300M tire replacement?

Theoretically I agree with you but I find that my 300M and my previous 94
LHS wear times absolutely perfectly evenly and every time you have a
so-called mechanic with his air wrench screwing around with your wheels you
run the risk of needing your brakes re-done. The tires cost $150 each. So
maybe it costs me $50 in lost wear per set for not rotating them. I think
its worth it.

 

Wow, sounds like you need to find a new mechanic. I rotate all of my
tires religiously at 6k or 7k miles and it was only until recently that
I have had to get new brakes and that was at 95,000 miles.

- Matt

 

The only place in the Raleigh NC area that I've seen use a torque wrench to
tighten wheel lugs was a Ford dealership. Unfortunately first they used the
air wrench and then the torque wrench but by then the lugs were
overtightened. I supposed they were told to use the torque wrench but no
one explained to them the actual point of using it.

 

It is possible that they have the impact wrenches set on super low
pressure or torque just to get the nuts seated, but you may be right.

As far as the other places, it may be that they are using torque sticks
with their impacts - try to notice next time - you may be assuming the
worst when it's not the case (I wouldn't be surprised either way).

In my state (Virginia), on state inspections, the law requires them to
use impact wrenches with torque sticks when putting the wheels back on
after inspecting the brakes. That law has gone a long way to getting
shops to properly torque - the lazy mechanic will not try to keep up
with two different ways (not properly torque-limited and properly
torque-limited) of putting the wheels on. Perhaps I'm giving them too
much credit. Some mechanics go out of their way to screw stuff up.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
address with the letter 'x')

 

In NC, things are so bad that one tire chain makes you sign a statement
obligating you to bring your car back within a week to get your lugs checked
for tightness otherwise they are not liable if your wheels fall off. I buy
my tires elsewhere.