Date:         Sat, 26 May 2001 18:18:31 -0500
Reply-To:     Larry Alofs <lalofs@ENTERACT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Larry Alofs <lalofs@ENTERACT.COM>
Subject:      Re: Sears disaster - Larry's approach
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

"Fitz-Randolph, Douglas" wrote:

> Steve Schwenk wrote:
>
> You guys are nuts!  I NEVER trust those places .... not
> after they scratched all 4 alloys doing an alignment
> and ruined most of my $13 lug nuts.  Now, I take 4
> wheels into the shop in my car and pick them up when
> done while the van waits on jack stands in my garage.
>
> I'd like to add:
>
> Even if you don't go as far as bringing j-u-s-t the
> tires & wheels to the shop, DO remove your centercaps
> if you've got alloy wheels. My 15" SA 5-spoke alloys
> have a center disc help on by a single hex screw. If
> the guy in the shop doesn't use a metric hex key,
> chances are he'll round out the hex slot, and if he
> isn't really careful re-threading the hard, steel
> screws into the soft, aluminum wheels, he'll ruin
> the threads.
>
> This is why I know that you can get an exact
> replacement screw either from the little screw that
> holds your disc rotors in place while the wheel is
> off, or from a BMW motorcycle dealer if you've
> already tossed your disc rotor retainers.
>
> And this is why I own a metric tap and die set.
>
> I won't even go into all the different the ways a
> tire guy can scratch things up trying to remove
> the old VW disc-style hubcaps if they don't have
> the little $1 wire loop tool.
>
> Be safe and make things as s-i-m-p-l-e for the
> tire shop employee as humanly possible!!!
>
> > Doug Fitz-Randolph
> > Freeport, ME
> > '90 Syncro

Since I don't want someone who may never have seen one before putting my
Vanagon on a lift, when I go to buy tires, I put the spare on before I
go.  This way I have one wheel ready for them to start mounting a tire
on.  Meanwhile in the parking lot, I start jacking up one corner at a
time, bringing other wheels in and bringing out the finished wheels and
installing them.
  This method also helps avoid situations where you or a family member
tries to change a tire along the road, only to discover that someone
with an impact wrench has put the lug bolts on so tight that you can't
get them loose with the lug wrench.
  Except for the matter of balancing, I would be tempted to do the
mounting myself with a couple of tire tools and a hammer like in the
"good old days".
I remember a short science fiction story where an old man was
instructing his grandson in the lost art of mounting tires by hand.  I
think the story was called "Bears Discover Fire"

Sorry about the rambling,

Larry A.