Author Topic: Safe to put your own winter tires on when they have their own rims? (Read 7011 times)

trafsta · « **on:** October 23, 2008, 08:35:26 am »

Is it safe for me to simply jack up each tire on my car and take off the all-season tires and then put my new winter tires on which are already on their own set of rims? Do I need to worry about balancing or anything like that? I've changed flat tires quite a few times, it seems plenty easy, but someone told me I should get a garage to do it so they can balance the tires properly...

Any thoughts?

tpl · « **Reply #1 on:** October 23, 2008, 08:51:21 am »

I have always done my own on the driveway. If the wheels were balanced when they came off the car in the spring then they are probably balanced now.

i would recommend a torque wrench and appropriate socket from Cdn Tire to tighten up the wheel nuts/studs properly. It is not good to be either too loose or too tight. The car manual will give the right figure, usually between 75 and 100 lbs/ft.

Personally I always use a tiny smear of antiseize compound just around the hub. Antiseize comes from Cdn tire and a can will last years. It makes it easier to get the wheels off in the spring.

trafsta · « **Reply #2 on:** October 23, 2008, 09:37:47 am »

Thanks for the reply!

They are brand new winter tires on new rims, so they didn't come off my car last spring so they've never been balanced, so that worries me a little.

Seems torque wrenches are like $60-90ish. I wonder if I should just get Canadian Tire to do it when I go for an oil change this weekend. Any idea what it costs to get Canadian Tire or other places to swap your tires for you when they already have rims? And would that cost include balancing as well or is that usually an extra charge? I'm a total newbie when it comes to this stuff...

tpl · « **Reply #3 on:** October 23, 2008, 09:44:14 am »

A torque wrench is indeed $60-90 but it lasts a long time. In my experience tire places want between 10 and 20 per wheel for changing and more for balancing. Most tire shops will use an impact wrench to tighten the wheel nuts and although they all say that the wrench is set to 90 lbs or so they are often set much higher.

The wheels should have been balanced when the tires were installed.

Its up to you really. I am NOT going to do mine this year, I am having them ( all 8 ) done at a specialist tire place near me where I can also have the summer wheels stored for me... and I'll repeat in spring to have the winters stored. This costs of course but it is cheaper than building a new garage.

CyberNick · « **Reply #4 on:** October 23, 2008, 09:50:07 am »

I do my own change over in my driveway. I picked up a torque wrench from CT when it was on sale at 40% off.

trafsta · « **Reply #5 on:** October 23, 2008, 09:59:42 am »

Canadian Tire has a torque wrench on sale, should I get this one (does it look decent?):
http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474396674301&bmUID=1224770135518&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524443290632&assortment=primary&fromSearch=true

If it's going to cost that much to get CT or another garage to swap the tires then I might as well figure out how to do it myself instead of fighting in line to get them to do it twice a year.

I just hope the tires were properly balanced by the guy that put them on! lol...

ktm525 · « **Reply #6 on:** October 23, 2008, 11:52:24 am »

If the only thing you will use a torque wrench for is simple wheel swaps then a pointer/indicator style one will work just fine. Sears puts the 1/2 inch model on sale often. About $20.

mrthompson · « **Reply #7 on:** October 23, 2008, 12:37:12 pm »

Make sure you use something to chock the wheels to prevent the vehicle from rolling/shifting while it is on the jack. A set of jack stands or something solid (piece of 6" x 6" wood) should be used should the jack fail.

articsteve · « **Reply #8 on:** October 23, 2008, 12:44:03 pm »

For $66. I think it's worth buying. No offense, but I think the pointer/dial types are useless.

Remember, when finished do not wind the setting back to zero. If it's a 250 ft./lbs. wrench leave it at 30 to keep some tension on the spring.

Having said all that you could try Home Depot who sell a better brand. Husky. But it's probably $100., but you never know with Home Depot.

wing · « **Reply #9 on:** October 23, 2008, 12:47:37 pm »

sheesh you guys make this a big complicated procedure haha.

Yes get a needle point torque wrench for $20 if you are only using it for this it's good enough -- no picture but here is the link:
http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474396672989&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524443257163&bmUID=1224780338909&assortment=primary&fromSearch=true

Note: you can get one like the CTC $66 jobbie at princess auto for like $30

That will do just fine.

Jack her up, undo wheel put new wheel on, drop car and torque and done.

Jack strategically and you only need to jack twice (raise entire side or perhaps entire front then entire rear).

