It
usually takes only minutes to install tires and wheels
on your vehicle; but remember, they'll probably be on
for at least 5,000 klms and will roll over a
million times before it's time to rotate them. To make
those miles as pleasant as possible, you need to
install your new Tire & Wheel Package correctly.
Check
Tire Positions
If
you selected directional tires and/or asymmetric tires,
the first step before installing them is to match each
tire and wheel to its final position on your vehicle.
To prevent mistakes, actually set each wheel and tire
around your vehicle just as race teams do for pit
stops.
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DIRECTIONAL
TIRES ONLY
Refer
to the "rotation arrow" branding on the
tire's sidewall.The arrow indicates the
direction in which the tire should
turn.
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ASYMMETRIC
TIRES ONLY
All
tires should show sidewall branding
indicating side facing outward.
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DIRECTIONAL
AND ASYMMETRIC TIRES
Look
for "Side Facing Outwards" branding and
"rotation arrow" to determine side of
vehicle.
NOTE:
If your vehicle uses two different tire
sizes, make certain to tell your tire
installer to mount the larger size on
the wheels used on the rear axle.
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Tire
lettering highlight in yellow for
illustrative purposes only. |
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Begin
Installation
Step 1: Test
fit each wheel in its final position. Check for proper
fit as described below.
NOTE:
If you only purchased wheels, it is imperative that
test fitting is done prior to mounting the tires.
The
best place to find the correct procedure for tire and
wheel removal is in the owner's manual for your vehicle
(we use hand tools exclusively; see Photo A). If you
don't have a hoist, it may be easier to install new
wheel and tire combinations by raising your vehicle
slightly (see Photo B), supporting it with jack stands
(if available). Be sure to rest the stands or hoist on
a flat surface. Then bolt the tires and wheels on the
raised car axle.
Step 2: When
removing lug nuts or bolts, never use powered impact
wrenches of any type. It's best to carefully remove
lugs with a four-way wrench or a socket on a breaker
bar. An impact wrench may damage the lugs.
ATTENTION: Check
the condition of the vehicle's lug studs or wheel bolts
as you loosen them. If you feel any resistance or see
any roughness after removing the wheels, correct it
before reinstalling the wheels. Most automotive stores
sell taps and thread repair kits. Wheels must fit flat
against the vehicle's hubs. Remove any rust and dirt
from the hubs of brake rotors and drums. Remove any
temporary retaining devices, like stud clips, used to
hold brake rotors and drums in place before the wheels
were installed at the factory (see Photo C). They may
interfere with the flush fitment of your wheels against
the brake hubs. The exception to this rule: large bolts
holding Hyundai rotors to their hubs should not be
removed. If aftermarket wheels have previously been
used on the vehicle, verify that the previous wheel's
hub centering rings have been removed from the hubs. If
your vehicle is equipped with drum brakes and if the
drum's outer flange or balance weights protrude further
out than the center of the drum, verify that the wheel
seats on the hub are not against the drum's outer
flange or balance weights. If you have any questions,
contact your sales representative.
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Step 3: Check
the fit of the wheel onto the hub of the vehicle. (Some
wheel applications may require the use of a centering
ring to create the proper fit onto the hub.) The bolt
circle of the wheel must match that of your vehicle and
the wheel must make full contact to the mating surface
of the hub. If the wheel does not match up to the bolt
circle of the vehicle, or the wheel does not have full
contact to the mounting surface, please contact your
sales representative.
NOTE:
We suggest removing the wheel and applying a thin
coating of "antiseize" around the axle hubs to help
prevent rust and permit easier removal when it's time
to rotate your tires. Do not apply "antiseize" to the
lug hardware or studs
Step 4: In
order to verify that you have matching lug or bolt
thread sizes, first install the lug nuts or bolts
without the wheel.
Step 5: For
the next inspections it will be necessary to
temporarily install the wheel by snugging down the lug
nuts or bolts in order to verify disc brake caliper
clearance. Start threading the lugs with your fingers
and tighten them until they are "finger tight." If you
feel resistance while doing this, inspect the lug stud
and nut (or hub and bolt) to see if the threads are
clean or obstructed. If the lug nut or bolt appears
obstructed or does not match the thread pitch of your
hubs, try another one. If another lug doesn't thread
any better, give us a call. We will verify that you
have the correct hardware for your application.
