Change your own wheel advice!

[anzzyde]

Hi there,

Did a search but didn't find anything in-depth enough.

Hope someone can help me.

It's more economical to get rid of my current set of 17" crowns with runflats (3-4mm left) for a new set of refurbed crowns with new cheapo tyres (nankang... i know i know.. but money is a little tight for me).

Now i could just ran my current set until i had to change them (which isn't long because i do a heck of a lot of mileage!) but doing it this way means i can get new tyres AND have my rims sort of 'repaired' (please don't ask about the figures... my maths is good enough to know that it makes sense! :P)

Anyway, can anyone advise me as to how i should change my own tyres?

I'm thinking of using the jack etc that comes with the car and replace all 4 wheels with maybe a torque wrench?

Do i need anything else? What's the correct setting for front and rear wheel bolts? Any recommendations as to what brand i should buy? (i've read here that someone people had their bolts over-tightened by some dodgy garages causing their wheels a lot of damage... i know it rarely happens but i'm thinking this could be a good way to save both money and learn something at the same time!)

What say you people??

[Vitesse]

Here is a thread with some of the info you need.

http://www.mini2.com/forum/wheels-ty...e-storage.html

[joeh]

yep you will need the following things.
torque wrench
Jack (trolly jack if possible)
and your locking wheel nut key

When you have put a wheel onto the hub put 1 wheel nut in at a time but do this diagonaly, screw each one in finger tight then lower the jack so the wheel is on the floor.
get the wrench and tighten each nut up (diagonaly again) untill you get strong resistance, eg put a little body weight onto the wrench but not too mutch.
you will struggle to overtighten them if you do this.
and to be honest im replacing my tyres soon and theres no way i will be paying for runflats as i think they are a realy bad idea.
if i get a flat ill change my wheel, not drive home and ruin the tyre so it can not be repaired.
hope that helped, but hope it wasnt patronising as i wasnt sure on the amount of help you needed.

[KPKalle]

Having lived in Sweden I experienced the luxury of having to change all four wheels twice a year. Necessary but a pain

I never used a torque wrench, just the tools that come with the MINI: wrench, jack, locking wheel nut and the hook thingy to take out the cap covering the hub.

1. Park somewhere level, handbrake on and in gear.
2. Remove hub cover with hook.
3. Loosen each nut with the wrench - do this in a figure of eight pattern, slowly loosing each one in turn.
4. Position jack under lifting point (square metallic slot near each wheel).
5. Raise until tyre has cleared ground by a couple of inches.
6. Remove all nuts - figure of eight again (it may help to have someone else to help steady the wheel).
7. Mount new wheel making note of any directional/rotational requirements (help again may be useful).
8. Finger tighten nuts - figure of eight, each nut in turn.
9. Use wrench then to give each nut a further tighten.
10. Lower jack.
11. Firmly tighten nuts - figure of eight.
12. Replace hub cover, making sure cuts-outs/positioners are lined up. Just give it a bash with your hand.
13. Repeat for remaining wheels.
14. Go to garage and check tyre pressures.
15. Reset loss of pressure system.

I think that about covers it. Don't forget to put your tools back in the boot

[anzzyde]

Wow, that's some serious advice there!!

Thank you all for your help and time!!! *group hugs*

[Mingkei]

may i ask, is there any connection between the wheel to the car about the pressure?

[Darthbladerni]

Quote: Originally Posted by Mingkei (original)

may i ask, is there any connection between the wheel to the car about the pressure?

There is no proper physical connection BUT from what im aware of it can tell when one wheel isnt moving as quick as the others ones indicating that the pressure is down in that wheel.