What tools for swapping own wheels from front to back?
Discussion
shirt said:
Go to another garage, tell them you want the tyres rotating and checked for balance. Any non-chain would happily do this.
But likely charge at least a tenner to check/re balance each wheel. Cheap tools to do the job could be bought for under £40 which you can use time over.. The tools already in the boot will suffice, if you want a no-cost solution. Its what they are designed for and what every student did when they were skint.
If you have a spare, use it as a temporary wheel so you can fit it temporarily in place of the first wheel you remove (lets assume its the rear). Then simply swap it with the front one on the front (or diagonal front if non directional tyres) and rinse & repeat until you arrive back at the spare and swap that one around.
If you don't have a spare, all you need is a borrowed axel stand or sturdy pile of wooden blocks (or bricks with , under the rear suspension assembly to take the weight whilst you move around then car. If you tell us all the car, we can advise where is best for that model.
Obviously, I you have access to a better jack and specialist sockets, you can use them as they are better tool for the job, but you definitely don't need them for what is the simplest of motoring tasks.
If you have a spare, use it as a temporary wheel so you can fit it temporarily in place of the first wheel you remove (lets assume its the rear). Then simply swap it with the front one on the front (or diagonal front if non directional tyres) and rinse & repeat until you arrive back at the spare and swap that one around.
If you don't have a spare, all you need is a borrowed axel stand or sturdy pile of wooden blocks (or bricks with , under the rear suspension assembly to take the weight whilst you move around then car. If you tell us all the car, we can advise where is best for that model.
Obviously, I you have access to a better jack and specialist sockets, you can use them as they are better tool for the job, but you definitely don't need them for what is the simplest of motoring tasks.
Hol said:
The tools already in the boot will suffice, if you want a no-cost solution. Its what they are designed for and what every student did when they were skint.
If you have a spare, use it as a temporary wheel so you can fit it temporarily in place of the first wheel you remove (lets assume its the rear). Then simply swap it with the front one on the front (or diagonal front if non directional tyres) and rinse & repeat until you arrive back at the spare and swap that one around.
If you don't have a spare, all you need is a borrowed axel stand or sturdy pile of wooden blocks (or bricks with , under the rear suspension assembly to take the weight whilst you move around then car. If you tell us all the car, we can advise where is best for that model.
Obviously, I you have access to a better jack and specialist sockets, you can use them as they are better tool for the job, but you definitely don't need them for what is the simplest of motoring tasks.
Please do not use bricks or similar to support the car. Very easy to break, crumble or split with potential deadly risk.If you have a spare, use it as a temporary wheel so you can fit it temporarily in place of the first wheel you remove (lets assume its the rear). Then simply swap it with the front one on the front (or diagonal front if non directional tyres) and rinse & repeat until you arrive back at the spare and swap that one around.
If you don't have a spare, all you need is a borrowed axel stand or sturdy pile of wooden blocks (or bricks with , under the rear suspension assembly to take the weight whilst you move around then car. If you tell us all the car, we can advise where is best for that model.
Obviously, I you have access to a better jack and specialist sockets, you can use them as they are better tool for the job, but you definitely don't need them for what is the simplest of motoring tasks.
An axle stand minimum, with additional wooden blocks (good, stout wood, not little offcuts).
I agree the job is fairly easy (to anybody who has done it before), and a decent jack, axle stand (ideally 2 if doing 2 wheels at a time ), decent wheel wrench is all that is required. But if the person has never done anything like it before, then safety is paramount, and the tools are essential, include a torque wrench too though !!
I don't think I've ever seen anyone use a torque wrench for wheelnuts outside a motorsport or trackday paddock.
Probably 99% of people just do them up with a wheelbrace or socket until tight, and never have any problems.
Its when workshops/tyre shops overtighten with a rattlegun that you get problems like not being able to undo the nuts on the side of the road to change a puncture.
Probably 99% of people just do them up with a wheelbrace or socket until tight, and never have any problems.
Its when workshops/tyre shops overtighten with a rattlegun that you get problems like not being able to undo the nuts on the side of the road to change a puncture.
Edited by GravelBen on Wednesday 8th July 23:11
rustednut said:
Hol said:
The tools already in the boot will suffice, if you want a no-cost solution. Its what they are designed for and what every student did when they were skint.
If you have a spare, use it as a temporary wheel so you can fit it temporarily in place of the first wheel you remove (lets assume its the rear). Then simply swap it with the front one on the front (or diagonal front if non directional tyres) and rinse & repeat until you arrive back at the spare and swap that one around.
If you don't have a spare, all you need is a borrowed axel stand or sturdy pile of wooden blocks (or bricks with , under the rear suspension assembly to take the weight whilst you move around then car. If you tell us all the car, we can advise where is best for that model.
Obviously, I you have access to a better jack and specialist sockets, you can use them as they are better tool for the job, but you definitely don't need them for what is the simplest of motoring tasks.
