Once or twice a year many of us have winter or summer tyres
reinstalled or we change over to an extra set of wheels with the
appropriate set of tyres for that season.

The following experience we encountered last year could be a warning!

A close relative bought a good quality (low mileage) used car, fitted
with an extra set of four winter wheels and tyres; included in the
sale were the set of original equipment alloy 'wheels' with summer
tyres in excellent condition.

The used car lot in the the city from which the vehicle was being
purchased agreed to have a wheel alignment performed (see note) and
perform, or have performed, the changeover to the original equipment
(summer tyre) wheels.

In the late fall relative and self decided to reinstall the winter
wheels ourselves and found that the wrong wheel nuts had been used all
summer to secure the 'summer wheels'! They were the wrong fit!

The correct, 'alloy wheel' nuts we found in a bag in the trunk of the
car. The incorrect (winter wheel) nuts had the wrong taper and could
have worn through those original equipment alloy wheels or badly
chafed them and/or enlarged the holes!

In many tyre establishments the task of changing over wheels and tyres
appears to be often delegated to the most junior mechanical staff,
often apprentices? But in this case we were surprised since the
mechanical staff at the location from which the vehicle was purchased
seemed to be experienced and not juniors!

Other considerations are that wheel nuts should be tightened to
specification using a torque wrench or 'torque nut socket'. If not
tight enough nuts may loosen and if too tight may crack an alloy
wheel. Also it's not pleasant to be at the side of the highway trying
to get 'too tight' wheel nuts off to put on the spare.

Note: Further when the vehicle was road tested before purchase it mis-
steered and the tyres appeared to be slightly oddly worn. As agreed
and before sale was finalized seller did have a front wheel alignment
performed, with all four original equipment wheels installed. And the
realignment info. was in the vehicle.

The new owner later took the vehicle to a trusted and competent
realignment mechanic and when the front end realignment settings were
checked, they appeared pretty close to correct. But it also appeared
that a rear end realignment check had NOT been performed and that was
causing the the vehicle to steer strangely and was most likely (in
addition toruts and potholes) responsible for the odd tyre wear. One
thought was that there had been some damage to the rear suspension,
but not so. It was all a matter of proper alignment, AND using the
proper wheel nuts!

So just a safety suggestion; be aware of who how and what is being
done when one gets tyres/wheels changed over!

Wait to you find out they forgot to torque your lug nuts. I lost three
nuts on left front and two on the right. I was on the Ohio Turnpike when
I thought I had a low tire. Thank you Chysler Dealer of Mentor, Ohio.
Jerry

terry wrote:

Once or twice a year many of us have winter or summer tyres
reinstalled or we change

Good post!!

I am considering getting real snow tires next winter

Would using steel wheels for ALL tires help alleviate
this problem somewhat?

wrote:
terry wrote:

Once or twice a year many of us have winter or summer tyres
reinstalled or we change

Good post!!

I am considering getting real snow tires next winter

Would using steel wheels for ALL tires help alleviate
this problem somewhat?

I bought snow tires last year. For the wheels, I picked them up at the
wreckers for $15 each. Steel wheels, the same ones that come stock on my
vehicle.

Fortunately, I'm not one of the kids whose self confidence depends upon
having custom wheels.

Jon

On Mar 5, 1:25*pm, (Jerry - OHIO) wrote:
Wait to you find out they forgot to torque your lug nuts. I lost three
nuts on left front and two on the right. I was on the Ohio Turnpike when
I thought I had a low tire. Thank you Chysler Dealer of Mentor, Ohio.
Jerry

heh, I got a better one... took my '62 Studebaker to a local garage
to have a tire mounted, got on down the road and when I stopped at a
gas station on the way home to get gas, I found that the hubcap hadn't
been put on straight so the valve stem was cocked over and the tire
was half flat. Took the hubcap off to reclock it and found that all
five lug nuts had been run on with the flat side in! Amazingly enough
none were loose and I hadn't noticed any vibration while driving.

About five minutes later I discovered that my driver's side motor
mount was broken when I, um, "assertively" accelerated out of the gas
station, but I can't blame that on the garage. (did scare the whee
out of me though, as when the engine torqued over it jammed the
accelerator linkage at WOT, and a Stude 289/4bbl is not without a
certain amount of beans.)

nate

"Jon Danniken" wrote:

Fortunately, I'm not one of the kids whose self confidence depends upon
having custom wheels.

Me either!

I'm not into vanity much lol

On Mar 5, 8:20*pm, wrote:
"Jon Danniken" wrote:
Fortunately, I'm not one of the kids whose self confidence depends upon
having custom wheels.

Me either!

