Today, I have been down on luck. When things goes wrong, it can goes wrong all the way. And like murphy’s saying, ‘Things that can go wrong, will go wrong at the worst time.’.
In the afternoon, I was on the way from my home to Tiong Bahru Plaza to meet my friends for KTV session around 1.30pm. Travelling on BKE towards PIE, at one point of time (after the KJE Flyover and after the speed camera), i decide to switch lane from the 2nd lane to the 3rd lane as there was a vehicle in front of me travelling very slow. After changing lane, suddenly, i felt my van with strange vibration and noise. From past experience, i knew that my one of my front tyre has gone flat. And most probably the front right tyre. I immediately signal and pull over to the road shoulder and also tried to keep as close to the grass edge as possible. After coming out of the van, i saw the front right tyre totally flat out. There was no visible burst mark on the tyre from my view. I moved to the front left tyre and it was ok.
I proceed to take the standard tools from my van. Took the breakdown sign and place it about 10m behind my van for safety purpose. Then i took the car jack and place it under the van to prepare to jack the van. When i took out the spanner for removing the wheel bolts, i found that the spanner had rounded from previous usage. Worry that i might not be able to loosen the wheel bolts with the rounded spanner, i decide to give it a try. Confirming my fear, the spanner slip and was not able to loosen the bolts. The spanner was not even able to help me lower the hook for the spare tyre. Feeling damn ’sian’, i tried to call a few friends who i know stayed around that area and have cars, hoping that one of them are at home and could come over with their spanner. Well, things sure dun goes well. Most of them are all outside and not in that area at that time.
Luckily, manage to find of my friend (also ex-colleague in the RSAF), Pang KH, who just woke up at that time. He quickly came over to help me out. But things goes wrong again. The size of the spanner in his car was too big for my van’s wheel bolts. Then i remember another friend, Alain Er (Blueberry), who is from EVC.sg (the van club that i had joined). He stay near Sembawang area. He is driving a Euro Van and the spanner in his van may fit the wheel bolts of my van. So i quickly called him. He was around Sungei Kadut area. Told him my problem, and he told me that he will be here in a jifty. Pang decide to stay around till Alain arrived. Meanwhile, he tried other methods of loosening the bolts, but to no avail. Alain arrived after some time, and true enough, the bolt size of his wheel is the same as mine, so his spanner will fit perfectly. He quickly took out his tools and i started loosen the bolts. Then i proceed to jack the van while Alain and Pang help me to take out my spare tyre. Then things goes wrong again. The area was a downslope and my van was parked head. My car jack has a smaller ground contact surface and this cause the van to shift forward and went off the jack. Luckily, the handbrake was pulled. But taking no chance, i pulled the handbrake even further up.
Alain decide to take out his car jack, which has a larger ground contact surface. While he was jacking my van, i quickly took out the bolts for the wheel. And then, the next worst thing happened. It started to rain! Damn it! We have to stop the tyre change and head for Alain’s van to stay out of the rain. At this time, i thanks Pang for his help and told him that Alain and me can handle the rest and he should get moving as he had an appointment at 2.30pm. The time then was already 2.45pm. Really have to thanx Pang for coming down and staying to help me. When the rain gets lighter, Alain suggest to take the umbrella and continue changing the tyre. I agree and we get off to continue. The wheel was off finally and i found out that it was the inner side of the tyre that has burst.
When i get ready to take the spare wheel to install, i found out that the spare wheel’s pressure was not enough. No choice, i decide to install it, and then get off the expressway and immediately find a Petrol Station to pump the tyre pressure. After installing, we down jacked the van and found that the tyre was flat. the pressure inside it was almost zero. Alain suggest that i drive very slowly and he will follow me from behind. Traveling very slowly, around 20km/h, we exited the expressway from Bukit Panjang Exit and i tried to find a petrol station And none was along the way. Then i felt some vibration and noise from the front right tyre again. I pulled over at a slipway and came out to look. Found that my spare tyre had came off the wheel hub and abit of smoke was seen. I knew that i cannot proceed any further already. Alain parked his van into a carpark and went over. He then suggest that i stop the van there, took the previous wheel and see if there is any tyre shop around to change that tyre temporary. There was no other choice, so i took out my breakdown sign, place it behind my van, took the previous wheel out, locked the van and then moved off in Alain’s van.
Alain called his friend and found that there is a tyre shop near Jalan Jurong Kechil, so we head over there and saw it along the way. Went inside and saw that there was only 1 uncle working there. There was some customer before me, so no choice, have to wait. Checked with the uncle and he only had second hand 185/65/R15 tyre. My stock tyres are 185/60/R15. No choice, i was tired and desperate already. So just took it. Cost me $35. Also bought a crossbar at a hardware store beside the tyre shop. Then we head back towards my van. Change the spare wheel out and installed the just serviced wheel in. The newly bought crossbar sure makes removing the bolts easier. Everything was done and thanx to Alain.
After packing and keeping the tools, i decide to go to change out the rest of the tyres. I had actually wanted to change the tyres within this 2 weeks, cause the thread is left with only about 1mm to the wear indicator. But i never checked the inner side of the tyres, and i didn’t do tyre rotation since the last change of tyre. Also, i didn’t check the tyre pressure for my spare wheel periodically. Well, this really serve me a lessons. Sighz. Went to Yap Brothers at Ubi Avenue 1, and change the 4 tyres to Yokohama S.Drive 195/55/R15 for $105 per tyre. The tyre that i just changed before was put on the spare wheel as the spare tyre was spoiled also. The front left tyre that was removed also show the wear signs at the inner side. That is why i decided to change the tyres today instead of waiting for tomorrow. I dun want another flat out again. Really tiring.
Had to once again thanx Pang and Alain to come over to assist me. While the day have been bad on me, it is not that really bad, as i can still find friends to help me and everything was still solved at the end.
Took some photos of the tyres for memory sake.
Front Right Tyre - The burst point and the wear marks




Front Left Tyre - The wear marks



Lifes Goes On
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