How

everything in the world can go wrong with changing a flat tire :-).

Got up to go to church yesterday and the front right tire was flat.

It has had a slow leek in it for a while and was flat on Saturday AM before I hooked up my small air compressor to it and filled it up enough to get around town and do what I needed to do.

So I knew the possibility existed that it could be flat Sunday AM.

Sure enough flat as could be.

Cold as a witches tit, didn't really wanna mess with it, it had been years since I had to change a flat on the truck.

Forget it, deal with it tomorrow when it's warmer, text mom and Al and tell them you'll need a ride to make it for Sunday Diner.

Done.

Go back and lay down.

After a while?

To hell with it, you've got nothing else to do, it's been a while, just take your time and don't get in a hurry.

Thats when things go wrong and people get hurt.

Always like a challenge :-).

First things first.

Get the lug nuts broken off while the tire is still on the ground.

Check.

Except they were frozen on and took every bit of my body weight to break them free.

I mean for a few minutes I wasn't sure I was going to be able to break them free.

 

Okay, moving on.

Lets get the spare down.

Tales a long thin rod that hooks into a notch that lowers the chain that holds the spare.

Do you think you could just put the rod in the slot and it would automatically slide into the notch?

Why hell no, you gotta climb underneath the truck while looking over the spare and insert the rod making sure it slips into the notch.

Nice, great design guys.

Finally, set up.

Lets lower this puppy and get it on the truck.

Not so fast kimosabe.

You think the rod would just turn the notch and lower the chain?

Why hell no, again, it took everything I had to break it free from whatever ice, corrosion etc was holding it in place, no vice grips, used channel locks, nice.

Note to self, get yourself two damn pair of vice grips!

Anyway, finally get it lowered.

Cool, I remember this part, this lil piece slides through the wheel and the tire comes off and...

Yeah.

Sure.

That lil piece?

It was corroded onto the wheel itself.

Well?

Shit.

Okay go get some WD40 and a hammer and lets see about getting that piece uncorroded so we can get the spare tire off

Check.

Worked like a charm.

Came right off.

Okay, lets go get the jack and jack this puppy up and change tires, at least the spare looks in good condition.

Got the jack I like from the garage (Janet gave it to me years ago, rarely ever used it).

Place jack in the right position and jack it all the way up and?

It's still not high enough to get the flat off the ground.

SHIT!

Now what?

I could wait for Christian to get home and use the tractor to lift the front end up I suppose.

I don't know when he'll be home and that sounds like a long process.

Lets see here.

For one of the first times ever, the phrase, "What would Ricky do?" entered my mind lol.

Hey, you got bricks and pieces of 4x4, get some of that and build a lil platform to place the jack on and that should get it high enough to get the flat tire off.

Done.

Tire is off the ground and spinning.

Should be able to take it right off and put the spare right on right?

Well hell no the tire is froze and or corroded onto the axle.

Well?

Shit.

I can change a tire.

 I assure you I am more than capable.

But the wiggling the old one off and placing the new one on when the vehicle is elevated?

Not really so keen on that part.

Anyway, I can't get the damn thing off.

Shit.

I'm standing there looking at it and here comes Christian.

"Having fun yet?"

"Oh yeah tons, just a blast."

"What's wrong?"

"Well I got the truck up high enough but I can't get the tire off."

He gets out of his truck, inspects the situation and promptly gives the tire a few good kicks.

Rocked the truck some but didn't come close to knocking the jack down.

"I hate this part" I said.

"It won't fall far if it falls." he replies.

Anyway, the tire was off, we both worked to get the spare on and tighten the lug nuts.

Al shows up to give me a ride for dinner.

"Looks like you've about got it."

"I think we'll be alright, I'll be over in a minute."

The spare?

Yeah it needed some air as well so we drove to Christians big air compressor and aired it up and we both went about our day.

 Nice to have good neighbors.

And that Lucy?

Is how everything in the world can go wrong with changing a flat tire :-).

Love you.