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Tire Changing Question
Im fairly new to owning my s2000 and got my first flat with it today (2004 s2k), my question is do I need a tire key to get the tire off or am I just to much of a weakling to get the bolts loose? :ponder:
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Are you talking about the lug nuts?
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Originally Posted by thomsbrain,Nov 13 2009, 10:02 AM
Are you talking about the lug nuts?
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If you have wheel locks on , then you'll need a key. A wheel lock will be completely round on the outside (not hexagonal like a regular lug nut).
If you have all regular lug nuts, then you'll probably have to strong arm it. Most shops will just take an impact wrench to tighten your lug nuts - which usually over-tightens them. The proper method is to use a torque wrench and torque to 80lb ft. Every time I'm forced to take my car to the dealer or a shop and have the wheels taken off, I immediately undo and properly torque my wheels. At times, I'll have to use a long breaker bar to loosen them. You'll hear a creaking sound - evidence that they used an impact wrench and over-tightened. Careful though because if you lug nut has been cross-threaded to the wheel stud, then you can end up sheering off the bolt. Not sure why I say careful because if it's crossthreaded you're SOL anyway. But getting a new wheel stud can be a pain in the ass. (Expensive because it involves taking apart the hub assembly which usually requires new wheel bearings). |
If you have a regular six sided nut you don't need a key.
Try putting the wrench on the nut horizontal to the ground and then stand on the wrench. |
Also keep in mind that the front and rear wheels are different.
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Originally Posted by patinum,Nov 13 2009, 10:09 AM
If you have wheel locks on , then you'll need a key. A wheel lock will be completely round on the outside (not hexagonal like a regular lug nut).
If you have all regular lug nuts, then you'll probably have to strong arm it. Most shops will just take an impact wrench to tighten your lug nuts - which usually over-tightens them. The proper method is to use a torque wrench and torque to 80lb ft. Every time I'm forced to take my car to the dealer or a shop and have the wheels taken off, I immediately undo and properly torque my wheels. At times, I'll have to use a long breaker bar to loosen them. You'll hear a creaking sound - evidence that they used an impact wrench and over-tightened. Careful though because if you lug nut has been cross-threaded to the wheel stud, then you can end up sheering off the bolt. Not sure why I say careful because if it's crossthreaded you're SOL anyway. But getting a new wheel stud can be a pain in the ass. (Expensive because it involves taking apart the hub assembly which usually requires new wheel bearings). |
You might get a better price from a tire shop vs Honda if all you need is a tire.
If you have a small puncture in the tread and not the sidewall, a plug or patch is a good solution. In fact, you could go pick up a small compressor for $20 and a plug kit iwth a rasp for $5 and potentially fix this yourself without removing the wheel. |
Originally Posted by FDfranklin,Nov 13 2009, 01:31 PM
Thx for the info. I tried as hard as I could to get them undone with the wrench from the trunk but it just wasn't budging. Going to call triple a tomorrow and either have them change it or tow it into Honda.
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lefty loosey, righty tighty??
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As someone mentioned above, try sliding a breaker bar over the handle of the wrench for more leverage -- I have a 30" long 3/4" diameter steel pipe that works perfectly for this. Give it a few quick, hard pulls and you should be able to break them loose, unless they were tightened by the hand of God himself ;) Good luck!
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If it were me, I'd go to a parts store and purchase a long 1/2in breaker bar and the appropriate 17mm (1/2in drive) deep socket. This is what I now carry in my car for an emergency tire change. I've already been through your situation so if money is going to be spent, it may as well be on a couple of useful tools.
Hint- Attach the breaker bar to the lug parallel to the ground. Stand on the bar and bounce once or twice and the lugs should come free very easily. Edit- I broke two 1/4in drive sockets before going to the 1/2in. |
Originally Posted by JackS,Nov 13 2009, 01:04 PM
Edit- I broke two 1/4in drive sockets before going to the 1/2in.
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Originally Posted by dammitjim,Nov 13 2009, 11:12 AM
where did you find a 17mm 1/4" drive socket?
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arent the lugs 19's?
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Yup. Audi uses 17mm.
To the OP, try kicking the bar. |
Don't really need a breaker bar per se. Just get a long pipe that can slide over the handle of the Honda-supplied wrench. I use the handle from my hydraulic jack.
