If you want to save the € 37,50 for changing wheels in the workshop, you can change your winter and summer wheels yourself. And if you reach for the jack and torque wrench for the first time this year, you should briefly take the “step -read through the step-by-step instructions for changing a wheel ”!
The wheel change step by step:
- Please always a flat and solid ground, outside the road, seek. Do not start on meadows or sandy areas with the tire change!
- Apply the handbrake and engage first gear or move the automatic selector lever to position “P”
- A quick look at the operating instructions, where the jack is housed in the car, how it is to be operated and at which mounting points under the car it is to be attached. There is also more information about “specialties” if the car is equipped with a “spare wheel”, for example
- Lay the summer wheels ready. The best thing is to put the respective wheel already where it will later be mounted: rear left, rear right, etc.
- Lever off wheel cap (if present) with the pointed end of the wheel nut wrench
- First loosen the wheel nuts only about half a turn. Here an old pipe can serve as an extension of the leverage quite.
- Attach jack (observe sticker with safety instructions!)
- Raise the vehicle until the mounting height for the spare wheel is reached
- Unscrew wheel nuts completely
- Label winter / summer bikes with VL, VR, HL, HR - so that in October you know where each tire belongs.
- Place the new wheels on the wheel hub and screw all wheel nuts hand-tight
- Drain the vehicle
- Tighten the wheel nuts crosswise, i.e. always the opposite wheel nut next. Not “turn around”.
- Car jack, stow tool
- At the next gas station Check air pressure retighten the wheel nuts,
At the next opportunity, have the wheel nuts checked in the workshop for correct tightening torque - or purchase a torque wrench yourself. There is a selection in my eBay collection! - When changing from steel to aluminum rims and vice versa, other wheel bolts or wheel nuts often have to be used! It is best to keep these with the vehicle tools or in the glove compartment! The same applies to “wheel locks” for theft protection!
Anyone who sees themselves as a “hobby screwdriver” and does other work on their own car in addition to changing wheels should take a look at my eBay collection on the topic of “auto screwdrivers and their wishes”. You may find the right ideas for your own “screwdriver garage” there.