Please do not use bricks or similar to support the car. Very easy to break, crumble or split with potential deadly risk.If you have a spare, use it as a temporary wheel so you can fit it temporarily in place of the first wheel you remove (lets assume its the rear). Then simply swap it with the front one on the front (or diagonal front if non directional tyres) and rinse & repeat until you arrive back at the spare and swap that one around.
If you don't have a spare, all you need is a borrowed axel stand or sturdy pile of wooden blocks (or bricks with , under the rear suspension assembly to take the weight whilst you move around then car. If you tell us all the car, we can advise where is best for that model.
Obviously, I you have access to a better jack and specialist sockets, you can use them as they are better tool for the job, but you definitely don't need them for what is the simplest of motoring tasks.
An axle stand minimum, with additional wooden blocks (good, stout wood, not little offcuts).
I agree the job is fairly easy (to anybody who has done it before), and a decent jack, axle stand (ideally 2 if doing 2 wheels at a time ), decent wheel wrench is all that is required. But if the person has never done anything like it before, then safety is paramount, and the tools are essential, include a torque wrench too though !!
However, I personally use axle stands and multiple trolley jacks when I do this - all things that we already know the OP doesn't have from his first post.
Edited by Hol on Thursday 9th July 09:51
GravelBen] said:
I don't think I've ever seen anyone use a torque wrench for wheelnuts outside a motorsport or trackday paddock.
Probably 99% of people just do them up with a wheelbrace or socket until tight, and never have any problems.
Its when workshops/tyre shops overtighten with a rattlegun that you get problems like not being able to undo the nuts on the side of the road to change a puncture.
Guilty. But, only because I have one easily to hand.Probably 99% of people just do them up with a wheelbrace or socket until tight, and never have any problems.
Its when workshops/tyre shops overtighten with a rattlegun that you get problems like not being able to undo the nuts on the side of the road to change a puncture.
Thanks everyone for the great replies and valuable advice. Especially on frugality.
We have a Volvo XC60 with a kerb weight of 2,450 kg and bolts torqued to 104Nm.
It is AWD so I understand that I should rotate and switch NSF to OSR and OSF to NSR.
So I anticipate needing four axle stands to raise the vehicle before switching wheels.
I would also rather use a trolley jack as our only available area is badly block paved.
So the shopping list that I have now compiled is as follows:
- High-lift trolley jack
- Axle stands x 4
- Torque wrench
- Breaker bar
- Socket set
- Chocks
- Puck
I expect to switch our wheels around every 12 months for the foreseeable future.
So this does seem like a modest but worthwhile investment.
Please let me know if I have missed anything.
We have a Volvo XC60 with a kerb weight of 2,450 kg and bolts torqued to 104Nm.
It is AWD so I understand that I should rotate and switch NSF to OSR and OSF to NSR.
So I anticipate needing four axle stands to raise the vehicle before switching wheels.
I would also rather use a trolley jack as our only available area is badly block paved.
So the shopping list that I have now compiled is as follows:
- High-lift trolley jack
- Axle stands x 4
- Torque wrench
- Breaker bar
- Socket set
- Chocks
- Puck
I expect to switch our wheels around every 12 months for the foreseeable future.
So this does seem like a modest but worthwhile investment.
Please let me know if I have missed anything.
GravelBen said:
I don't think I've ever seen anyone use a torque wrench for wheelnuts outside a motorsport or trackday paddock.
Probably 99% of people just do them up with a wheelbrace or socket until tight, and never have any problems.
Its when workshops/tyre shops overtighten with a rattlegun that you get problems like not being able to undo the nuts on the side of the road to change a puncture.
Always do mine to torque click then around again as a check.. for any car wheels i take off and on again - but I tend to torque most bolts to spec, how my dad always showed me as a youngster and always stuck to itProbably 99% of people just do them up with a wheelbrace or socket until tight, and never have any problems.
Its when workshops/tyre shops overtighten with a rattlegun that you get problems like not being able to undo the nuts on the side of the road to change a puncture.
Edited by GravelBen on Wednesday 8th July 23:11
Swap font to back is simple enough, long handle breaker bar or long handle ratchet, 17 or 19mm socket, undo all bolts on wheels front and back one side on the floor, jack up with even a basic home jack should lift high enough to do both then swap, sometimes you'll need a short extension bar if the alloy is dished inwards, wife's BMW was an arse for this and some alloys you'll need a thin wall deep socket but rare, never bothered with them fancy ones with a plastic protector on
P1pps said:
Thanks everyone for the great replies and valuable advice. Especially on frugality.
We have a Volvo XC60 with a kerb weight of 2,450 kg and bolts torqued to 104Nm.
It is AWD so I understand that I should rotate and switch NSF to OSR and OSF to NSR.
So I anticipate needing four axle stands to raise the vehicle before switching wheels.
I would also rather use a trolley jack as our only available area is badly block paved.
So the shopping list that I have now compiled is as follows:
- High-lift trolley jack
- Axle stands x 4
- Torque wrench
- Breaker bar
- Socket set
- Chocks
- Puck
I expect to switch our wheels around every 12 months for the foreseeable future.
