Too soon to think about taking off snowtires ?

[mknox]

That's a bit paternalistic - do they have laws on shoe treads as well?

I actually support a winter tire law more than I do a sealtbelt law. At least cars with properly equipped tires are less likely to run into me.

 

[RiverBrick]

You can go on the SAAQ website and print yourself an exemption from the winter tire law. It's valid for seven days if you are leaving the province..

Thanks, I didn't realize this. It may come in handy in the future, if one year there's actually decent weather between December 15 and March 15.

 

[swrving]

I think I talked about this in another thread, but I do change both my cars' wheels myself. I always hand tighten and torque to spec in a cross pattern with a good quality torque wrench. Last year on my wife's car I snapped 1 lug nut removing the summers and this past fall I broke 5 (!) lug nuts. To remove, I use a breaker bar and the proper size socket and apply even pressure. For some reason as I'm applying pressure the thing will just "pop" and the stud breaks off inside of the nut. It's extremely frustrating because I'm doing it correctly. I was always told to leave the studs "dry" but this time I'm going to apply some anti-seize to the threads before I re-mount the summers. When I had it repaired last fall, the shop re-mounted the winters after installing the new studs and had them lathered up pretty good with some silver colored (graphite?) compound.

No problem at all with the Model S wheels and nuts.

Please don't use anti-seize on the studs, I've heard to many stories from a friend that runs a tire shop about lugs backing off and losing a wheel because customers have done this. I would double check that your torque wrench is still calibrated quickly, something as simple as dropping it can mess up the calibration. Also before re-installing lugs make take a wire brush to the studs to make sure you clean off any corrosion or other build up that could make removing them more difficult a few months down the road.

 

[Doug_G]

I actually support a winter tire law more than I do a sealtbelt law. At least cars with properly equipped tires are less likely to run into me.

You kidding? I know a couple who were in a head-on accident. He wasn't wearing his seatbelt, she was. Guess which one survived.

Street cars are designed to protect their occupants in a crash, but that protection only works if they're belted in. Without a seatbelt the airbags do nothing (or even harm). The belt keeps them in place, and the air bag prevents them from snapping their necks.

I witnessed a lower speed accident where a woman wasn't wearing her seatbelt. She missed her airbag... in fact she was sitting in the passenger seat when I ran over to see if she needed help. She was stunned from hitting the windshield - concussion no doubt. She wouldn't have been hurt if she were wearing her belt (or if she had been paying attention to the road).

 

[mknox]

You kidding? I know a couple who were in a head-on accident. He wasn't wearing his seatbelt, she was. Guess which one survived.

I'm not saying I wouldn't wear my seatbelt... I always do. I was responding to @wayner's comment about winter tire laws being "paternalistic". Generally, I am more supportive of laws that protect us from each other rather than from ourselves. Darwin will take care of those who don't buckle up, but someone who slides into me on inferior tires in winter is a different matter.

- - - Updated - - -

Please don't use anti-seize on the studs, I've heard to many stories from a friend that runs a tire shop about lugs backing off and losing a wheel because customers have done this. I would double check that your torque wrench is still calibrated quickly, something as simple as dropping it can mess up the calibration. Also before re-installing lugs make take a wire brush to the studs to make sure you clean off any corrosion or other build up that could make removing them more difficult a few months down the road.

I never have used anything on the studs and I do use a high quality, calibrated torque wrench and hand tools only. My problem is the studs are rusting solid to the lug nuts and the studs just snap off flush with the nut upon removal. Last time 5 snapped off and most of the others were really tight, creaking and groaning the whole way off. The internet seems to be a mixed bag of opinions around a drop of oil or anti-seize vs. dry, leaning slightly towards dry studs. A tire shop guy I trust suggested wire brushing the threads, then apply a drop of 3-in-1 oil to the threads and wiping it off. (Again, not my Model S... it's the winter tires on my other car).