jspagna1

My general is to wait till at least April 1st before putting on Summer tires. But the weather is supposed to be great here in CT so was thinking about it. Any opinions?

BigBunks

the weather has definitly been awesome here lately. they said something about rain/wet snow early next week but the way things are going i doubt it. if i had summer tires/wheels i would probably just go ahead and throw them on? where is CT are you from if you dont mind me asking?

Pete2010

Haha, i was going to post the same question... It's so nice up here.... But I just know that there's going to be like a April 1 snow storm or something... I'll probably end up swapping after I get my springs installed.

StuartMMVITL

iTrader: (1)

I usually wait til around the first week of April and make the swap. If it turns bad after that, I can always swap back. It only takes me a bout an hour to change over the wheels & tires.

jspagna1

Ya, I am getting new summer tires installed on the rims this Saturday, so I may just go ahead and put them on.
As for the wife's TL, I think I'll wait because when I switch hers I am going to install the mud guards I ordered for her car.

Pete2010

Do you guys use a lift jack to swap your tires? Or what do you do?

This is my first time with winter/summer tires. I guess I need to get a torque wrench also..

Anyone able to recommend either a lift jack or a torque wrench that will work?

djtanveer

hahaha im California!!!!!!

StuartMMVITL

iTrader: (1)

I use a hydraulic floor jack, as it's much quicker than the jack that comes with the car. A torque wrench is a good idea if you want to make sure of not over tightening the lug nuts.

I know some people may disagree, and say you don't need a torque wrench and just crank the hell out of the lug wrench. I prefer to keep my stuff in like new condition and don't want to stress the bolts or damage my wheels.

You can pick up a fairly decent floor jack at most auto part stores, some come bundled with a pair of jack stands too. The set I bought was probably between $50-75 and included the 3 ton floor jack & two 4 ton jack stands.

As for the torque wrench I started with a cheap $20 auto parts store branded model. In this case you get what you pay for as it only lasted about a year. I replaced it with a fairly nice one from Lowes (Kobalt 3/8") and it works like a charm and increments from 10-100 lb/ft. (The Acura wheels specify 94 lb/ft).

Saves me quite a bit of time & money swapping out the wheels or performing a tire rotation whenever I want. Takes only about an hour and I don't have to drag the other set to a tire shop and have them do it.

Takehold66

When you do a rotation, do you put on a spare when you take off-say the right front wheel to move it to the back or is there a way to lift up one side and take off both wheels and switch them without lowering the car each time? Thanks.

Pete2010

Actually, when I watched the guys put on my 20's for a RonJon photoshoot, they had two lifts that lifted the side and rear of the car. But I thought I saw them lift the entire side of the car to do both tires at once.... Stuart, what do you do in this situation?

Awesome thanks. Going to need to get one so I can just do it myself. Figure it will pay for itself after a couple uses.

Takehold66

Not 100% sure but I thought that hydraulic floor jacks could only lift from one jack point at a time - like front right - and not from the middle of the car to lift a whole side. Maybe Stuart uses 2 jacks? If it does only lift one corner then we would have to either put on a spare to lower the car to take off the back wheel or maybe he uses a jack stand to put under the front right to then lower and jack up rear to take off rear right. Can you help with this Stuart? or does anyone know an easy way to do this at home?

StuartMMVITL

iTrader: (1)

There a couple of ways to do it using a single jack.

On the TL I can jack from the center front (as when doing an oil change) or center rear and get two wheels off at a time. Then you can use a pair of jack stands to keep the one end up and use the jack to raise the other. Just make sure to loosen the lug nuts first as don't want to try and break them free while you have them supported by the stands an jack. I don't really like using this method as there are only three point supporting the car and it seems a bit unstable.

I prefer to cheat a little bit, and use my other set of wheels (instead of digging out the spare) and doing just a corner at a time or the two front or two rear at a time. The fastest way for me is to raise the front and remove those wheels, replacing temporarily with my second set and lowering. Moving to the rear raising both wheels and replacing with the fronts I just removed. (this also allows you to rotate the tire position not only from front to rear, but also left to right. as long as you're running directional tires.) Then go back to front and remove the "temp" wheels and replace with the rears, and you good to go.

