Quote:
Originally Posted by MysticBlue
Regarding wheel bolts... I would suggest buying a torque wrench. It's nearly impossible to expect any tire shop or mechanic anywhere to tighten wheel nuts to suggested torque. They almost always use an air gun and way overtighten. I'm not sure if it's the same on these SUV's, but my last couple of cars have been 88 ft/lbs. I always check the torque after I come home from having anything done where they took the wheels off and put them back on. Invariably, they are too tight. If they are torqued properly, any able bodied person should be able to loosen them with a typical hand tool without any problem at all. Never-seize can also be helpful and should be used on the bolts and the backside of the wheel where it fits on the hub.
That all being said, unless my wife was more mechanically enclined than the average woman, I would just tell her to make the call to the auto club. If you're paying for it, that's what it's for.
Regarding the donut tire vs. the 20" staggered setup, I don't think it makes any difference... If you end up having to put the donut on, you're limited to a pretty slow speed and total distance, regardless of whether you started out with 19" or 20". I agree with the advice to just get the spare. It's not much and you can always take it out if you want the space.
|
Thanks for the insight MysticBlue...
The spare is not an expensive option and it will offer a peace of mind, we will include it in our build. With the space saver spare, the interior linings for the wheel well is eliminated right?
I can also attest how the tire shop and motor club assistance can cause more headaches than its worth. In the same E53, the wife used the motor club for tire changing assistance, instead of towing. If we did not have the spare, the motor club would have to tow.. Anyhow, when she drove to a tire center, the shop broke a lug. Apparently the motor club mechanic overtightened the wheel and had stripped it. The deflated tire rim also have markings from the mechanic placing the rim face down on the ground. For this reason, I did not want a spare in the car so someone else could monkey with it... but for a peace of mind, having a spare is the right choice.