So this does seem like a modest but worthwhile investment.
Please let me know if I have missed anything.
Might wanna check the rotation markers on your tyres before you go OSF to NSR and vice versa as if they are directional they will then be going in the wrong direction.. We have a Volvo XC60 with a kerb weight of 2,450 kg and bolts torqued to 104Nm.
It is AWD so I understand that I should rotate and switch NSF to OSR and OSF to NSR.
So I anticipate needing four axle stands to raise the vehicle before switching wheels.
I would also rather use a trolley jack as our only available area is badly block paved.
So the shopping list that I have now compiled is as follows:
- High-lift trolley jack
- Axle stands x 4
- Torque wrench
- Breaker bar
- Socket set
- Chocks
- Puck
I expect to switch our wheels around every 12 months for the foreseeable future.
So this does seem like a modest but worthwhile investment.
Please let me know if I have missed anything.
Front to back would generally be the way to do it, when we do my dad's XC90 that's how we go, we just use a highlift jack, 2x axle stands, breaker bar, socket, torque wrench, do the nuts, get it high enough to go on the stand and then swap and lower then do the other side, takes us about half hour. Not sure about the XC60 but his XC90 is not fully AWD, it is FWD until slip hence you can swap 2 tyres to new instead of 4 all at once
rustednut said:
Please do not use bricks or similar to support the car. Very easy to break, crumble or split with potential deadly risk.
An axle stand minimum, with additional wooden blocks (good, stout wood, not little offcuts).
I agree the job is fairly easy (to anybody who has done it before), and a decent jack, axle stand (ideally 2 if doing 2 wheels at a time ), decent wheel wrench is all that is required. But if the person has never done anything like it before, then safety is paramount, and the tools are essential, include a torque wrench too though !!
Please do not try and jack up one side of the car via the middle sill with a single jack. An axle stand minimum, with additional wooden blocks (good, stout wood, not little offcuts).
I agree the job is fairly easy (to anybody who has done it before), and a decent jack, axle stand (ideally 2 if doing 2 wheels at a time ), decent wheel wrench is all that is required. But if the person has never done anything like it before, then safety is paramount, and the tools are essential, include a torque wrench too though !!
The internet is full of picture of people who have dented their sills because they didn't use the correct jacking points.
Mandalore said:
Please do not try and jack up one side of the car via the middle sill with a single jack.
The internet is full of picture of people who have dented their sills because they didn't use the correct jacking points.
Not try jacking the car the whole front or rear end up by the rear axle or the engineThe internet is full of picture of people who have dented their sills because they didn't use the correct jacking points.
This will also cause damage on many cars
GravelBen said:
I don't think I've ever seen anyone use a torque wrench for wheelnuts outside a motorsport or trackday paddock.
Probably 99% of people just do them up with a wheelbrace or socket until tight, and never have any problems.
Its when workshops/tyre shops overtighten with a rattlegun that you get problems like not being able to undo the nuts on the side of the road to change a puncture.
Good quality workshops do exist outside of your zone though.Probably 99% of people just do them up with a wheelbrace or socket until tight, and never have any problems.
Its when workshops/tyre shops overtighten with a rattlegun that you get problems like not being able to undo the nuts on the side of the road to change a puncture.
Edited by GravelBen on Wednesday 8th July 23:11
GravelBen said:
I don't think I've ever seen anyone use a torque wrench for wheelnuts outside a motorsport or trackday paddock.
The tyre fitters I use always use a torque wrench, and they check the settings for each car. I know they take care with my wheels.They always torque
They spend quite a bit of time making sure the jacks are in the right spot on the Lotus
They protect the rims during tyre removal and fitting
They use weights that match the colour of the rims (black)
They fix leaky TPMS valve seals FOC
These are just regular fitters that mainly supply and fit budget tyres to cheap old runabouts
P1pps said:
Volvo XC60
Hmmm....Missus has a Tiguan and I got a pukka VW set of winter wheels and tyres very cheap so swap them every 6 months. I used Costco a couple of times – not cheap as they insisted on balancing the wheels, but then they decided they wouldn’t do it anymore. Annoying as they do it at Costco in the US, free too.
So I did it the next time myself. I’ve got all the kit but my little old trolley jack wouldn’t quite lift the Tiguan enough – the body, and I guess the XC60 would be similar, goes up a long way before the tyres are clear of the ground. I had to put the jack on a couple of boards to get enough lift. Once jacked up the car is at such an angle that I was terrified it’s going to slide off the jack. There’s also a thing that VW says their SUVs shouldn’t be jacked at a single point except in emergency – maybe due to the body twisting.
Anyway, once was enough! I found a local indie tyre place with a 2 post lift. They’ll happily swap / rotate them and will do them without balancing. They charge £20. And use a torque wrench, although their chart had the wrong figure - oddly the 4Motion VWs are lower torque than the 2WD. Our village garage said they’d do it too, as long as I got there first thing in the morning when the lift was clear.
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