Yes, it's 19mm I wouldn't call AAA or Honda or tow company for this - unless it's actually broken. It's like calling a bar to open your twist off beer. Call a friend who knows how to turn a wrench. If none are available, make friends with a local S2000 owner. |
My aftermarkets are 17mm maybe stock are 19 teens? If so ,just get a 19mm 1/2in.
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time to sell?
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Originally Posted by jeggy,Nov 14 2009, 05:30 PM
time to sell?
post something constructive or don't post at all. consider that your warning.... to the OP. does one of the lugnuts that you can't take off look like this? http://base0.googlehosted.com/base_m...7137fb43&hl=en if so, that's a locking lugnut and you need a key.. the ones that don't require a key should look pretty flush (unless it's an aftermarket locking lugnut and has a unique edge to it.). Take a look at all the lugnuts on your wheel.. do they all look identical? If so, chances are, you need to put a little force to it... if one looks different and that's the one you are struggling with, then that's probably a locking lugnut. good luck.. |
Put your bar in a horizontal position and stand on the bar and let your weight losen the lug nut. Next time have shop manually hand tighten the nuts.
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^ well really it doesn't need to be by hand. just as long as they don't have the gun on full power. and then when they go to torque them make sure that they actually turn before the wrench clicks.
i worked in a shop for several years, and it is very easy to use a gun and not over tighten the nuts. but then you need to actually torque them after. otherwise the wheel falls off... |
Originally Posted by CKit,Nov 13 2009, 10:28 AM
Also keep in mind that the front and rear wheels are different.
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^^^ what? really? I did not know the spare won't fit the rear.
Edit: Not being a wise guy, I've just never tried it. I just assumed the spare fit on the rear. Back to my owners manual. |
^It does fit, but you do not want to run it there. Put it on the front and move the front to the rear. Look at how narrow the spare is and think if you want your car's power going to it while the other side is full sized.
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I wonder if it's a diameter problem rather than a width problem.
A rear diff would not be happy with two different height tires. |
^ this is the reason i've heard for swapping the spare to the front only. however, i ran mine in the rear for a week without issue :shrug:
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I immediately thought from the statement that it was a fitment issue (spare to rear). You are right that you wouldn't want to run it long on the rear, and I certainly wouldn't WOT...but knowing that it can mount to the rear for a short distance makes me feel a little less nuts.
Good thought on mounting the spare to the front and front tire to rear for longer distances. I'll feel like a 2 year old noob if this is spelled out in the owners manual and I missed this. Thanks for the fill in. |
I'm pretty sure that they don't want you to put the spare on the rear in order to protect the differential.
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Originally Posted by berlinablackie,Nov 18 2009, 09:12 AM
I'll feel like a 2 year old noob if this is spelled out in the owners manual and I missed this. Thanks for the fill in.
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Remind me to measure the outer diameter of the spare when I get home.
If they are different, I wouldn't run the spare on the rear. Even for a "short" distance. |
ok, i just read on page 221 center column of the owners manual's for MY02 where it states not to mount the spare on the rear that it may cause damage to the differential.
i drove a few blocks to a tire shop to have a flat fixed, didn't exceed 20 mph, will i be ok..lol. P.S. did the OP ever get his tire off??? |
^^^ Thanks for this, a good education today on S2ki.
This old 'noob' is going to reread the manual. |
Okay, I measured the spare tire.
Get this: THE SPARE IS LESS THAN 23" IN DIAMETER. An OEM tire is ~25" I wouldn't use the spare on the rear. |
Originally Posted by berlinablackie,Nov 18 2009, 07:13 AM
^^^ what? really? I did not know the spare won't fit the rear.
Edit: Not being a wise guy, I've just never tried it. I just assumed the spare fit on the rear. Back to my owners manual. I actually ended up calling AAA for a flatbed when I got a rear flat (huge sidewall tear) for this reason but I haven't used my service calls in ages and didn't want to do the tire shuffle on the side of the road. |
the tire shuffle is annoying. i've done it twice. next time i'm calling a tow truck.
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Originally Posted by Mike21,Nov 20 2009, 08:04 AM
the tire shuffle is annoying. i've done it twice. next time i'm calling a tow truck.
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