Spare Wheel Winch

[Guest grello42]

2 months old now and a flat tyre due to a screw through the carcass. Guess what - it wound down about 6 inches and I ended up like others have in the past, having to use sheer force to push the wheel up to get enough space to get the damn thing off. :ph34r:

 

What a cr*p design! Surely the first use on such a new car shouldn't give these kinds of problems.

[iainkirk]

Yayyyyyyyyyyy! That's the newest I've seen with the fault!

 

Warranty replacement here we come!

[Guest grello42]

Hurrah! Nice to be the holder of this record. Can anyone beat it?

 

Oh and I had expected the spare tyre to be the same make but nope...

[Andrew T]

 

Oh and I had expected the spare tyre to be the same make but nope...

Perhaps the supplier swapped the spare with another Galaxy and screwed up the winch while he was doing it ?

[Ivor_E_Tower]

What size is the spare wheel and tyre? I thought it should be same as the other 4 but just steel not alloy. My early facelifted version has an alloy spare, same as the other 4 except badly gouged by first owner ;)

[Guest grello42]

Well, Ivor E, the pucker tyres are Michelin Pilot HX, 215/55 ZR16 Extra Load and the spare (on a steel) is a Dunlop SP Sport 2020E, 215/55 R16 Reinforced.

 

So, the right size, a different tread pattern and a lower speed rating. Not sure what to make of that.

[corskey]

I had thought that the dunlop sport were the standard tyres. they were on both (yep - I've had two) my facelifted TDIs

[Guest blatters]

Yep, the Dunlops were standard on my Galaxy from new. But it's useful to read all the other reviews about tyre options. Quite keen on the Michelins that are supposed to be quieter, longer lasting and heavier sidewall reinforcement for better handling (GSM Guy - another thread). Have managed 24k from the Dunlop front tyres but will need to change them soon. Will probably change brand in view of the opinions on the site.

 

I must admit to finding the road noise from the Dunlops pretty bad. This is probably one of the major shames of the Galaxy which, for a car in this price range, should have a quieter cabin. The engine is quiet (apart from pull away) but the tyre noise - my wife's Peugeot 206 offers a more peaceful cabin. Skinny tyres on that, I know, but I would have thought the Galaxy would come with more insulation.

 

I've a theory though (......wait for it, Blatters' brain in action). When I drive in Europe (that's the real continent not the UK which is a part-time EU member) the road surface is really smooth and quiet. A bit like the M6 toll stretch in the Midlands. I wonder whether manufacturers provide insulation for those nice smooth (but aquaplane) european roads and we have to put up with it? Still doesn't explain why the modest 206 compares well on noise to my Galaxy though.

 

Thanks everyone. Any further opinions welcome and will be listened to.

 

Blatters :ph34r:

[rwtomkins]

I completely agree, I think the road noise is a major disppointment on the Gal and unworthy of a vehicle that advertises itself as travelling first class. Only small consolation is that I think I heard roads in this country are being gradually resurfaced with lower-noise asphalt as part of a campaign to reduce aural pollution. It's very noticeable how the internal road noise varies from one type of road surface to another.

 

PS: I'm on Dunlops.

[seatkid]

Switch to Continentals....the Germans choice....

 

Road surfaces in England are the worst in Europe for noise IMO, due to this obsession with high grip, low wear surfaces (so they say) with high stone content.

 

I suppose the rest of Europe have got it wrong, they should all have square pin plugs and drive on the left..... :P

 

All I know is its depressingly noisy living near a busy road in the UK.

[Guest grello42]

Can't say I've noticed much road noise with the Michelins. But then, I can't hear the APU whirring or ticking from the inside. So maybe I'm deaf? Who said that?

 

Still I'll be

[Guest grello42]

Well, with much heaving by me and winching by Mr Kwik-Fit, we coaxed about half a metre of cable out of it and attached the wheel. Then Mr Kwik-Fit began the task of winding it back up. 5 minutes of winding later and we had half a metre of cable still out and a spare still on the floor.