NOTE:
Do not force your lug nuts or bolts on with a wrench.
They should be able to be turned by hand.
If
they can't, something is wrong! Please call us on 03
9793 3244. Only after the lugs have been installed by
hand until "finger tight" should you snug them down
with your four-way wrench or a socket on a breaker bar.
Size
of Bolt or Stud |
Number
of Turns |
14x1.5mm |
7.5 |
12x1.5mm |
6.5 |
12x1.25mm |
8 |
1/2" |
8 |
7/16" |
8 |
NOTE:
Since the thickness of an alloy wheel can differ from
Original Equipment wheels, also verify that the lug nuts or
bolts will engage the threads. Refer to the chart (on
right) to determine the number of turns or the depth of
engagement typical for your stud or bolt size.
Step 6: Put
your vehicle's transmission into neutral and turn each
wheel by hand while making certain that the outer edge
of the disc brake caliper doesn't touch the inside of
the rim or that the side of the caliper doesn't come
into contact with the backside of the wheel or the
wheel balancing weights.
If
you have any concerns...CALL US! We will be happy to
use our experience to help solve your problem. However,
if everything is progressing as we expected, it's time
to torque them down.
NOTE:
If you only bought wheels, you will need to get your
tires mounted.
IMPORTANT!
Wheel Lug Nut Torquing
Proper
installation requires that the wheel lug torque be set
to the recommended specification for your vehicle.
These torque specifications can be found in your
vehicle's shop manual or obtained from your vehicle
dealer. Finish tightening the lugs down with an
accurate torque wrench. Use a crisscross sequence until
they have reached their proper torque value. Be careful
because if you over torque a wheel, you can strip a lug
nut, stretch or break a wheel stud, and cause the
wheel, brake rotor and/or brake drum to distort.
NOTE:
When installing new wheels you should re-torque them
after traveling the first 50 to 100 klms. This is
necessary because as the wheels are "breaking in" they
may compress slightly allowing their lugs to lose some
of their torque. Simply repeat the same torque
procedure listed above.
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Once
your new wheels and tires are installed, step back and take a good look.
The new, sharper appearance will accent your vehicle splendidly. They look
great now; but unfortunately, your wheels are often the dirtiest part of
your car because they are constantly exposed to the elements (corrosive
brake dust, ocean or road salt, stones, cinders and sticky tar).
Here
are a few tips on how to maintain a wheel's original splendor:
Before
you install them, a coat of wax will help protect your wheels and make
them easier to clean.
Treat
the finish of your wheels as you would the finish of your car. Most
alloy wheels today feature a painted and/or a clearcoat finish. The
best way to take care of wheels without damaging their protective
finish is by frequently washing them with a mild soap and water
solution. Using a tar and bug remover can prevent permanent tar
staining. Periodic waxing will protect the wheel's finish from the
elements.
Never
use abrasive cleansers, steel wool pads or polishing compounds.
Beware
of automatic car washes. Some washes use acid cleaners either before or
during the wash to remove dirt and grime. Others use stiff brushes for
cleaning wheels and tires. Both of these processes could harm your
wheel's finish. Ask the employees or manager of the car wash about
their equipment and procedures before entering the wash.
Never
allow your wheels and tires to be steam-cleaned. Hot steam can dull the
paint and clearcoat finish on your wheels.
Don't
clean hot wheels; wait until they cool. Water dries much faster at
higher temperatures. Thus, cleaning wheels while they are hot may cause
your mild soap solution to dry too quickly leaving spots or a film of
soap on your wheels.
Clean
your tires and wheels first, one at a time. Tires and wheels tend to be
the dirtiest parts of your vehicle and have a variety of surfaces to
clean. So you will want to use the full strength of your hose to
initially rinse away all loose dirt and to finally rinse off your soap
solution. If you clean your tires and wheels first, you won't expose
your washed car to the over spray as you rinse them. Cleaning one at a
time focuses your attention and ensures that the soap doesn't dry on
one wheel while you're cleaning another. Be sure to use a different
sponge on the rest of the car's body to prevent scratching the paint
from the particles that may have collected during the wheel cleaning
process.
