[BanziBarn]

I had some new tyres fitted last week and I know you're supposed to check the nuts after a few miles to make sure that the wheels don't fall off... thing is, I don't know where the wrench is!

I then got to thinking, maybe, as the car has run flats, BMW assume you won't be changing tyres and therefore don't supply a wrench?

Thanks guys!

[IanS100]

Correct, runflats = no Jack or wheel brace

[BanziBarn]

Thanks. Guess I need to buy one then!

[IanS100]

If you're buying a wheelbrace give consideration to a torque wrench instead so you can tighten them correctly.

[BanziBarn]

In your opinion, is it vital to check the nuts after the wheels have been changed, or was I just told this because of the 1 in a million chance all the bolts on a wheel come off and I crash?!

Seems like BMW assume the driver should never need to check.

[rich1068]

Yep, 50 miles get them checked.

[chrisbin]

Was trying to check those on my daughter's Ka at the weekend....no wheel brace...I'll just use the one from mine then.....nothing...oh, well I'll use the one from the wife's....nothing....

[parapaul]

Originally Posted by rich1068

Yep, 50 miles get them checked.

Yep, this is uniform advice from everywhere I've ever had tyres done.

[chris_s1]

Well unless you have a proper torque wrench I don't see the point. Overtightening is not a good thing either.

I would say that virtually nobody does this except for the odd enthusiast/expert and considering the tens of millions of cars on the road, how often do wheels fall off?

[IanS100]

I had a wheel fall off an old mini, it rolled off down the road & through a set of traffic ligts on red - I found it leaning against a tree a couple of hundred yards away - I forgot to tighten it up mind

[Tipper]

The tyre centres only tell you to check tightness to cover themselves against being sued if the didn't tighten properly on the first place!

[m1bjr]

I have NEVER been advised to retighten bolts after visiting a tyre shop.

But I will say this - if you go to track and bake them nicely, they can AND DO loosen off on some cars!

I had a local shop in Bridgwater, a very old and established family unit, swap four tyres for me last year.
I asked why he didnt use a torque wrench to check them when almost everyone else does now.
His reply "I been doin this fer twenny yurs and not ad one fall off yet".
Upon checking his work back at home he was about 25% UNDER torque on all the locking nuts, at least 50% over on a couple and the rest were out by varying degrees.

You'll get away with this on a lot of cars, but on a 400bhp 1.6tonne car with 19"LP and mahoosive brakes its a recipe for disaster.
Quite easy to upset the hub faces and the contact faces of the discs by poor tightrning technique, even if they dont fall off.

As per previous I only lost a front wheel once about 25yrs ago on my Crapi. I reckon it was sabbotage

QED.

[rich1068]

Originally Posted by Tipper

The tyre centres only tell you to check tightness to cover themselves against being sued if the didn't tighten properly on the first place!

I'll call bullshit on that one and anyway if my tyre fitter says pop back in 50 miles and we'll check them then I do. 5 minutes, done. They wouldn't say it just for fun.