A Valve Too Far!

July 30, 2008

Had to put the old set oif 18" wheels back onto the RAV as the minibus head gasket has blown and I need a set of wheels faster than my wheelchair. In fitting the 4 wheels (I had to do it cos the 18" lightweight alloys have slicks fitted which are not quite road legal), I fitted the spare....and never noticed anything different. The spare was brand new/never used. It also had a long valve fitted which I didn't realise/look for. The other 4 wheels all previously used have short valves.

Off i drove from the garage and within 3 miles had a pull to the left. As the car has been parked for a month, I guessed a stuck brake; and the click click noise was the road noise from the new tyre label..... ehhhh, NO.

The front nearside tyre went flat, within yards of getting home so I just drove home carefully and changed it this morning. Noticed the valve looked as if it had been hacksawed or grinded and couldn't think why.

When I got to Autoimage with the flat tyre, Ian spotted right away that the valve was actually hitting off the racing brake calipers and the 3 mile stint was enough to grind off the top of the tyre valve! Short valve fitted, free by Ian of Autoimage, and that was me back on the road! Learnt something else.

Anyway, I've ordered a 2nd set of lightweight alloys with new tyres to fit onto number 1 RAV and will use the first set with slicks for sprints etc.,

the back up 18" set will be fitted to number 2 RAV which awaits several bits for the turbo engine as the donor car was incomplete and has led to long delays.

For those who were at warrington, the number 1 RAV has even better acceleration, road-holding due to the 225/40 18 tyres. The straight thru exhaust with only a back straight thru box now is giving launch times of 2 seconds. However, i'm still waiting to get the engine/speed restrcition removed. Even tho but; the acceleration still outperforms most other 'sports' cars on the road which cost 2 or 3 times more than a RAV. Big Ian has a big smile as he sees off sporty beemers I can tell ye!

Photos will come soon!!!