Clean
wheels on a regular basis. Remember, they're often the dirtiest part of
your vehicle because they are constantly exposed to the elements
(corrosive brake dust, ocean and road salt, paint-chipping stones and
cinders and sticky tar).
Your
new tires and alloy wheels are like any other valuable investment. You
should protect them. Clean them as you would the rest of your car. Care
for them as you would care for your entire vehicle.
While
many aftermarket alloy wheels are designed to use your car's
original lug nuts or bolts, others require new hardware. It may
be something as critical as differences in the wheel's lug seat
design as shown below, or something as simple as shorter lug
heads to allow the wheel's center caps to fit. You must only
use the recomended wheel nuts or ones supplied with your new
wheels, if in doubt "do
not" fit wheels without seeking
professional advice as to wether the nuts/bolts are correct for
your car/wheels.
NOTE: Keep a set of
your vehicle�s Original Equipment lug nuts or bolts in the
trunk just in case you ever need to use your factory spare
tire, which must always be installed with the Original
Equipment lug hardware.
IMPORTANT!
Proper
installation requires that the wheel lug torque be set to the
recommended specification for your vehicle. These torque specifications
can be found in your vehicle's shop manual or obtained from your
vehicle dealer. Finish tightening the lugs down with an accurate torque
wrench. Use a crisscross sequence (shown below) until they have reached
their proper torque value. Be careful because if you over torque a
wheel, you can strip a lug nut, stretch or break a wheel stud, and
cause the wheel, brake rotor and/or brake drum to distort.
NOTE: When installing new wheels
you should re-torque them after traveling the first 50 to 100 miles.
This is necessary because as the wheels are "breaking in" they may
compress slightly allowing their lugs to lose some of their torque.
Simply repeat the same torque procedure listed above.
Hardware Size |
Torque
in Ft/Lbs |
10MM |
45-55 |
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12MM |
70-80 |
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14MM |
85-90 |
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7/16" |
70-80 |
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1/2" |
75-85 |
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9/16" |
135-145 |
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Size
of Bolt or Stud |
Mininum
Number of Turns |
14x1.5mm |
7.5 |
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12x1.5mm |
6.5 |
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12x1.25mm |
8 |
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1/2" |
8 |
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9/16" |
8 |
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NOTE: Since the thickness of an
alloy wheel can differ from Original Equipment wheels, also verify that
the threads will be engaged by the lug nuts or bolts. Refer to the
chart (above) to determine the number of turns or the depth of
engagement typical for your stud or bolt size.
The
offset of a wheel is the distance from its hub mounting surface to
the centerline of the wheel. The offset can be one of three types.
Zero
Offset
The
hub mounting surface is even with the centerline of the wheel.
Positive
The
hub mounting surface is toward the front or wheel side of the
wheel. Positive offset wheels are generally found on front wheel
drive cars and newer rear drive cars.
Negative
The
hub mounting surface is toward the back or brake side of the wheels
centerline. "Deep dish" wheels are typically a negative offset.
If
the offset of the wheel is not correct for the car, the handling
can be adversely affected. When the width of the wheel changes, the
offset also changes numerically. If the offset were to stay the
same while you added width, the additional width would be split
evenly between the inside and outside. For most cars, this won't
work correctly. We have test fitted thousands of different vehicles
for proper fitment. Our extensive database allows our sales staff
to offer you the perfect fit for your vehicle.
Plus sizing your wheels and
tires is the best way to improve both the performance and
appearance of your vehicle. By using a larger diameter wheel
with a lower profile tire it's possible to properly maintain
the overall diameter of the tire, keeping odometer and
speedometer changes negligible. By using a tire with a shorter
sidewall, you gain quickness in steering response and better
lateral stability. The visual appeal is obvious, most wheels
look better than the sidewall of the tire, so the more wheel
and less sidewall there is, the better it looks. Please contact
our sales team for assistance in the proper sizing for your
vehicle.
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