your didn't look like there was much gap. Your running 17's?

my wheel gap is bigger than yours! HA!

Yea I'm running 17's
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Ok, you win!
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My wheel gaps are still too small for winter.

It might be a good idea to find a set of factory suspension for winter in my case.

for the people who already have the tires mounted on rims, do you install the tires onto the car yourself with good old Jack and elbow grease? Do you really need a torque wrench to tighten the nuts because I don't have one and am worried i might crank it too tight.

4x4 stance + snow tire = i am ready!

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q...61_4110598.jpg

have they started to salt the roads yet?

Some parking lots have and sidewalks.. but i have yet seen salt on teh street.

This is wheel gap, you get the idea... Shouldn't be any different when i put the snowies on
http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/r...u/P1010208.jpg

Volvo XC242 Cross Country. :lol

Putting tires on should take about 30 minutes (it is very useful to have deep sockets and extensions). Torque wrench is recommended, however I assume your car have studs, I rather go a bit on the loose side (ie not stomping on the tire wrench), vs over tighten it and snap the studs off. If you do hand tighten it, drive slowly down a street and do a final check to tighten the studs some more.

In my book, a non calibrated wrench / chinese 10 bucks torque wrench is just as useful as not using a torque wrench.

If you don't have the patience take it to a shop, but most shops at this time of the year just impact wrench the rims.

Finally Got my Falken Eurowinters on =D

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/3909/getattachmentxw.jpg

^ Is that a Variable adjustable spoiler! Ballin!

Most shop will just use an impact wrench, and that's tighter than I can get with elbow grease. There's times I have to stand on a breaker bar to loosen a bolt that a shop installed.

I'm a big kid (6'2" 220 lbs and workout) so unless you're the size of a NFL linebacker, I doubt you're going to over-tighten.

My ROT is tighten till it feels snug, yet not so tight than I cannot tighten any further. Years of changing tires has given me a good feel for it.

Definitely recheck after driving a few times. I keep my lug wrench in the car to do this.

I put my winter tires on this weekend. My 265 wide summer tires were like driving on hockey pucks in the cold mornings, and worse at night when a little bit of moisture would be on the road.

if the tightening of the lug nuts is a big concern to you, simply call up a midas dealership and get a free brake inspection done for all wheels.. most likely they will take off your wheels and upon putting them back on... they will use a impact gun and/or torque wrench.

Got my winters on :D

this is the scary part. they'll blast your lugs to hell and you'll be way worse off than when you started haha

On the plus side you won't find out until Spring!;):haha:

All shops this time of the year will have to use impact wrenches to secure the wheel, you just hope that they use torque limiting sockiets.

Wouldnt it just be easier to buy a torque wrench than go to midas and get them to use their impact gun?

Varies by manufacturers and models:

eg BMW 3 series is 95 ft lb, X5 is 98 ft lb, I think Hondas are in the 80s

It depends on the manufacturers who might use:
Lugs / Studs
Different size of Lugs / Studs
Different bolt battery
Different general material of the wheel

A proper calibrated torque wrench say a Toptul one is at least $100+. For Toptul go to this thread and ask: http://www.revscene.net/forums/toptu...47#post6715947 You probably want a wrench that can do 80 ft lb+

well...i think MIDAS is pretty good.. i can vouch for the main st/terminal location. I took off my front wheel to test fit a 16" rim for winter tire purposes and then i put my stock back on. I called up Midas and asked if they could 'retorque' my wheels...they did it complimentarily and with a torque wrench.

Not to doubt them, but just curious: Did you give them a torque value to torque to, or they just randomly select a value or they referenced Acura's tech manual? I have yet to see torque value put on any owners manual.

yah that's the one thing i did not see the mechanic do... perhaps he already knew the setting but me standing right beside him as he was retorqueing, i did mention the 80lb setting as mentioned in the TL user manual.