With the spring season approaching, it will soon be time to change my tires. I have a set of 17" winter rims which I got with my snow tires. I have never changed the tires in my G before - should I take it in to a tire shop? Or is this something I can do myself....

I don't have a torque wrench, but I was talking to a friend in Calgary here who changes his tires every year without a proper torque wrench. Could this cause a problem?

How does the TPMS work? Is there some kind of wire in the rims that needs to be hooked up?

I kind of figure that if I got a flat, I'd just be changing off the tires without a torque wrench to begin with - are they actually needed?

 

Changing your own tires is not really difficult, as long as you have some common sense and are a little handy.

First, if you plan on using the factory jack, I would suggest you try to borrow a friends' floor jack....it would be much safer in my opinion. Our jacks have been known to "bend" under stress. They really are an EMERGENCY type of jack.
If you need to use the jack, try putting a brick or a thick block of wood under the stock jack. This will keep it from extending open too much, and help to prevent putting extra strain on it. Just be careful and never put any part of your body under the car while its jacked up on this jack.....better safe than sorry.

Try to do this on level ground, it is always a good idea.

Block one of the tires to prevent the car from accidently rolling, then break the lugs free, (but do not remove them) on the wheel your going to remove.

Then jack the car up, and remove the lugs completely.
Remove the winter tire, and then replace it with your regular wheel.
There is no connection for the TPMS....the unit is inside the tire, and remote sensors send the signals to the dash unit......
Tighten the lugs up snug, but not completely tight....you always do the final tightening/torqueing with the wheel on the ground.

When doing your final tightening, do it alternating....if the first lug is at say 12 o'clock, then the next one should be opposite or 6 o'clock and so on....this will seat the rim uniformly to the hub.

It is important to torque the lugs so they are uniformly tight. Our cars have a torque rating of 80ft lbs each lug. This helps in preventing any warpage of the rotors.....If you can't borrow one or afford to buy one, then you will have to tighten the lugs up tight by hand, then apply even force for the final torque to the wheel....Make sure they are sufficiently tight.

After about 100 miles, check the lugs again and retighten any that may have come loose.....This shouldn't happen, but its always a good idea if your not going to torque them correctly....