# Who removes wheels?



## Original Poster (Apr 28, 2008)

So who removes their wheels when having a detailing session?

If so do you use axle stands?

I want to start removing the wheels to give the insides and arches a good clean but am too scared to until I buy some Axle stands at the end of the month!


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## Glasgow_Gio (Mar 24, 2008)

I wouldn't take a wheel off and leave a car supported on the jack only.....just me but i would wait till you get axle stands.


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## Fat Audi 80 (Nov 8, 2006)

Only on my own cars. 

I do not carry enough equipment and would not want to jack up someone elses car...

I am sure there are others that do though...


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## Glasgow_Gio (Mar 24, 2008)

having said that you could put a spare on temporarily just in case the jack slips....


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## Fat Audi 80 (Nov 8, 2006)

Glasgow_Gio said:


> I wouldn't take a wheel off and leave a car supported on the jack only.....just me but i would wait till you get axle stands.


Abosolutely. You need at LEAST two methods of support in case one fails... I prefer three if I am lying under it working on it. :thumb:


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## Silva1 (Sep 16, 2007)

depends how bad the wheels are on the inner dish and if my ez brush can fit into them on not

never needed to jack up a car so far


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## Neil_S (Oct 26, 2005)

I remove my wheels, always use axle stands too.


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## Original Poster (Apr 28, 2008)

thanks guys!

Dont think I will do this with anyones else's car expect my own and the girlfriends, not worth the hassle if it all goes wrong!


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## Silva1 (Sep 16, 2007)

chunky206 said:


> thanks guys!
> 
> Dont think I will do this with anyones else's car expect my own and the girlfriends, not worth the hassle if it all goes wrong!


thats why nowadays everyone has insurance :lol:


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## ShampooEfficient (Jan 19, 2008)

I'm going to when I get round ot doing my own car again... usually I don't, but they're due a good clean in and out.


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## Petrol-head (May 26, 2008)

Normally takes a bit of time but without axle stands I would use the spare and just do one at a time :thumb:


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## REFLECTS (Apr 7, 2008)

harddrive said:


> Normally takes a bit of time but without axle stands I would use the spare and just do one at a time :thumb:


Yup me too !

the wheels look amazing when they go back on imo ! :thumb:


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## REFLECTS (Apr 7, 2008)

Remember this post?

Super job on these !

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=68219&highlight=6+years


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## swisstony (Apr 27, 2007)

I take mine off once a month or so to give them a really good clean on the backs, tyres etc. Always use a trolley jack front or back and either axel stands or the actual wheels themselves as a safety backup lying underneath the sills....just in case.

rest of the time the wheel back brush I have does the job that is needed in situ.


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## jonathanelwell (Mar 17, 2008)

Halfords do a kit, jack and axle stands for about 40quid i think. well worth it.


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## REFLECTS (Apr 7, 2008)

Clicky

Would have put the image on but its copywrighted so cant get DW into trouble 

tooled-up.com - £14.05 each up to 4 tonne per pair !


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## Original Poster (Apr 28, 2008)

^that is very reasonable!


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## Affection to Detail (Jul 6, 2006)

I only take clients off if they request it, because its gonna take extra time and incur further costs.


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## mattyb95 (Apr 21, 2008)

How easy is it to get wheels off and do you guys use torque wrenches to get them back on?

I got a new car in Jan and luckily the alloys are 5 spoke with big holes so I can keep them pretty clean but can't reach through to the backs and its always fiddly to get behind the brakes without then moving the car a bit so am tempted to take them off to give them a good clean and seal them properly.


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## paddy328 (Mar 4, 2007)

i do the same as affection to detail. Only if someone asks for it, but there is no better way of cleaning and protecting a wheel.


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## Original Poster (Apr 28, 2008)

paddy328 said:


> i do the same as affection to detail. Only if someone asks for it, *but there is no better way of cleaning and protecting a wheel*.


Very true, makes the job easier as well!


