What tools for swapping own wheels from front to back?

[P1pps]

I have been to three local tyre garages today who have all refused to switch my tyres front and back for any fee, apparently because it did not involve selling a tyre.

So I will now more than happily invest in my own trolley jack, torque wrench, jack stands and impact driver. I can then switch my wheels and tyres around as much as I like.

Is there anything specific that I should look for when buying an impact driver for car wheels? Is one even really needed for occasional use? Does anyone else do this themselves?

[P1pps]

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.

[P1pps]

The Volvo XC60 (MY19) side jack points are indicated in red, but where should I jack centrally at the front and rear in order to lift the vehicle onto four axle stands?

[P1pps]

At £29 for a trolley jack from Screwfix, I am tempted to just buy two and raise the whole vehicle on one side from the front and rear jack points on each side to swap the wheels front to back.

[P1pps]

My NSF wheel flew off while driving down the M5, less than an hour after a backstreet garage in Birmingham evidently failed to refit my wheels correctly.

To say that it was traumatic, costly and time consuming to resolve, would be an understatement. I would take any reasonable steps to not repeat it.

In the years that followed, I would therefore always hand-torque my own wheel bolts after rotating my tires or after anyone had touched them.

I am now bemused and disappointed that the latest cars no longer include: (a) a spare wheel; or (b) a front or rear sub-frame for jacking.

I will nonetheless always continue to check the torque of my bolts, just as I also regularly check both tyre pressures and tread depths.