It make sound like a lot of work, but after doing it a couple of times, you get quite good and quick at it. I only end up rotating once or twice a year as the other changes are between the summers & winter tires.

I feel more comfortable with the vehicle stability as only one end is raised (and not as high as needed with jack stands).

Ideally I have my eye on something like this http://www.ezcarlift.com/ as it would come in handy for more than just tire changes/rotations. This model is a bit pricey, but a google search on home auto lifts has quite a few results in a wide price range.

Takehold66

^Thanks for the info. I will just do one corner at a time since I don't have an extra set of wheels. I am going to go out and get a floor jack tomorrow. Seems much easier than using the jack that came with the car(which is the way I used to do it). I only drive 7500 a year so I will only be rotating once a year. I like doing as much as I can myself instead of letting someone else touch my car. Usually once a year for the inspection is the only time I bring it in.

Simba91102

I used to use the spare or keep a winter tire handy (for rotation), but I'm a convert to the lift the whole side of the car routine (with two jacks, no jack stands). I already had a hydraulic floor jack, and came up with a scissors jack that works like a charm. Try Craigslist for a second jack (or first, or both). It's a time real saver.

Takehold66

^That sounds like the best way to go. Do you think I could use the jack that came with the car for the back wheels and the hydraulic in the front? I think the one in the car is a scissors jack. Do you just go back and forth lifting the front and back little by little or do you lift one corner all the way up and then do the other corner? Thanks.

Kingmeow

What I do is use the factory jack for one lift point and my hydraulic floor jack for the other lift point on the same side. Then I rotate front to rear.

For good cheap tools, see if there is a Harbor Freight near you. They have lightweight 3000 lbs. racing hydraulic jacks for $40 with coupon. I picked up a pretty nice 150 ft-lb (max) torque wrench for $15. They have lots of jacks and jack stands.

Takehold66

^ Thanks for the info. I will do the rotation the same way. Do you lift each jack a little at a time back and forth or do you lift up one jack fully and then the other?

Kingmeow

No, not a little at the time. That will take too long. Just lift one point until the wheels are off the ground an inch or so. Then do the other lift point. Be sure to apply your emergency brake so the rears don't roll.

When done, I drop one lift point, then the other. No back and forth.

Takehold66

^Sounds good. Thanks.

jspagna1

I try to do the same with my cars. On the TL is there a center point you can jack the car up? And as for the rear, where do you jack the car up and where do you place your jack stands. Or is it a matter of trial & error?

TJ Zooker

Also I use an impact then you can hammer off the wheels while the car is lifted up. Saves on time too. Then I use a torque wrench when the car is sitting on the ground.

Six Shifter

When I rotated my winters, I raised the rear by placing the hydrolic jack under the rear diff and then let it sit on the jack stands (location can be found in your owners manual, but there just in front of the wheel well openings). The front I lifted each side with the supplied scissors jack because I couldn't see a center lift point (like I had on the CL). Any info as to where this is at would be appreciated.

StuartMMVITL

iTrader: (1)

There are center jacking points for both the front and rear.

The front is located about a foot or so directly behind the front bumper. It's fairly easy to spot as it silver in color and has a hole in the center.For the rear the jack point is actually the tow hook a foot or so directly behind the rear bumper.

These are both the designated jacking points according to the service manual. The manual also specifies if you are using jack stands to use them on the "vehicle support points" which are located just behind the front wheels & just in front of the rear wheels on each side. The same place you would jack up the car if changing one tire at a time. The down side being, you need to lift the car up pretty high to get the average jack stand to fit at those points.

Now that the weather is getting nicer, I'm going to try and look for an easier location for the stands. Or just pickup one of these Max Jax, as they look pretty cool and are movable, so you can slide it out of the way when not in use.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5e5c8euXEw

StuartMMVITL

iTrader: (1)

Here's the service manual page for jacking points and support points for the 2009 & 2010 TL.

Six Shifter

Appreciate the info. When I rotated my winters, I couldn't see anything using a drop light and was in a bit of a hurry. Will check again in the next few days (don't have the service manuals yet). Think the problem I have with the rear tow hook is that my hydraulic doesn't go up that high, which is why I placed it under the rear diff. Maybe I need to get a better/newer floor jack.

StuartMMVITL

iTrader: (1)

The rear tow hook/jack point is definitely higher. The front and side jack points are appx 6.5-7" off the floor and the rear tow hook point is 10.5-11" off the floor, so some jacks may not have the height to get everything off the ground.

This is the jack I've been using, and it has a pretty decent range from 4-20" which does the job with room to spare. I got a decent package price at one of the local parts stores and it came with two 4 ton stands. I think it's a good investment to have a decent jack as it can save you some time and a backache.

Pete2010

So wait, you're able to lift the entire front or rear of the car with that lift jack?

Sounds like that would be a great time savings for summer/winter tire swapover.

StuartMMVITL

iTrader: (1)

Yes indeed. It's rated for 6000 lbs and is low enough to get under the sides and front. I've used it for working on my 2000 323iT, 2006 TL & the 2010 TL.

You're right it is a huge time saver, compared to a the car jack. I can jack up and swap out the fronts and then swap out the rears in less than an hour and even give the set I just took off a good cleaning before stowing them up in the rack. (Another great item to have and an awesome Christmas gift from a few years ago.)

Pete2010

^^ Yea I've seen that in your other photos... stop it, I'm jealous! I have a garage (which is pretty rare in my neighborhood), but just no-where to mount it. I think I'm going to by the tirerack tire holders to put the wheels in during the off season.

StuartMMVITL

iTrader: (1)

I hear you about the space consideration, if I didn't have the wall space for the rack I was going to get the holders you're talking about. It is nice not taking up the floor space or hauling them down in the basement though.

Acurazine can be hazardous to your wallet...

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

and btw that rack helps to keep the rims from getting scratched when they are on there, due to no shuffleing them around (or setting something on top of them) and such since they are out of the way

and thanks again stuart for those rims , they are in perfect condition, and everybody loves them mounted on my car (2003 TL) (and you got a pm also)

GunnerX

That rack looks like it's a very good place to store tires. I think I will be getting one for my garage and clear up some space off the floor.

D4V1D.TL

Not sure if this is even a valid question - I'm assuming that the tires rest on tubes, any chance/notice of "flat spot" after one storage season?

One of our local store here ( Canadian Tire ) carries it, but does not look as good as the ones they sell on tirerack,

Thanks

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

shouldn't as long as they are inflated properly before storage, even then you are talking about so little weight (not the full car weight) that it won't matter, even then a quick drive should fix that right up if somehow it did (btw look at how tire places store their tires, same way)

and if you where really anal and worried about them, you rotate them like once a month or something

StuartMMVITL

iTrader: (1)

^ Exactly what friesm2000 said. I've never had any issue with flat spotting storing them on the rack. I've been using it for about 4 years now with four sets of rims and tires, and no issues.

There are three metal tubes that extend to accommodate different size widths. They can be relocated as well, the two on the bottom and the one on the back, to get the best fit for the tire size.

Just make sure to mount it high enough, so you don't smack your head into when working in the garage. I think I should've mounted mine about another 2-3" higher.

GunnerX

The higher it is, means the higher you have to lift the tires.

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

lol, but better then having to carry them downstairs to a basement or something

Kingmeow

Over inflate them when storing but remember to leak some air out before using. Dealers over inflate their cars in the lot to avoid flat spots, something like 60 psi.

friesm2000

iTrader: (4)

umm.... i still would not inflate to 60 though, i would only do the maxinum recommended pressure on the sidewall, which is probably 50 or so, yes you are not putting any weight and such on it, but better safe then sorry with possibly having to buy new tires cause the cords had seperated from the rubber or something over the winter

mrphilipanderson

I think im missing something....is there link we should be seeing?