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[muguruan]

I will be receiving my new wheels in a couple of weeks and I do not have any tools at all.

What would you recommend as the best tool or tools to get for lifting the car and removing/installing the wheels?

Does anyone know what is the appropriate torque xxx ft-lbs?

Thank you

[ianc]

90 ft-lbs should do the trick for the lug bolts; get a torque wrench to do it properly.

Plenty of threads on here about jacking the car; try a search,

ianc

[Ruffan]

1. Floor Jack (to lift the car)
2. Lug Wrench (to loosen the bolts)
3. Torque wrench (reccomended, but not 100% neccesary - to torque the bolts)
4. 17mm socket (that fits on the wrench)

Steps:
1. "Break" wheel bolts with lug wrench. (Loosen them so they are easy to remove when the wheel is in the air)
2. Jack up one corner of the car
3. remove wheel bolts and wheel
4. Put on new wheels with bolts with lug wrench
5. screw bolts in hand tight with lug wrench, but do not torque
6. lower car
7. torque lug bolts to 86-90 ft/lbs

8. Use the search function

[muguruan]

Thank you for your prompt response.

Regards

[guydude]

congrats on the new wheels man! yew!!

[Esmallstii]

Remember to tighten the Lugs in a criss cross pattern.
Tighten one, then tighten the one across (opposite) from it, and so on until they are all good.
Go around one more time to check all,..the go have fun.

[IS+1]

2 more things:
1) apply some white grease to the inside of your wheel before installing it to prevent seizing to the hub upon removal later on.
2) after you torque all the bolts on all 4 wheel, drive the car around the block and come back and ensure that all the bolts are still tight, just in case.

[Lester]

Or just pay a shop that has the tools to do it for you.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by Ruffan

1. Floor Jack (to lift the car)
2. Lug Wrench (to loosen the bolts)
3. Torque wrench (reccomended, but not 100% neccesary - to torque the bolts)
4. 17mm socket (that fits on the wrench)

I might add... you should ALWAYS use a jack stand to support a car when you jack it up. Two jack stands are best. Just incase your jack were to fail, the stands are there to catch the car.

The above tool list ($300 and up!)will be way more than paying a shop to do the switch over($40). IF you like working on "things" I would go for it! But... if you are the type who has no mechanical knowlegde or is a non-handyman... I'd say leave it up to the pros.

Another note... after a hundred miles or so you should always recheck the wheel bolts for tightness. 90 ft/lbs

[Lester]

Not to mention that most floor jacks are too high to fit properly under the 135, so you have to drive the car up onto some planks first. And most home use jacks will destroy the plastic jack mounts under the car.

[BrokenVert]

Originally Posted by Esmallstii

Remember to tighten the Lugs in a criss cross pattern.
Tighten one, then tighten the one across (opposite) from it, and so on until they are all good.
Go around one more time to check all,..the go have fun.

You basically tigten them in a star pattern.

[JimD]

You will need to put something into the jacking points if you jack on the 4 corners. I use pieces of 3/4 baltic birch plywood. Others have commented on using pieces of rectangular steel tubing. There is a guy selling cast aluminum pieces that look nice (for a price).

I use a Harbor Freight floor jack that will go under in either the front or the back to the central jacking point. But I like to use a plywood piece, circular, then too to cushion the steel jack head.

I like a X shaped star wrench for lug nuts. It lets you use both hands and you can spin them off almost as quick as with an impact tool.

I also use a harbor freight 1/2 inch torque wrench putting the wheels back on. Cheap and accurate enough. You may need a short extension between the wrench and the socket. Six point is less likely to damage a nut (but 12 point won't if it is made and used properly).

Jim

[tgxmike]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

The above tool list ($300 and up!)will be way more than paying a shop to do the switch over($40). IF you like working on "things" I would go for it! But... if you are the type who has no mechanical knowlegde or is a non-handyman... I'd say leave it up to the pros.

I went and bought some cheap equiptment.

Jack and 2 stands $40 from sears

Breaker Bar $11 from harbor freight
Torque wrench $15 from harbor freight
14 piece impact socket set $17 from harbor freight

~$90, or one season worth of shop switches.

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by tgxmike

I went and bought some cheap equiptment.

Jack and 2 stands $40 from sears

Breaker Bar $11 from harbor freight
Torque wrench $15 from harbor freight
14 piece impact socket set $17 from harbor freight

~$90, or one season worth of shop switches.

I would NOT trust any cheap torque wrench! How accurate do you think your $15 Chinese quality is? Even at Sears, you will pay at least $100! I think most good Tq wrenches are in in the $200 range. This is one tool that you want high quality! For repeatable TQ specs.

You want something like +/- 3% area specs. 50 to 200 Ft/lbs range.

[Blue82]

Two tools that I've found very helpful are available for very fair prices from Reverse Logic.:

1) The jack pad that fits the jack points of our cars:

http://www.reverselogic.us/ReverseLo.../Products.html

2) The lug bolt guide tool which helps to hold the wheel while you try to get the lug bolts back in:

http://www.reverselogic.us/ReverseLo...ide_Tools.html

[tgxmike]

Originally Posted by Dackelone

I would NOT trust any cheap torque wrench! How accurate do you think your $15 Chinese quality is? Even at Sears, you will pay at least $100! I think most good Tq wrenches are in in the $200 range. This is one tool that you want high quality! For repeatable TQ specs.

You want something like +/- 3% area specs. 50 to 200 Ft/lbs range.

Spec was +/- 4%, which was fine for wheels

[bradford]

I use a big ass Makita rechargeable electric impact gun, torque sticks, and a breaker bar.

*WAY* easier than the old fashioned way.

[Dackelone]

I like to use this German version of the breaker bar. Almost every grocery store sells them in their automotive car section. This tool has come in handy countless times! I have never seen something like it in the states. You can't beat the price either at 10 euros! It also has a reverseable socket. 17mm on one side and 19mm on the other side.





bye,
David

[rsjean]

The reverse logic jack pad is a very very nice piece. I started out trying to skimp on cost and cut 4 blacks from some pressure treated 2x4 and sized them as inserts into our plasticc jack points. One by one the blocks eventually cracked and split under pressure.

I finally just bought the reverse logic piece. Glad I did. I'm going to get one more so I can jack from the front or rear center points and then set the car down on my 2 jack stads using the reverse logic pieces. Since the jack stands have the virtually unusable 'v' top - the RL pieces will make it safe and secure and not damage anything.

A great long term investment in safety.

Originally Posted by Blue82

Two tools that I've found very helpful are available for very fair prices from Reverse Logic.:

1) The jack pad that fits the jack points of our cars:

http://www.reverselogic.us/ReverseLo.../Products.html

2) The lug bolt guide tool which helps to hold the wheel while you try to get the lug bolts back in:

http://www.reverselogic.us/ReverseLo...ide_Tools.html

[ptack]

I got the floor jack and torque wrench at Sears. For just changing wheels I don't think you need jack stands if you have a good level floor, but you should have wheel chocks. Get some anti-seaze paste and put a light coat around the hub. You might also want a rubber mallet to 'persude' a wheel to come off.

[rsjean]

Originally Posted by ptack

I got the floor jack and torque wrench at Sears. For just changing wheels I don't think you need jack stands if you have a good level floor, but you should have wheel chocks. Get some anti-seaze paste and put a light coat around the hub. You might also want a rubber mallet to 'persude' a wheel to come off.

I personally always put a stand under even when just working on wheels or tires. As a safety backup. I just don't trust any jack. Certanly always when working on brakes. And definately for any other undercarriage work - especially when any part of my body will be under the car.....