First Flat Tire

[Summer Solstice]

I had my first flat tire on the Journey last week. Fortunately, it was in the parking lot at work and not on the road. It was also far better weather than it was the day before. A glass half full is better than a glass half empty.

 

For those who have not yet had the pleasure of changing a tire on the Journey, I took a few pictures so that you could live vicariously through my experience.

 

The tools are all packed neatly under the floor just inside the rear door.

 

 

The crank to lower the underbody spare tire is inside of this compartment under one of the extension bars. It is fully accessible once the tools are removed. The tools are assembled in various configurations to achieve each step of the tire change process.

 

Edited March 11, 2018 by Summer Solstice

[Summer Solstice]

The crank will lower the spare all the way to the ground. The cable is long enough that the tire can be pulled out from under the vehicle before removing the cable.

 

The jack is a typical spare offering that does the job. It is a bit cumbersome to use but is adequate for the job. The notch on the top plate of the jack fits on the underbody lip that runs the entire side of the journey. It works just fine as long as care is taken to keep the jack level and steady during the process. The extension handles are a bit wobbly, but again do the job.

 

 

[Summer Solstice]

[Summer Solstice]

All of the directions are decently laid out in the owners manual. The pictures, however, leave a lot to be desired.

 

I have driven a lot of donuts in my time (and eaten even more). I have pushed them far harder than the recommendations written on the side. Though I am no fan of the stock Kumho tires (for the same reasons that others have addressed before) they sound and ride far better than the spare. I kept my speed at 65 on the highway all the way home and on to Discount Tire. Shameless plug here....Discount treated me very well, as always. The tire was fixed for free and installed back on the vehicle. The tire sensor reset within a couple of miles and all is well again. The smooth, quiet ride that was the selling point of the Journey is back.

 

 

[2late4u]

do yourself a favor and go to harbor freight and buy you the 18 inch breaker bar with a 19mm socket , a lot easier to break them lug nuts loose with that then the wimpey wrench from the factory,catch them on sale and get both for less than $15. and use a coupon for a free gift to boot......

[probak118]

I would be a little pissed at having a flat rather than think about taking pictures ?  But like you said, could not have been  better spot to have a flat.

[Armando G]

Summer Solstice, nice job with the write up...funny how many people have no idea how to do this because of their auto club memberships. Anyway, thanks for taking the time and damn you seem like a positive person... ;-)

[Summer Solstice]

On ‎3‎/‎22‎/‎2018 at 6:00 AM, probak118 said:

I would be a little pissed at having a flat rather than think about taking pictures ?  But like you said, could not have been  better spot to have a flat.

You can be sure that I did not take these pictures while changing the tire. The first and only thing on my mind was getting the spare on, getting the tire fixed, and getting this in the past as quickly and painlessly as possible. I'm not that nuts...yet.

 

I did take the pictures the next day before cleaning up the tools and putting them away properly. My primary interest was for those, like me, that have never had an SUV or an underbody spare tire. The owner's manual is decently written but the images are sorely lacking in quality. The tools provided are adequate for the job but are a bit of a puzzle to assemble. Best to bring along a 5 year old (so simple a 5 year old can do it). I did figure it out so maybe I qualify.

 

Changing a tire is never fun but I have had plenty of experience in far worse conditions. Hopefully, this just makes it a little easier for the next person.

[2late4u]

hey since you have the air compressor in there get a tire plug kit might save you sometime when you are out in the boondocks...i carry a tire plugging kit and a great small air compressor just in case, because it did happen to me on the way home from Las Vegas picked up a screw in my front tire in new mexico at   Clines Corners Travel Center i got lucky and some traveling rodeo cowboys were travailing by and stopped and they had a plug kit and pumped up the tire and back on my way home in just a short amount of time

[Milous]

A friend of mine recently took his '14 Journey to Discount Tire to have a slow leak fixed on the right rear tire... they found a piece of metal in the sidewall which they could not plug. They would not put original tire back on, so he had them put on the donut spare. He drove it home, <4 miles on side roads, no issues...

 

Next day he went back to Discount Tire to have new tires installed. When leaving home and backing out of the driveway the Journey made an awful grinding sound, with some vibration. The noise continued all the way to the tire shop, with the "Service 4WD System" constantly flashing and beeping. He said he was glad he was close to home, could not have tolerated a longer trip. After new set of tires were put on, warning errors went away, but he says he still hears a very slight grinding sound once in awhile...

 

Anyone else had this issue? Seems the AWD system did not like the smaller 17" tire. Hopefully no permanent damage was done. Don't understand why a factory supplied spare would basically be "unusable" due to the issues described...

[2late4u]

just another reason i wouldn't buy an awd over, just fwd

[Summer Solstice]

Second flat tire logged in and history. At least it was a just a nice cold rain in Michigan rather than snow. It was also in the parking lot rather than the freeway.

It was also the older of the pair of Kumos and not a loss to replace.

 

Being between a rim and a hard place, I went with a set of Yocohamas. Full price   No sale.

 

We shall see.

[Summer Solstice]

The second set of Kumhos are finally gone.

 

They had 35000 on them and were at the wear bars. I had been waiting for a sale on tires but circumstances demanded other actions.

 

The Kumhos were on the back with a set of Yochamas on the front in almost new condition. As stated, the Kumhos were shot. We all have heard the advice to put the better tires on the back of your vehicle, even on a FWD. I can attest to that.

 

I had to make a run in our recent 10" snow fall. While on a side, paved road, I eased around the curve. The back end did not stop easing around the curve and kept going. First, I'm going straight sideways toward the railroad tracks. Then, the backend turned me completely around so that I was going backwards. I came to a stop pretty quick once straight, eased onto the gas, and proceeded to head back in the other direction as if that was the plan all along.

 

The cat in the back seat was not happy.

 

Made the drop at the vet, went straight to the tire store, no dice today. Went back home and used the other car for the trip later. I had to wait two days to get in so I added about 200lbs of weight to the back end. That helped a lot more than I would have thought.

 

I now have Yocohamas on all the way around. They were not my first choice and were full price each time but sometimes that is the way it works. They have not disappointed me for what they are, so far.

 

I am glad to see the Kumhos gone. Those did disappoint in me in mild winter weather. I have never had a set of winter tires in my life but I am still considering it. The Journey would benefit from them but a decent set of All Season covers 90% of our SE MI winters.