Stuttgart (dpa/tmn) – Who get the summer wheels out of hibernation, it can bring with a little bit of Exercise in about 20 to 30 minutes on your own to the car. What is needed and how to do it exactly explains technology expert Marcel muehlich from the Auto Club Europa (ACE).
What tool will I need?
Marcel Mühlich: For the emergency there are on-Board the car, usually the car Jack and tools. The you can use, but better yet a storage Bock to Secure against slipping. If you want to regularly change all four wheels, cars would be a hydraulic shunting Jack and a good tire iron more comfortable. As the wheel model either wheel bolts or wheel nuts are used depending on the car. Ideally, a torque would be key, in order to attract them correctly. If you don’t, you should check it out, a workshop.
The correct torques, one finds where?
Marcel Mühlich: Sometimes the specified in the operating instructions of the vehicle, otherwise you should ask in the workshop. Often the rims are different for aluminum and steel.
Where do I change the wheels the best?
muehlich: Not directly on the street edge. This is dangerous, if others passing by with their vehicles, and might not expect there’s someone in the squat. And then it should be on a flat terrain. Not on a slope, because of the risk that the car is slipping, and tilting.
I Need to leave before the wheels balancing?
muehlich: This is normally not needed, if you want to turning from Winter to summer wheels. But only if you get new tires on the rims. Each tire has a small imbalance, which is offset by counterweights on the rim. You should, however, consider whether any of these small balancing missing weights, maybe a curb, contact of the rim is de-energized. You can see where the were mounted, and if there is anything missing.
Then the wheel needs to be balanced, but new – always a case for the workshop?
muehlich: no one can make at home. Also the Mounting of new tires you need a tire machine.
The tools are in the pipeline, I can get started – how?
muehlich: First of all, I put on the Parking brake and put the vehicle in first gear, so that the vehicle is secured against rolling. Then I have to remove, if present, the wheel covers and loosen the lug wrench at the nuts on all the wheels before I lift the car. I solve them only so far, until I realize, they move – that’s enough.
I strive to the utmost, but what to do if a nut or bolt is unruly?
muehlich: Not with the foot on the tire iron to lift, because when you slip you could hurt yourself. Prefer a lever effect, by drawing on a portion of a tow bar or the like on one Arm of the cross. I could use at the rusted nuts with a rust remover. But then you have to clean it well with benzine or spirit and let dry. Particularly stiff or damaged bolts nuts I should use, but again – the are not expensive, prefer to buy new.
Then it goes to the Jack-up. What do you observe?
muehlich: Not somewhere to lift, but really only at the marked Points. Small arrows are usually attached to, or in the operating instructions of the vehicle. Each corner of the lift for the respective Radtausch one after the other.
Once the wheel is in the air, I can Unscrew the nuts and change the wheel?
muehlich: Yes, but note that when changing from steel to alloy wheels, in some cases, other wheel nuts are necessary. This necessarily to use. Otherwise it can come due to the different material hardening, damage to, or the pad surfaces are different, sometimes conical, sometimes flat. Finger way in the Assembly of Oil or copper paste. Some think screws would be later easier to solve. Always dry mount, otherwise you can solve later, by myself. The better profile is always on the rear axle. If an arrow pretending to be on the tires in a running direction, must be mounted to the wheel.
How do I get the wheels back on?
muehlich, as Long as the corner is high gebockt, I put the wheel on the hub and tighten the screws by Hand a few Turns easily. Never point the tool at an angle set screws I could damage the threads. Then I put the lug wrench at the respective opposite wheel nuts, that is to say: I prefer you so that you can touch the rim easily, then draw everything by hand and lower the vehicle to the ground.
And with gusto I put on the wheels then with the torque wrench?
muehlich: Exactly, the right Moment to advance, the key makes a creaking sound when it is reached. So it works best two Times to the car, to be sure that all nuts or wheel bolts are tight.
And without a torque wrench?
muehlich: unfortunately, This is difficult to assess. Therefore, it is better to invest in a torque wrench, if you have no experience. Not with an extension to tighten – only a crossed circle or the on-Board tool and firmly tighten by Hand.
Managed, now the spring can come – or what’s missing?
muehlich: don’t forget the torque wrench again to relax und set it to zero. If not, it can wear out. And for safety, you should check after about 50 kilometres of the time that the nuts have the correct torque. In the Assembly, for example, rust or dirt may have gotten between rims and wheel hubs, or it has been tilted slightly. Then you can loosen the bolts on the wheel and thus the wheel.
