Locking wheel nuts

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Sun 24 Aug 2003 18:16
Locking wheel nuts - flatfour
I know its not difficult to confuse me, BUT! every time I get my tyres changed the tyre fitter tells me something different about locking wheel nuts.
1.You should or should not only tighten them hand tight with a wrench.
2.They should or should not be tightened with an air wrench.
3.They should or should not be torqued to the same lb/ft as the other nuts.

I know these guys have to undergo years of training before they are allowed to touch one of the most important parts of the car but still, the one last week must have special micrometer finger tips, his method of telling whether tyres were legal or not was to stick his figers in the tread, ahh, yes that one needs changing this one has got another 500 miles left.

Balancing is another issue with alloys, we'll only balance your wheels on the inside sir! yes but the outside is still reading 20g out, ahh well you don't want weights on the outside do you? Wrong! i want balanced wheels please.

Come back after 1000 miles and have your wheels rebalanced sir, they coat tyres in polyurethene now and when this wears off they need rebalancing £9 per tyre sir.

Even if you under inflate your tyres sir they will still wear in the middle, as you go down the motorway they get more air in them, and after a while they are rock hard and hence they wear in the middle again, its nothing to do with us overinflating them. By the way sir how much pressure do you want in your tyres, don't need to look in the handbook you can have what you want, makes alot of difference to the ride.

Ah your car was supplied with Michelin, mustn't change the make sir, I know Fulda might be cheaper, but the manufacturer puts the best tyres on for the make of car. When I had a Mondeo with Firestone on you lold me they were cheap and wouldn't last long, and change to Michelin they'll last longer about 2000 mile and only cost you double.
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Sun 24 Aug 2003 22:53
Locking wheel nuts - NitroBurner
Can only agree with all you say BeetleFreak. When it comes to suspension, tyres & brakes, I'm sure there is a C&G qualification on how to extact as much money by false pretences as possible.
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