DIY Request: How to Change Your Wheels

[supraking]

I know this has probably been discussed ad nauseum throughout the forums in various threads, with bits and pieces here and there, but I think that many members may benefit from a properly written DIY for changing wheels. I myself have swapped out wheels on another car with my cousin, but haven't thought about attempting it on my new bimmer for safety's sake. After all, a BMW isn't a GM or a Honda, the Germans can tend to overcomplicate things sometimes.

Since winter is coming up and many of us may not want to pay our mechanics to swap our wheels out, perhaps someone here could indulge us?

[EngPhys09]

Originally Posted by supraking

I know this has probably been discussed ad nauseum throughout the forums in various threads, with bits and pieces here and there, but I think that many members may benefit from a properly written DIY for changing wheels. I myself have swapped out wheels on another car with my cousin, but haven't thought about attempting it on my new bimmer for safety's sake. After all, a BMW isn't a GM or a Honda, the Germans can tend to overcomplicate things sometimes.

Since winter is coming up and many of us may not want to pay our mechanics to swap our wheels out, perhaps someone here could indulge us?

If you can change a wheel on a Honda, you can change a wheel on a BMW.

Use a breaking bar to break free all of the lug (the car is still on the ground here). Note: Be mindful of the single locking lug nut on each wheel...you need the adapter in your trunk.

Once all lugs are loose, jack the car up either one wheel at a time or use the front jacking point (under the engine) and the rear diff to lift the either front and rear respectively. Note: You only need the car barely off the ground. Also if you are unsure of this look at the thread "Jacking your car up"

Take the lugs off and wheel. Replace wheel with winter wheel. Then tighten all the lung is a start pattern, (Tighten one then skip one and tighten the next). The lugs at this point should only be snugged up here with a ratchet. Lower the car down and use a torque wrench (not an impact gun) and tighten the lugs up (again in a star pattern) to the recommended settings. (I haven't check what it will be in this car....likely around 110 ft.lbs (please check for yourself though)).

Once all 4 wheels are done take the car for a LOW speed run to ensure the wheel are all on properly.


Hope this helps, take your time here and think about everything you are doing carefully. You should be fine however changing them.

My winters need to go on soon...less than one month. Good Luck

[Lester]

Choose a level spot. away from traffic, kids or pets with lots of natural light and no street drains that the wheel bolts will fall into.

Make sure the car is in gear with the parking brake on.

Use wheel blocks behind and in front of the wheels you are not working on.

Place the jack under the jack pad, jack so that the car is just starting to lift.

Loosen the wheel bolts slightly in a cross pattern.

Jack up the car so the wheel is off the ground by a couple inches.

Place a jack stand under the car as an insurance

Take off the wheel bolts. Remove the wheel.

Place new wheel on the hub, make sure it is the correct wheel (ie front-back or left-right). Align the bolt holes with the hub by using a wheel bolt finger tight in one of the threads.

Put the wheel bolts in, tighten up the front wheels in a cross pattern by turning the wheel with one hand in the forward direction while countering with the wheel bolt wrench. The rear wheels will be in gear, so just partially tighten the bolts.

Remove the jack stand, lower the jack so the tire is starting to touch the ground. Repeat the tightening of the wheel bolts in a cross pattern - not yet to full torque.

Torque the bolts using a crossing pattern - first to 50 ft-lbs, then to 88 ft-lbs.

Repeat for all wheels.

Remove all wheel blocks.

Take the car for a test drive to check for correct balance and alignment.

Crack open a beer, and wipe off any finger or grease marks off the wheels or the car.

Admire your car.

[BrokenVert]

I jack up the car with a 12 ton Motorhome jack, place it four 6 ton motorhome stands and then use a 4 ft breaker bar to pull it all off, however the lugs are still a bitch to take off after the dealer puts em on, I think they way over torque em. Anyway with the bar you can make em snug at about 100 lbs.


As you can see, we like to overprepare at my house.


Ohh just remember to re-lug the wheel in the star pattern for tightest fit.

edit. Nice chart up there.

[Macca916]

If the wheels and bolts are new or never previously used together its worth checking the tightness of the bolts after ~50miles as the seats in the wheel and cone of the bolts will need to bed in. I would also add a small smear of anti sieze to the wheel hub centre bore face to avoid the wheel corroding onto the hub (usually happens if the wheels are on for a long time/over winter etc). Note use high temp stuff for this as the hub/brake temperatures can melt grease and cause it to be sprayed liberally around the wheel. note none of this is BMW specific.

[JimD]

A couple comments, one BMW specific. First, you might want to invest a small amount in an X shaped wrench made all of metal about 18 inches long. The smallest opening will probably fit the BMW lug nuts (they are 17mm). Because of the weight of the wrench, it is almost as fast to spin the studs off as it is to use an impact wrench. And it's a lot safer not to damage things. Due to the ability to use both hands, you can exert quite a bit of force.

Second, because at least my BMW, I presume most others including all ones, do not have lug nuts but, rather, have bolts, they sell devices to use to thread into one of the openings to hang the wheel off when you are installing the new wheels. I've had my wheels off twice now and I found I did not need a device like this. You can hang the wheel by the lip of the mating surface pretty easily and it will stay put while you turn the bolts or studs into the female threads.

You can tighten rear wheels using the emergency brake to keep the wheel from turning but you need to get the car on the ground for the last bit of tightening of the front wheels. IMHO, a torque wrench for putting on wheels is not really necessary but if you are inexperienced, a cheap one from Harbor Freight might not be a bad idea. They are about $20. I think they are plenty accurate, especially for wheels.

Jim

[2010AW135i]

You might want to invest in some Wheel Stuf Pilot Pins....it will help hold up the wheel while you are installing the wheel bolts

[Lester]

Hmmm, these look interesting, do they come with batteries?