15 min and you are done, it will take you longer to drive to the shop then to change them.

ktm525 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 23, 2008, 12:49:12 pm »

Quote from: articsteve on October 23, 2008, 12:44:03 pm

For $66. I think it's worth buying. No offense, but I think the pointer/dial types are useless.

Remember, when finished do not wind the setting back to zero. If it's a 250 ft./lbs. wrench leave it at 30 to keep some tension on the spring.

Why are the pointers useless? I remember reading a test of tourque wrenches and the pointer version was more accurate than the cheaper click wrenches. A little bit of a pain to use but all I do is put a big felt line at 100 lb/ft (my wheel tq) and adjust accordingly. After swapping the wheels a few times I find that I need very little movement of the torque wrench, I can guesstimate to about 90 lb.

Wow. Some people have no life. All you ever wanted to know on torque wrenches:

http://www.algeo.com/~joe/KIAT/kiat_3.htm

articsteve · « **Reply #11 on:** October 23, 2008, 01:03:06 pm »

I find them useless. The dial is hard to read and newbies will always be tempted to put more torque on than is required due to the "guess work" involved in viewing the gage. The plus side for the pointer is that one doesn't need to be careful with it before storage.

As for accuracy on any of them; who really knows.

wing · « **Reply #12 on:** October 23, 2008, 01:11:01 pm »

ktm, that's good info.

tpl · « **Reply #13 on:** October 23, 2008, 01:15:39 pm »

"jack strategically" That generally does not work if all you have is the jack supplied with the car.... unless its a very good jack and a very light car.

I found that with the BMW and the Fit that I used my trolley jack on the front jacking point and then the car jack to get and hold the rear end off the ground. Using just the trolley jack I found that the rear of the car wobbled in the breeze. Didn't like that even for a simple wheel change.

ktm525 · « **Reply #14 on:** October 23, 2008, 01:19:14 pm »

Quote from: tpl on October 23, 2008, 01:15:39 pm

"jack strategically" That generally does not work if all you have is the jack supplied with the car.... unless its a very good jack and a very light car.

I found that with the BMW and the Fit that I used my trolley jack on the front jacking point and then the car jack to get and hold the rear end off the ground. Using just the trolley jack I found that the rear of the car wobbled in the breeze. Didn't like that even for a simple wheel change.

I am not following. Are you jacking the entire car off the ground at one time?

tpl · « **Reply #15 on:** October 23, 2008, 01:43:14 pm »

nope just one side. Both the cars I had have their jacking points on the side sills.

trafsta · « **Reply #16 on:** October 23, 2008, 02:28:34 pm »

Wow! Lots of info. Thanks everyone. I will try the $20 torque wrench from CT and follow the link provided by KTM to make sure I do it right.

I just have the jack that came with my '99 Grand AM GT so I'll likely just raise one tire at a time - I'm in no big rush.

I do have a princess auto around me so I could get a $30 torque wrench from there, but heck I'm gonna be passing a CT in about an hour so I'll try the $20 first.

ktm525 · « **Reply #17 on:** October 23, 2008, 02:35:14 pm »

Quote from: trafsta on October 23, 2008, 02:28:34 pm

Wow! Lots of info. Thanks everyone. I will try the $20 torque wrench from CT and follow the link provided by KTM to make sure I do it right.

I just have the jack that came with my '99 Grand AM GT so I'll likely just raise one tire at a time - I'm in no big rush.

I do have a princess auto around me so I could get a $30 torque wrench from there, but heck I'm gonna be passing a CT in about an hour so I'll try the $20 first.

Just to do a 180 on you. That $66 torque wrench on sale at CT looks good.

trafsta · « **Reply #18 on:** October 23, 2008, 02:41:34 pm »

lol, ok, I'll look at them both. Chances are I'll get the $65 one cause it is hopefully easier to use

Leaving in 20 minutes, so if you change your mind let me know before then lol

Thanks everyone!

airbalancer · « **Reply #19 on:** October 23, 2008, 03:46:45 pm »

Quote from: wing on October 23, 2008, 12:47:37 pm

sheesh you guys make this a big complicated procedure haha.

Yes get a needle point torque wrench for $20 if you are only using it for this it's good enough -- no picture but here is the link:
http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474396672989&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524443257163&bmUID=1224780338909&assortment=primary&fromSearch=true

Note: you can get one like the CTC $66 jobbie at princess auto for like $30

That will do just fine.

Jack her up, undo wheel put new wheel on, drop car and torque and done.

Jack strategically and you only need to jack twice (raise entire side or perhaps entire front then entire rear).

15 min and you are done, it will take you longer to drive to the shop then to change them.

does that allow time to walk to the frig to get beer