Winter Wheels/Tires & DIY Attitude

[Gambit]

Looking to get a set of Winter Wheels/Tires for my '06 Arctic 330i w/ SP that comes with 18" Alloys Type 162 and All-Season Run-Flats.

Seriously looking at Tirerack:

1) Wheel - recommended 17" AHA JH3 Alloys (Silver Painted)

2) Tires - recommended 225/45R17 Dunlop M3 DSST's

3) DIY Tools - need help here
i) Jack? - 2.0/2.5/3.0 ton? Type?
ii) Axle Stands - 2.0/2.5/3.0 ton?
iii) Adjustible Torque Wrench - one for $29.99 at Tirerack OK? http://www.tirerack.com/accessories/tools/tools_all.jsp
Torque required for '06 330i wheel nuts is 130 NM (95.9471 ft. lbs.) that I found from a different forum thread.
iv) Gorilla Wrench - Which one at Tirerack?
v) Sockets needed?

Hey DIYers out there, what worked for you in terms of tools?

Never had to proactively change tires myself except when I had flats and had to put on the spare.

Why DIY tire installation? I can do it when I feel like it and not have to wait in line when bad weather appears and besides have any one seen a tire installer use a torque wrench?

[Nick325xiT 5spd]

Floor jack. Any weight will do.
Jack stands are just silly for wheel changing, just don't put your hands under the rotors.
A cheap breaker bar and a torque wrench will do, plus you want a speeder wrench. If you've got a drill, then a socket attachment to spin the lugs on and off is good.

Or buy a set of the RRT studs and just impact nuts on and off.

[3LOU5]

And if you REALLY want to make things a lot easier on yourself, invest in one of these. (http://leatherz.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=01&Product_Code=S3WheelPin&Category_Code=SafetyConvenience) :thumbup:

[Gambit]

What a great idea!! Thanks for the tip which helped me find this: http://www.bmw325i.net/wheel_pin.shtml

These aren't as nice as the one you have pointed out but they should do just fine especially given the price at $5 vs $22.

I'll try and contact BMW parts to see if I can order them locally.

[PhilH]

I went through the process of buying better equipment to do my winter wheel swap about two years ago.

Breaker bar...
http://www.tirerack.com/images/accessories/product_images/gor_wrench.jpg

http://www.tirerack.com/accessories/tools/pw1.jsp

I also bought a Sears aluminum racing jack, so I can just jack up the front and the back of the car, rather than having to jack the car four times...

http://www.unofficialbmw.com/images/searsalumjack.jpg

Also bought two wheel pins, wheel chocks, and I previously had a torque wrench.

[Gambit]

Floor jack. Any weight will do.
Jack stands are just silly for wheel changing, just don't put your hands under the rotors.
A cheap breaker bar and a torque wrench will do, plus you want a speeder wrench. If you've got a drill, then a socket attachment to spin the lugs on and off is good.

Or buy a set of the RRT studs and just impact nuts on and off. I'll forgo the jack and axle stand packages then and save the money on just the jack. Speeder wrench sounds like a great idea. Which breaker bar from Tirerack?

I read somewhere maybe even Tirerack to avoid impact drills for putting on nut. Hand tighten and then torque wrench tight.

[michelito]

Look at the Michelin race jack at Canadian Tire - they have it on sale every once in a while at around $200CAN and it works really well :thumbup:
Forget drills: hand tighten and then torque wrench - if you can't hand tighten, check your bolts: they should turn real easily by hand

Michelin Race jack (http://www.canadiantire.ca/assortments/product_detail.jsp?FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=140847439 6669458&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474396670271&bmUID=1130771550728&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524443276898&assortment=primary&fromSearch=true)

[Nick325xiT 5spd]

I'll forgo the jack and axle stand packages then and save the money on just the jack. Speeder wrench sounds like a great idea. Which breaker bar from Tirerack?

I read somewhere maybe even Tirerack to avoid impact drills for putting on nut. Hand tighten and then torque wrench tight.
They said impact wrenches. No hand drill will ever be able to overtorque your lugs. This is just a nice way to avoid havign to spin the lugs.

As for breaker bars, I recommend the cheapest one that's a minimum of 18" long.

[Artslinger]

Rubber mallet to beat the tires off if they're stuck.

[Gambit]

First of all, thanks for some fantastic tips on what to have and do to make changing one's own wheels less painless.

