motorways but ours was a total blow out, like no tyre left completely shredded like the formula 1 cars get, there is no way we could of driven any further on it.

-------------
Duffs54

Mike+Co

15/7/2014 at 7:15pm
Location: North Lincs
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Whatever vehicle I've had I have always had the means to change a wheel and that includes the motor homes and caravans that we have had over the years. A short length of steel pipe is always carried to make sure that I can undo the nuts when put on by air guns.
I have always had a practice run on the drive as well just to make sure I carry the correct Jack.

Mike

uxb443

15/7/2014 at 8:00pm
Location: Staffordshire
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I always carry, in whatever vehicle I am using, a socket of the right size for removing the wheel nuts and a LONG power breaker bar (with a 1/2" socket drive).

The bars are typically available for about £13-20 on ebay or other 'good' motor dealers.

I have a 3ft long one for the motorhome. I checked as soon as we bought the motor home that the bar was of sufficient length to undo the nuts. It was, just, with 100kgs bouncing on the end!

To date all my vehicles have had a spare wheel, and our caravan had one bought for it immediately we bought the van.

A year later we had a blow out on the caravan on the way back to our storage place from being serviced. Pitch black night. Busy A5. Tyre wrecked. AND the brucie bonus was the torrential rain. Luckily I was able to pull the caravan into a safe layby.

Spare tyre YES. Jack? Never thought about it. Idiot.

Unhitch caravan. 10 minutes home for trolley jack. Wheel changed in 5 minutes, and on our way.

Me? Soaked to the skin and laughing my head off. Couldn't have been wetter in a swimming pool.

Mental check list in any vehicle now:
1. Is the spare wheel in good condition?
2. Have I got the right jack to lift the vehicle?
3. Have I got the right wheel brace and socket to get the wheel off?
4. Does the security nut thingy fit the lock nut on ALL wheels?
5. Black plastic bag to kneel on. Latex gloves. Old rain coat always stowed with the spare wheel. TORCH.
6. Aerosol of tyre repair just in case I have a puncture blowout in a very dangerous place and need to move FAST.

I know. Belt braces and gaffer tape!!!!!!!

lockie

15/7/2014 at 11:07pm
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I always get garages to tighten the last bit with a torque wrench instead of the impact driver.

The reason why is many years ago i had a pucnture and for the life of me couldnt undo the nuts even with an exstntion bar.Eventually i called the rac out and they struggled too.Eventually they were undone with a 6 foot scaffold pole extention that also twisted the snapon socket. The rac bloke couldnt believe it had ruined his snapon kit.

As part of my prep for going away i always check all the wheel bolts before we go. It doesnt take long and means if something happens its easy to sort out at the road side.

Luckily for us our spare wheel is under the car so easy to access.

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