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## ahaydock (Jan 4, 2007)

I jack my own up, and will always use axels frok now on...


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## alan hanson (May 21, 2008)

I removed my wheel last weekend for the first time to clean properly plus the arches. Got them looking all nice and clean put them back on and then realised i forgot to jetseal them

Got some axle stands plus usually leave the jack under it too


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## graeme (Jan 7, 2006)

i was going to do this before the weekend (if her in doors will stop finding other DIY tasks to do) lol. 
I only have my trolley jack here as my axle stands are in my folks garage. would that do the trick as its less likely to collapse compared to a normal jack or am i better to wait til i pick up the stands?


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## swisstony (Apr 27, 2007)

graeme said:


> i was going to do this before the weekend (if her in doors will stop finding other DIY tasks to do) lol.
> I only have my trolley jack here as my axle stands are in my folks garage. would that do the trick as its less likely to collapse compared to a normal jack or am i better to wait til i pick up the stands?


I use trolley jacks all the time


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## cheechy (Nov 23, 2006)

Where's the best place to stick the axle stand?

I've got a set and then realised I wasn't sure of the best place to stick them after jacking the car up 

Embarrasing question I know but there you go......:lol:


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## fil_b (Oct 24, 2007)

depends on what car you have - normally round where the jacking points are


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## jamiesim (Feb 7, 2008)

I agree with you all about using axle stands, but have you noticed that the tyre fitters often leave your car flying in the air on a pairif trolley jacks???

Do they use super hardcore jacks or are they just lazy?? 

Really want to get my wheels off, but need to buy a jack, axle stand and a torque wrench, that's at least another £100... This detailing malarkey eats money!!!!


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## Saqib200 (May 13, 2008)

I remove wheels on most of my details. I just jack up each corner to remove the wheel, and leave an axle stand under one of the suspension components.

It is not necessary to 'rest' the vehicle on axle stands, only so that the car is hovering say 10mm over the axle stand in case it drops.

I do one wheel at a time.


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## theshrew (May 21, 2008)

Here is a few tips for you who are not sure what your doing while jacking up your car. 

If you dont want to buy a axle stand a cheap alternative is to use your spare wheel. Or just nip to your local scrappy and buy a old wheel and tyre for a few quid ( Any will do your not fitting it to the car ) Jack up and slide it under the side of the car just do one corner at a time ! You can lover the jack onto the wheel or just leave it in the air. Quick cheap and simple. If you have jacked the car up in a sencible place it wont fall off anyway so dont worry. 

I do recomend buying a trolly jack it makes life a lot more simple. But beware if you are looking to buy one not all of them go low enough to be able to slide under some cars. So just check what your buying before you do. If you cant get one to fit under your car drive a wheel onto a block of wood to lift the car up that little bit. 

You dont need a tourque wrench to put your wheels back on just do them tight. Making sure you tighten up each of the bolts / nuts evenly so you pull the wheel back on square.


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## nogrille (Oct 27, 2005)

bricks ftw


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## RnRollie (Apr 16, 2008)

nogrille said:


> bricks ftw


yeah, just park the car somewhere in Moss side


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## RnRollie (Apr 16, 2008)

theshrew said:


> You dont need a tourque wrench to put your wheels back on just do them tight. Making sure you tighten up each of the bolts / nuts evenly so you pull the wheel back on square.


i do not agree... what is "tight" ?
it might have a completely different meaning if you are a 300 lbs bodybuilder then if you are an 80 lbs wimp
there are also differences if it are steelies or alloys. Its actually quite easy to overtighten and damaging an alloy wheel. Or worse, dont tightem enough.

Of course, with your own you do what you want, but if doing someone elses car, and you feel called to take the wheels off, use of a 40 quid halfrauds torque wrench will give you *some* peace of mind.


