What has a hip replacement got in common with alloy wheels ?

[macabethiel]

Well its been two weeks yesterday since Wendy had her hip replacement surgery at Nottingham City with the 28 steel clips being removed yesterday.

As I have been housebound since she came home a week ago I decided to look at replacing the tyres on the SL. When we bought it in 2003 she was on standard 16" wheels and a couple of years later I upgraded the wheels to 17" as is the fashion.

The existing tyres Pirelli Zero Rosso have loads of tread but they are 14 years old and suffer a bit as the vehicle stands over winter so for the first 50 miles I have to run her on the dual carriageway to return them to round again!

Comments were made on the last MoT so the tyres are going to be replaced one way or another. I know that you can also fit 19" wheels without spoiling the ride so have spent hours looking at wheels. Lots of websites list wheels that look good value but are not reall "Period" replacements. I liked the look of these in just silver but they are too bling

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/18-ALLOY...460744&hash=item2f0d3fc45b:g:88UAAOSw7z1Z52VO

Another snag is making sure the offset is right with no body fouling issues at the front.
I then found a set of genuine MB Monoblock 18" wheels with tyres from a car spares / breakers. They are very much a period 5 spoke design of their day.

As they come with tyres my plan is initially try them on and see if there is any real difference between the 18" & 17" in terms of drive and ride. If they hit the spot in these areas and Wendy likes them we will get them powder coated with some new rubber. I will use the old 17" wheels as slaves to stand on over the winter.

If the 18" wheels do not hit the spot on the three tests then I will use them as slaves over winter & put new rubber on the existing 17" wheels. Storage in the garage is plentiful and they came cheap enough to be "winter car stands".

I know you can put the car up on blocks etc but this option also appeals as its easy to move around if needed !

 

[macabethiel]

The answer is house bound boredom !

Well I spent every day of the first week after the wife's hip surgery visiting her in hospital in Nottingham. I get stressed when I am at the hospital more so as I am not the patient.

She has been home now for 13 days so I have been at home pretty much 24/7 in caring / support mode. My sleep body clock is out of synchronisation as I keep her company when she has a nap in the afternoon that turns into evening then night.

Currently Wendy sleeps for about for about 18-20 hours a day as her body heals. I then find myself unable to sleep due to daytime naps so am awake until around 4.00 am. I have read 5 books in the last 13 days and spent hours on e-bay in the wee hours.

Essentially that is why I am taking delivery on Monday of a set of wheels for the SL - the purchase is primarily motivated by having too much time on my hands. That said I can justify the purchase to myself but Wendy is not convinced it was really necessary.

I am not cut out to be a carer / house husband and beat myself up that I have let the housework slide a tad. I do enjoy doing the food for mealtimes but this is not as pleasurable as Wendy has little appetite - a side effect of the pain killers.

I take my hat off to those folk who spend years looking after family or friends without complaint. They are Saints IMHO.

 

[jims-terrano]

Ted, I reckon you’ll be doing a great job. Sometimes when you are ill someone just being there is all you need.
As for the wheels, just means Wendy can give you grief over them and not notice anything else you’ve done wrong. As I always say, I’m always in the poo it’s just the depth that changes :lol