 

So now Mr Fraud has a new one on order and I shall be looking forward to my next puncture. NOT !

 

BTW, apparently it's the same fitting in Transit vans and they're just as much of a pian, says Mr Kwik-Fit.

[Guest grello42]

... and they're just as much of a pian

Pain, even.

[Guest grello42]

Update: No quibbles from Mr Fraud. A new unit will be fitted on Monday. :D

 

I will ask them to fit the wheel while I watch. Imagine my surprise if it all goes pear-shaped. :)

[Guest grello42]

He he he, ha ha ha! :huh: Mr Fraud fitted the new unit and wound the wheel up. Almost. It stopped 6 inches from the top and would go no further! So, they ordered another one and that one was OK.

 

3 wheel carriers in 2 months. Is this a record?

 

Happy Christmas to all.

 

G

[Andrew T]

They probably didn't keep the cable tight as they winched it, it's far too easily done. When I dissected mine for repair the cable was tangled beyond belief, there should be a warning in the handbook to emphasise how critical keeping the cable tight is.

[Ivor_E_Tower]

3 wheel carriers in 2 months. Is this a record?

No, a record is a circular black piece of plastic with a hole in the middle and a spiral groove on each side

:huh:

 

 

Couldn't resist that one - well it is the festive season

 

Merry Christmas all !

[Masked Marauder]

3 wheel carriers in 2 months.  Is this a record?

No, a record is a circular black piece of plastic with a hole in the middle and a spiral groove on each side

:huh:

 

 

Don't look now, but your age is showing.....

[Guest grello42]

Not necessarily...one of the Monty Python records had 2 spiral grooves per side, so you'd never know quite which "track" would play when you lowered the arm onto it (you know, the one with the 4 penny pieces on top of it, to stop it jumping).

 

:huh:

[Ivor_E_Tower]

Well, I always try to look on the bright side of life......

[IDH]

I've just part ex'd my '51 plate Ghia which was on Dunlops to an '04 Ghia which now has Michelin's all round. Unfortunately got an unrepairable punture (ouch!) yesterday and to my suprise found the spare is a Dunlop!

 

Got a replacement Michelin this morning and when the fitter tried to lower the spare 'carrier' it didnt drop further than 8 inches!! aaargghh!!

 

The chap wasnt suprised at all and said that they see the mechanism fail regularly - I've taken the car straight to local dealer where it will be until repaired!!

 

The thing that concerns me is that if this is a common occurence it could put you in a situation if you are fully loaded with passengers and luggage - need the spare - the mechanism fails with nowhere to put the punctured wheel - cant be leaving an alloy on the roadside!! - even so not advisable even if it does work to slide an alloy face down into place. great design Ford!!

[Andrew T]

As long as you can get about 4 inches of cable out, the wheel can be removed as follows;

Sit on the road with your chest to the bumper and legs underneath.

Use your knees to push the wheel up and take the weight off the cable.

Now undo the cable fastener with your hands. N.B. If you've never undone it before you won't have much chance of doing it now.

Best trousers/wet road/children crying in the car/9pm on a sunday night are all optional ingredients but add spice to the process.

Enjoy.

[Ivor_E_Tower]

...a good reason for ensuring that your oldest jacket/anorak (the one you really want to throw out) is consigned to duty in the back of the car. Trouble is, with the toolbox, folding bike, collapsible shopping trolley etc, there's hardly any room left for luggage !

[IDH]

Thanks for that Andrew, good tip on keeping the cable tight on lowering. And not to reel the cable up to high without a wheel on it - its most likely tol get tangled when its being lowered again - hence my local tyre fitter seeing it regularly!.

 

Got the Gal' back earlier today, new mechanism on warranty.

 

Also checked tyre pressures as the fitter said they only put 32 psi on rear, when i checked all the pressures today the other three where on 30 & 31 psi!!! considering i only picked it up from Fords 10 days ago i doubt they all have consistent slow punctures!!. Have redone to recommended is 41 front and 38 rear!!