I'm not into vanity much lol

Agree: For our 2002 Nissan pickup (assembled in the USA!) with still
only around 60,000 miles, we early on acquired a second set of four
steel wheels (which happen to be chrome) on which we mount four steel
studded snow tyres. These replace the 'summer alloys' (Alloy wheels,
especially on a pickup, being a completely unnecessary 'option' in our
opinion, but that's the way the truck came!).
Normally studded tyres are only permitted, in this area, from November
1st, to last of April, but last year, as allowed at DOT discretion
under the regulations, that was advanced by 15 days last fall.
There is one area 'up north', btw, where there has been talk of making
studded tyres mandatory equipment during each winter!
In this area, not so far north, we are having much less snow these
last few years but more often temperatures around freezing which then
leads to icing, and slippery conditions.
Given a choice we would have all steel wheels; with a second set for
winter tyres, which can be a) Inspected and fixed up during summer/
repainted etc And b) Avoiding the twice yearly breaking down of tyres
from rims. Having extra wheels with winter tyres permanently mounted
also allows one to do the changeover oneself and avoid the inevitable
rush at service stations each fall and spring!

terry wrote:
On Mar 5, 8:20 pm, wrote:
"Jon Danniken" wrote:
Fortunately, I'm not one of the kids whose self confidence depends upon
having custom wheels.
Me either!

I'm not into vanity much lol

Agree: For our 2002 Nissan pickup (assembled in the USA!) with still
only around 60,000 miles, we early on acquired a second set of four
steel wheels (which happen to be chrome) on which we mount four steel
studded snow tyres. These replace the 'summer alloys' (Alloy wheels,
especially on a pickup, being a completely unnecessary 'option' in our
opinion, but that's the way the truck came!).
Normally studded tyres are only permitted, in this area, from November
1st, to last of April, but last year, as allowed at DOT discretion
under the regulations, that was advanced by 15 days last fall.
There is one area 'up north', btw, where there has been talk of making
studded tyres mandatory equipment during each winter!
In this area, not so far north, we are having much less snow these
last few years but more often temperatures around freezing which then
leads to icing, and slippery conditions.
Given a choice we would have all steel wheels; with a second set for
winter tyres, which can be a) Inspected and fixed up during summer/
repainted etc And b) Avoiding the twice yearly breaking down of tyres
from rims. Having extra wheels with winter tyres permanently mounted
also allows one to do the changeover oneself and avoid the inevitable
rush at service stations each fall and spring!

Been 20 years since I bothered with winter tires, mainly since winters
around here have been so mild lately, plus the relative where I was
stashing the extra set moved away. (I was living in apartments at the
time...) But when I did do that, I also had a spare set of rims. Nice
wide Goodrich TAs for summer, and narrower taller all seasons front/REAL
snows rear, for the winter. The summer rims were off a Fox platform
T-bird, and half an inch wider than the winter rims that came on the
Fairmont wagon in question. Those wider rims and plus-one tires made a
difference in summer, but the narrower more aggressive tires helped a
lot in the snow,

--
aem sends....

wrote in message
...
"Jon Danniken" wrote:

Fortunately, I'm not one of the kids whose self confidence depends upon
having custom wheels.

Me either!

I'm not into vanity much lol

Doubt you can get steel wheels for a lot of cars today. I can't get them
for mine and I'm not going to spend $150 for an alloy wheel. I've not used
snow tires since the 1970's anyway. Ice is more of a problem than snow
anyway. This morning a little dusting got slippery and I saw five cars off
the road including two 4WD. One was a truck with a plow. One was on its
roof, another tipped over 45 degrees against a tree. All within about 8
miles and within a 20 minute time frame. . Sometimes people just don't
know when to slow down.

Were the left hand nuts on the wrong side ???
Jerry


http://community.webtv.net/awoodbutc...oodWorkingPage



http://community.webtv.net/awoodbutcher/1974RuppCentair

Jerry - OHIO wrote:
Were the left hand nuts on the wrong side ???
Jerry



I know pre-late-60s Mopar did that little (annoying to the uninitiated)
trick. Did Studebaker as well?

--
aem sends...

They also might not know. That if you try to accelerate
while going up hill, you're more like to spin out. the two
times I've got off the road, that's how. Going uphill, and
decide to go a bit faster. Touch the gas a bit, and suddenly
I'm all over the road.

--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..


"Ed Pawlowski" wrote in message
...

Doubt you can get steel wheels for a lot of cars today. I
can't get them
for mine and I'm not going to spend $150 for an alloy wheel.
I've not used
snow tires since the 1970's anyway. Ice is more of a
problem than snow
anyway. This morning a little dusting got slippery and I
saw five cars off
the road including two 4WD. One was a truck with a plow.
One was on its
roof, another tipped over 45 degrees against a tree. All
within about 8
miles and within a 20 minute time frame. . Sometimes people
just don't
know when to slow down.