A few weeks ago, I went and got three used tires for my van. One was doing well... but two were BALD (and I mean, the guy just stared at me like HOLY CRAP when I showed them to him) and one had a hole in it that wouldn't hold a plug (again). So I'll be honest... after I went there I didn't really spend much time looking at my tires... because they were all fixed and wonderful right? Well.. apparently one had a slow leak. So on Wednesday, when I went out to the car to run to Target, I found this...
Well, at first I figured that it probably hadn't gotten on the rim correctly, so I might just be able to pump that baby back up...
Well, that thing was useless, lol. ;) Good thing I was in my driveway. So... I thought, I'll wait until my neighbor comes home, he has a big compressor that might work... um, turned out he was up north. Plan C. I will beg those on Facebook to help me. Maybe someone local will help. I got two offers... both from people that lived about 30 minutes away, and I didn't want to make them drive that far. So after much encouragement from female friends, I decided to tackle this change myself. No problem. Plan D. I've seen someone else change my tire.. I can DO this. I don't WANT to do this, but I am going to. For those of you that are calling me a woos right now... it is NOT because I am not willing to use tools. I am the one who fixes everything around here. But... I am accident prone. Seriously. I've sewn through my finger. In college I actually lost part of my finger to some glass while working at a restaurant. I know myself. This girl should not take on a 2 ton object. But everyone encouraged... so I listened.
I went to the back of the van. No problem. I know how to get the spare down from the bottom of the vehicle. Got out my trusty tools, and started to wind down the reel mechanism to release the spare. Only, it wasn't moving. So, I take out my trusty tool... and it is covered in rust dust. Um, that can't be good. So it's pretty much rusted and stripped and unable to come down.
Plan E. I try to call the shop where I got the tires. They are an amazing shop (if you are local, I SERIOUSLY recommend Good Deal Tire in Jenison, they will take care of you!!!) but they were closed. 5 minutes ago, lol. Okay, I will wait until morning. No big deal. That night, my best friend and her hubby come and try to help me. He brings his air compressor (no luck, the seal is broken) and tries to get the spare down. No luck there either. Sigh of relief. This girl still has it. It was not just me that couldn't get the darn thing down. They pack up and go home, dropping off my late movies to the rental store on the way. Love them. :) So in the morning, I call the Tire Shop. I explain my plight. They say that I can have the car towed to them, (and recommended a local towing company), or I can jack up the car and just bring in the one tire using a different vehicle. NO PROBLEM. In comparison to the $70 towing fee, jacking up the car and driving a wheel down the road seems EASY. So I charge my father in law's car that is sitting in my driveway (with a dead battery). Then I go get the jack, and start reading the manual. Yes, I read the manual JUST IN CASE. And I put it under the van. And it was a slow process, but I was DOING IT. So proud of myself, I start to smile. There was the problem. I got cocky. Are you ready? Wait for it.... the jack broke. In half. No seriously... take a look.
And I started to laugh. I mean, SERIOUSLY? Can that even HAPPEN?? lol Plan F. I want my Mommy. So I call the in-laws. They motorhome full time, but their permanent address is ours... so they keep some stuff here. (They lived in this house for 30 years before I showed up). So it's perfectly possible they have one sitting in our garage and I just don't know. "Mom, do you have a jack?" "Um... I don't know, Bill, do we have a jack?" And so the conversation goes. Nope. Oh, and I can't take his car becuase there is something wrong with the suspension. So much for that charged battery. So being the amazing parents they are.. they called a local shop, and just had him come and change and fix the tire. And had themselves billed for the whole darn thing, just because it had been such an ordeal. I love them. :)
Lesson learned. Karin is not meant to change her own tire. I will mow the lawn, I will install a light fixture, I will do alot of thing for THE HOUSE. The car is someone else's job. ;)
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10 comments:
You are still a goddess. You went way beyond what I would have done!
Yup. You rock. I would have just eaten chocolate.
I gotta give you credit...I wouldn't even try to change it. Unless I was stranded 50 miles from anything...and then I'd probably have a good cry before attempting it!
Wow, that was one heck of an ordeal. Glad ya got through it.
I agree w/ everyone else. Your effort was amazing! Definitely more than what I would have tried.
Were the kids taking the pictures? They should be proud of their Mom. :)
Ok, so I've said it before, I'll say it again "You rock" !!
That ordeal sounds exactly like something that would happen to me.
This also reminded me, i need to go to our local Police Station, they will teach you how to change a tire and I need to know how.
Thanks for the light humor, after my last hour it was much needed.. Mwah !!
Oh boy - that sounds rather frustrating!! Glad things worked out in the end.
You seriously are awesome! I give you credit, I would have gave up on option A. Errrr....flat tires.
Awesome, I AM proud of you!
You poor thing! What an ordeal. I am glad you can laugh about it, the only other alternative is to cry and that gets you nowhere :)
Glad all is well now with the car/also glad I dind't get a cup of coffee, I would have spit it out laughing!
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