[QUOTE=MysticBlue;15284159]
Quote:
Originally Posted by bim_power
The wife will not be able to handle changing the spare; and I have done it with our E53 and it was a full sized spare. For me loosing the lugs with a hand tool was a battle to itself and took some time. So we are contemplating if a pump/repair kit would serve us better. However, the pump kit will be useless if the deflated tire does not have full contact with the rim.
QUOTE]
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.
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I would have got the spare but n/a in Canada, maybe I go to Buffalo but the hardware also needs to be ordered. Hence $150 as option is cheap.
My tire guy begins with a/gun then completes with t/wrench.
His tip to me help b/dust flake off is to wax the wheels but not the nuts.