Why do people buy winters wheels instead of swapping tyres?
Discussion
A torque wrench is more necessary on alloys as you are doing the bolt up onto a solid material rather than a (slightly) deformable steel sheet (all-be-it thick & shaped to allow this)
The theory (I believe) being that instead of deforming the dome around the wheel stud hole, you are actually stretching the stud if you do them up too tight. Which will increase the chance of shearing the stud, with disasterous results.
Basically provided you don't go mad when you have done them up you should be fine.
A good nip is required rather than standing on a 3ft strong arm to tighten the nuts up.
The theory (I believe) being that instead of deforming the dome around the wheel stud hole, you are actually stretching the stud if you do them up too tight. Which will increase the chance of shearing the stud, with disasterous results.
Basically provided you don't go mad when you have done them up you should be fine.
A good nip is required rather than standing on a 3ft strong arm to tighten the nuts up.
For me it's a "no brainer"....my X5 has the 20" wheels which the rears are £350 plus a go....set of new tyres is close to £1200. My winters are 18" and cost £150 a corner but can be had cheaper. So a set of winter tyres is about 50% of the cost of my summer tyres....your original no brainer. I do most of my miles in winter too as my annual mileage is about 10,000 of which 2,500 is two ski trips every winter.
I think it is each to their own. I have winter sets for most of my cars, all with their own alloys of a smaller diameter and thinner width than summer, as generally recommended by the BMW vehicle handbook. All bought second hand on eBay for reasonable sums, and when you change cars you can normally sell them again for a similar amount to the acquisition cost.
Forgive for stating the obvious but some of these posts don't make sense, if you can store tyres you can store tyres on wheels, they take the same space surely
Changing wheels on a two seater at home is very easier, and you can't get 4 spare wheels and tyres in it to the local tyre fitter, the X5 I used to take to the fitter and get them to change sets over as I couldn't jack it up and I could get all 4 wheels in the car without trouble.
You go to Scandinavia and everybody has a spare set of tyres and wheels for winter, normally steels. Lets face it they are the experts when it comes to winter driving, when in Rome!
Forgive for stating the obvious but some of these posts don't make sense, if you can store tyres you can store tyres on wheels, they take the same space surely
Changing wheels on a two seater at home is very easier, and you can't get 4 spare wheels and tyres in it to the local tyre fitter, the X5 I used to take to the fitter and get them to change sets over as I couldn't jack it up and I could get all 4 wheels in the car without trouble.
You go to Scandinavia and everybody has a spare set of tyres and wheels for winter, normally steels. Lets face it they are the experts when it comes to winter driving, when in Rome!
robmarrs said:
the X5 I used to take to the fitter and get them to change sets over as I couldn't jack it up and I could get all 4 wheels in the car without trouble.
Sounds like you need one of thesehttp://sm-t.co.uk/product/clifton-3-ton-lift/
Put your man maths to work....it'll pay off in about 40 years!
who cares? I've got an X3 which means everyone laughs anyway...... 
Vroomer said:
Started looking at winter wheel/tyre sets and another thing that puzzles me is why somebody would pay 20% more for a set of 17" steel wheels/tyres than a 16" set.
It can't be for looks and the 16s would be better in the snow.
Probably because the 16" wont fit over the brakes?It can't be for looks and the 16s would be better in the snow.
Maracus said:
Vroomer said:
Started looking at winter wheel/tyre sets and another thing that puzzles me is why somebody would pay 20% more for a set of 17" steel wheels/tyres than a 16" set.
It can't be for looks and the 16s would be better in the snow.
Probably because the 16" wont fit over the brakes?It can't be for looks and the 16s would be better in the snow.
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