Snow tires for the mechanically challenged

I would like to buy snows and wheels from Tire Rack. But, I have questions: 1. What tools do I need-kind of jack, electric wrench thing, etc.? 2. Exactly what are spacers and where do they go? 3. Where are the jacking spots on my '03 4S? 4. Is it a simple matter of taking off the summers and replacing with the winters, or is there some prep that needs to be done? 5. How tight to turn the bolts? Pretty funny for this board, where guys routinely rebuild their cars with DIY projects in 30 mins, but some of us didn't get the right genetic message. Thanks in advance.

Since you live in the DC area, you can likely get assistance from a fellow PCA member or Dorki. Just log onto the websites and ask for assistance. Some even have lifts. I haven't been to a local gathering for quite a while, but I did go to one a couple of years back and watch a group of guys swap out the entire suspension post haste. I recommend the Blizzaks. I ran Pirelli snows for the first 4 winters and they are NOISY. The Blizzaks I ran last year are silent by comparison and have more grip in both snow and ice conditions. The C2 will go fine with good winter tires. o into corners slow as the front tends to push a bit. Most importantly, watch out for the idiots.

If you buy wheels with the proper offsets you will not need spacers. As for tools (I am going to assume you are not going to use the jack and tools in the tool kit>..I don't recommend them...they are emergency use only, IMHO), you really only need a 1/2 inch breaker bar, one socket (19mm), torque wrench and a floor jack. A small socket extension makes things nice and easy also. All can be bought at sears. No need for an electric impact wrench. There are four jack points on your car. One behind each of the front wheel wheels and one in front of each of the back wheel wells. If you get down and look you will see round metal areas with a hole in the center. Take the cup off the floor jack and let the flat part go in contact with the metal area. Oh, yeah loosen the lug nuts prior to lifting a wheel. It is as simple as taking the wheels with the summer tires on them off and placing the wheels with the winter tires back on in thier place. Put the lugs back on tighten, lower and then torque to specification. Very simple. It take maybe 30-45 minutes to do the car depending how quick you are and how much you inspect things (I usually look at the break pads and rotors carefully to make sure they look as they should.

Brian-Thanks. I tried but could not remove the yellow cuo from my jack-jacked the car up by putting the cup around the raised area. All seemed OK, so my question is whether removing the cup is necessary. Also, removing the wheel lock with the car's tools is harder than iy would be with a proper socket wrench-can I buy a socket for the wheel lock to use with my power wrench?

Is it correct to assume that the "winter tire and wheel" solution offered by Tire Rack would include the correct offset wheels? Has anyone purchased these from Tire Rack? Any feedback as to quality of wheels that are part of one of these packages? Thanks

Using the cup is fine. Not necessary to remove at all. I only suggested it so that it would avoid any potential unwanted contact with paint or aero parts, but if yours doesn't hit anything you are fine. You can always place a hockey puck in the cup (very common practice) so that the cup edges don't mar up your paint. Yes you can buy a socket. In fact that is the only thing my car has. It has a special socket that fits on the lock nuts and the other end fits into a 19mm socket. I don't have a tool per se other than the lock socket.

Chukla, I may be getting rid of my snows, rims, spacers and lugs. Used one winter, right off my '03 C4S, pm me.

Brian-I'm good without the puck. As for the wheel lock socket in my glove compartment, I have not figured that one out yet. When I put the wheeel lock socket on the lug nut for it, the other end of the socket is round and would not fit onto my wrenches. I must be missing something here. Chris-Have ordered Cup 3s and Dunlops from the Rack. Thanks but I think I will take delivery shortly on that. by the way, why are you selling? You were one of the guys last winter who convinced me to put winters on!

Just sick of a stacks of tires in the garage,( I have a set of street w/t on the car, a set of race w/t stacked up and a set of snows/rims all stacked up, just too much ), probably just not drive it on snowy days.

Chris, I'm interested. Sent you a PM. Dan

Chuckla, The each wheel has a special lug bolt that has a special head. There should be a socket for these bolts with your car. Sometimes it's in a small bag in the glove box, other dealers insert into the "lug bolt socket tool" in the toolkit. The socket has a special internal shape to grab the locking wheel lug bolt. The other end of the socket has a 19mm hex shape with an O-ring in a groove to assist holding it in place with a 19mm socket. The entire special socket is about 3 inches long. If you don't have the socket, and have checked that you DO have a locking bolt on each wheel, you will need to see the dealer regarding ordering a replacement. I think that that there 10-20 different possible sockets. Without a photo, that's about the best i can explain it. I suspect that there is an illustration in your owner's manual. Cheers,

Yeah, I can only lamely speculate why I didn't fit the other end of the wheel lock socket into my power wrench. I think it was a personal power outage. Fred, thanks for walking me thru it. By the way, what is the Pumpkin capital of the US?

In a couple of weeks we will be celebrating our annual pumpkin festival which coincides with the pumpkin canning season at a local company, Libby's (now owned by Nestle's). They produce most of the canned pumpkin used throughout the USA for baking pumpkin pie. During the festival, you can get pumpkin served about 50 different ways. By the highlight of the festival is the "Punkin Chuckin" contest. The contest has many classes: Giant slingshots, catapults, Trebuchet, and the ultimate class, the pumpkin air cannons. These latest wonders support barrels over 20 feet in length and can propel a 10 lb. pumpkin nearly a mile with at exit velocity of nearly 600 mph. If Morton is ever invaded in September, we'll fight them from a distance with these WMD's! Cheers,

Of course, Morton, Illinois.