I ended up ordering a set of winter wheels/tires from Tirerack. Got the 17" AHA JH3 rims that came recommended and I got the 225/45R17 Dunlop M3 Winter Sport DSST (Run-Flats). 16" rims will not clear the brakes for the e90's but it's OK for the e46's.

Since I bought them mounted and balanced, I figured why don't I change the wheels myself.

Based on recommendations, I bought or about to buy the following:

1) Torque wrench - 25-250 ft-lb - eBay
2) Racing Jack - still looking
3) Wheel Pins - still looking
4) Rubber Mallet - got it already
5) Breaker Bar - Gorilla from Tirerack
6) Tire Totes - Canadian Tire
7) Anything else?

I went with Fedex vs UPS for my Tirerack purchase. Someone mentioned to me that it's easier to clear customs with them. Fedex was the same price for delivery as UPS so I went with them instead. If things go right, I should have my wheels/tires by this Friday Nov. 4th.

Thanks and please keep forwarding the rather useful suggestions.

I will post my experiences with buying wheels/tires online, changing my own tires and I'll try and get some pictures to show the end results. :)

[fkafka]

1) Torque wrench - 25-250 ft-lb - eBay
2) Racing Jack - still looking
3) Wheel Pins - still looking
4) Rubber Mallet - got it already
5) Breaker Bar - Gorilla from Tirerack
6) Tire Totes - Canadian Tire

7) Anything else?



I just did this job this afternoon. Other crap you might or might not use...

a) Cotton gardening gloves help keep the (marginally toxic) brake dust off your hands and thus off clothes, car interior, etc...

2) Air pump (I keep a cheap one in the trunk) and pressure gauge (the accurate dial type is worth every penny).

III) Make sure you have an extra deep socket for the lug nuts

Four) Crap for cleaning and storing the off-season wheels. Wheel brush, non conductive mat (cardboard) for the garage floor, UV resistant tarp, and bungies, etc.... Waxing the wheels at this time is easy and makes brake dust cleaning a breeze in-season.

iv) Tread depth gauge

Have fun.

[yamato]

I just got a torque wrench. I recall you guys say somewhere that I should release the spring pressure of the torque wrench before storage. Should I set the torque to just 0? Or below zero? The wrench allows me set it to below 0 until it can't go down anymore. Thanks.

[Ridgeway]

I went through the process of buying better equipment to do my winter wheel swap about two years ago.

Breaker bar...
http://www.tirerack.com/images/accessories/product_images/gor_wrench.jpg

http://www.tirerack.com/accessories/tools/pw1.jsp

I also bought a Sears aluminum racing jack, so I can just jack up the front and the back of the car, rather than having to jack the car four times...



Also bought two wheel pins, wheel chocks, and I previously had a torque wrench.
where do you jack it up from in the front & rear (assuming it's the same on the e85 & e46)?
i've been jacking each corner...and after 8 wheels i'm usually rather tired of jacking :)

[obmd1]

where do you jack it up from in the front & rear (assuming it's the same on the e85 & e46)?
i've been jacking each corner...and after 8 wheels i'm usually rather tired of jacking :)
I'm preparing to do the winter to summer switch myself on two cars, and I'd like to know the answer to this question too...as well as how tight to torque each lug with one of those fancy torque wrenches:)

[PhilH]

where do you jack it up from in the front & rear (assuming it's the same on the e85 & e46)?
i've been jacking each corner...and after 8 wheels i'm usually rather tired of jacking :)
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42371

[3LOU5]

I'm preparing to do the winter to summer switch myself on two cars, and I'd like to know the answer to this question too...as well as how tight to torque each lug with one of those fancy torque wrenches:)

I believe jacking each corner is the only way to do it right WITHOUT bending or damaging any other part. But I could be wrong. :dunno:

As far as final torque settings on your lugs, RTFM. The procedure I would use is this:

1) Torque the lugs 1/3 of the way to the final setting IN A STAR PATTERN.

2) Torque the lugs 2/3 of the way to the final setting, using the same pattern in step 1.

3) Torque the lugs to the final setting, using the same pattern in steps 1 and 2.

This procedure ensures the wheels will be installed straight and true resulting in no wobbles when driven.

Also, do NOT forget to check the final torque after driving the car about 100 miles, IIRC. In my experience, it might tighten just a tad more.

Good luck, and May the Force be with you. :thumbup: