Quick Tire Swaps and Rotations | Guide | DIY
 

Quick Tire Change/Rotation Guide

Problem:

I figured I would dump this here as, I HATE swapping tires for events.
Always having had 3-4 cars, I am always doing rotations, winter wheel swaps etc. And finally got sick of fighting.

So I wanted a new setup that was quick, easy to transport and worked well. Please use the parts and guide as reference, chose your own setup vendors etc.

Research:

After to talking with a friend who works on a pit team for Spec Miata/SRF most of the guys use cordless impact wrenches, either by Snap-On or Matco.

Clearly the cost of those tools is more than a seasons worth of tires, so I talked to a few suspension shops who do some team racing and settled on the following parts.

Work Smarter Not Harder
9 minutes per Side

Parts List:

• Dewalt DCF880HL2 1/2-Inch Impact Wrench, good for 150lbs Ft Lbs [ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0092RUSAE/ref=oh_details_o01_s01_i01"]Amazon.com: DEWALT DCF880HL2 20-Volt Li-Ion 3.0 Ah 1/2-Inch Impact Wrench Kit with Hog Ring: Home Improvement[/ame]
• Brownline Digital TQ Wrench (Vendor on this Site) [ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0032A60W2/ref=oh_details_o01_s02_i00"]Brown Line Metal Works BLD0212 Digital Torque Wrench : Amazon.com : Automotive[/ame]
• Torque Wrench Sockets Non Marring 19mm and 21mm Titan 21092 1/2". [ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008XM7MJ4/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00"]Titan 21092 1/2" Drive Deep Lug Nut Socket. Size 19 mm : Amazon.com : Automotive[/ame]
• Impact Socket Set Ingersoll Rand SK4C3F. [ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HGKR5K/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i02"]Amazon.com: Ingersoll Rand SK4C3F 1/2-Inch Drive 3-Piece Lugnut Service Flip Impact Socket Set: Home Improvement[/ame]
• Torque Sticks for Impact Wrench Neiko Torque Sticks Set [ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000IX3BSM/ref=oh_details_o01_s01_i00"]Neiko Heavy-Duty Torque Stick, 1/2-Inch Drive Extension Bars 60 to 140 Ft Lbs - Chrome Molybdenum - Amazon.com[/ame]

Install Video

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbToa2nqxKM&"]Tire Swap Test For Rotations and Track Days | Brownline Torque Wrench | Dewalt Impact Wrench - YouTube[/ame]

1. Get your car jacked up by preferred method.
2. With the impact gun attach your ingerolls impact sockets for the FR-S. And remove the lugs and wheel.
3. Place the new wheel onto the hub making sure it is seated properly and hand thread on the lugs.
4. Attach the TQ stick labeled 80lbs to the Impact.
5. Tighten the lugs per the 5 lug pattern
6. Repeat for other wheels.
7. Lower the vehicle and attach the non-marrring sockets to the torque wrench and set the wrench to 90lbs FT.
8. Tighten the 5 lugs in proper fashion.
9. Set tire pressures.

Photos of Parts

Those are some cool tools.

I have a cheap Pep Boys, 24v Goodyear branded cordless impact. Surprisingly effective, and the battery lasted at least 5 years before I had new cells put in.

Cordless impacts are definitely your friend at the track, Also, when your trailer tires explode on the way home from the track. Between a drive up ramp and the cordless impact, I can change a trailer tire in minutes.


*********

Off topic, but I have found that a good percentage of D load range trailer tire failures are due to cheap rubber valve stems failing, They are only rated for maybe 50psi, not 65psi. They leak air, tires get hot, go boom. Use metal valve stems. It will save you from changing as many tires on the side of the road.

I had an old Milwaukee 24v I just retired. It's a beast and can deliver a lot of torque. I replaced it with an 18v DeWalt which is tiny in comparison. I really only use it to zip the lugs on and off it doesn't quite have enough juice to break the lugs loose at 85lb-ft. I just use the stock tire iron to break them loose.

I am using a Ryobi 24V Lithium... Works well.. Torques right to 78lbs..

Get this or make you own:
http://www.flyinmiata.com/index.php?...umber=35-70000

Being able to jack up a whole side of the car from under the door is a HUGE time saver!

I use one of these

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-c3-19...2&blockType=G2

Two batteries are enough for 10 full changes without straining the battery.

I agree I've been using one of these for years:

http://protechproducts.com/index.php...&product_id=57

I have two of the different version of the same ones:

http://www.purems.com/Products/PROTE...-Lift-Jack-Pad

1006 not the 1007. Love them.

Are these better than a hockey puck with a groove cut in it?

Serious question... I use a hockey puck. lol

Same principle... and probably cheaper..

If it works... stick with it.. BTW...I have to dig mine out (the hockey puck) and Retrofit it for the BRZ...Forgotten I had one for my old STi.. thanks..


Bill

Same principle. I bought the protech one originally because I was lazy. I've also found it to be pretty much indestructible and since its bright yellow easy to find in my messy garage.

I have a bunch of pucks sitting around, never bothered to use anything besides the jack saddle for lifting the car. Hmm..

Normally I just use the lift instead.

We use wood blocks with grooves for the lift and they are showing major signs of wear. I use these devices and they show no wear, they are basically going to be indestructible. So better than a Hockey puck, no I dont think so so unless those are prone to split over time, but they are turn key which is nice.

This is amazing im buying this.

These are great. If you can jack up two wheels at once, you can change tires in about 20 minutes.

If it takes you 20 minutes to swap wheels with a cordless impact (with adequate torque) and a decent jack capable of lifting one side of the car at a time, you're doing something wrong (or just taking your time and working very slowly).

With the rather inexpensive tools I have, I average 10 minutes to swap tires on my cars, if I have everything set out and am in a hurry, 6-8 minutes for all of them isn't that difficult. IIRC my personal record is between 5 & 6 minutes, including torquing the lugs with a torque wrench. Never used a torque stick, never felt the need.

I've used several different cordless impacts and jacks over the years, but my current impact is a 19.2V Sears impact (cost $100 -- I already had the battery and charger), and I use a Harbor Freight lightweight aluminum floor jack ($60). I have the Flyin Miata jack adapter, but usually use a hockey puck with a slit cut in it like I have for years.

That adapter is cool. With the FRS you can lift one side of the car with the jack at the front pinch weld so its not needed. But if anyone else has tips post up?

I use the adapter pad either way it helps distribute load so you aren't sitting right no the pinch weld with a flat surface.

I will pick one up thanks!

If you use an adapter (something like a puck), it's not a problem to lift the car from somewhere other than the factory jack points? I figured I'd punch through some soft part of the floor panel jacking it up from the middle.

Some cars you might be ok to jack in the middle of the car on the pinch welds, but some cars may start to deform if all the weight of one side of the car is in the middle. Since the pinch welds are reinforced at the jack points, and most cars are weight biased towards the front end, I just jack at the front jack point, and the whole side of the car can be lifted by just jacking at the front jack point, no need to jack in the middle of the car. My lightweight aluminum Harbor Freight jacks don't lift all that terribly high, but are still enough to lift one side of the car at a time. I have heard of people using a 2'-3' section of 2x4 and cutting a slot in the middle to fit around the pinch weld and using that in the middle since it would help distribute the weight better, but have never tried it myself.

@ABQautoxer or @dwx -
Trying to figure out which jack pad to get for my FR-S. Which model (1006 or 1007) will work with our cars? I noticed they're differently sized, and want to make sure:

A) it'll fit under a car with a 1.5" drop
B) the grooves in the pad are deep enough for the seams on our car

Thanks!

It is not a question of which fits the car, its which fits your jack. the 1007 is narrower and mean to sit on top of a smaller portable style jack's lifting point. The 1006 is completely flat on the bottom and can be used with most typical full size floor jacks, HF aluminum jacks, and lifts.

Ahhh....makes complete sense now. I assumed they were just different sizes, with different groove depths. Thanks for the clarification!!