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## theshrew (May 21, 2008)

RnRollie said:


> i do not agree... what is "tight" ?
> it might have a completely different meaning if you are a 300 lbs bodybuilder then if you are an 80 lbs wimp
> there are also differences if it are steelies or alloys. Its actually quite easy to overtighten and damaging an alloy wheel. Or worse, dont tightem enough.
> 
> Of course, with your own you do what you want, but if doing someone elses car, and you feel called to take the wheels off, use of a 40 quid halfrauds torque wrench will give you *some* peace of mind.


Well lets face it it aint rocket science :speechles

Just takes a bit of common sence. If you have taken the wheel off you will have a bit of a indication of how tight they were to undo. The only thing you will ever need a tourque wrench for is for doing a head gasket or something similar.


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## Dixondmn (Oct 12, 2007)

There seems to be a school of though amongst odler people, to only tighten your wheel nuts as tight as you are prepared to un-tightnen then again. But I'd certainly recommend a torque wrench for all wheel nuts. Nuts and bolts have design tollerances and you can easily exceed them if your doing stuff by feel of touch (guess work)

Think about how hot your wheels get and the effect of this on an overtightend nut.

As someone else mentioned, do what you want on your own car, but i certainly would recommend giving out advice like that on a public forum.


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## Dave Spalding (Apr 16, 2008)

My opinion - I remove my wheels to clean them i use either a power bar or one of those extendable wheel braces. I tend to lean on the bar till it stops then give it a wee tweek after that. Im more than comfortable with that and when ever any of my mates remove wheels for any reason we all do the same. However if I was running a business or charging for a service I would invest in a torque wrench, after all its £40 that could save you hundreds of thousands in law suits.

I must stress I am not advising people to follow my technique as the tightness could vary massively with weight and what you consider a "wee tweek" its just my opinion and im yet to have a wheel fall off, well except on a car i bought where i hadnt toched the wheels but that was due to a missing spigot ring :lol:


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## theshrew (May 21, 2008)

Dave Spalding said:


> My opinion - I remove my wheels to clean them i use either a power bar or one of those extendable wheel braces. I tend to lean on the bar till it stops then give it a wee tweek after that. Im more than comfortable with that and when ever any of my mates remove wheels for any reason we all do the same. However if I was running a business or charging for a service I would invest in a torque wrench, after all its £40 that could save you hundreds of thousands in law suits.


Nothing wrong with what you do there mate. I no what your saying about Tourque wrench. I used to be on the spanners when i was younger and can honestly say ive never used one. How often do you see anyone use one ? I bet if you sat in a garage or a tyre place for a week you would ever even see one let alone someone usin one.


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## Garry.L (Jun 4, 2008)

Remove my wheels once every few months or so to clean the rears and under arch area....














































Comes up quite well for an 7 year old car and all the above is standard OE...


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## moisty (May 29, 2008)

theshrew said:


> Nothing wrong with what you do there mate. I no what your saying about Tourque wrench. I used to be on the spanners when i was younger and can honestly say ive never used one. How often do you see anyone use one ? I bet if you sat in a garage or a tyre place for a week you would ever even see one let alone someone usin one.


The thing is you, like me, has an in-built torque wrench from being in the motor trade. We can tell by feel how tight a nut or bolt should be. I'll bet that even when you use a torque wrench for headbolts you pretty much know exactly when it is about to click?
But you have to remember that most people don't have that luxury and without something they can measure the torque with they could be well off the mark!! I would suggest that people should at least borrow a torque wrench and have a practice with it on their car so as to calibrate themselves...they'll soon learn how tight wheelnuts should be...or just buy one for peace of mind!:thumb:


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## abd1973 (Aug 27, 2007)

Just out of interest after reading all of this what sort of level or torque should be applied to an alloy or a steel wheel.? And does it differ for different cars / wheels ?

There is no point in torquing them on if you dont know what it should be.


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## Saqib200 (May 13, 2008)

I always torque up the wheel nuts on my car (i use a snap-on one - bought a nice one 'cos i use it so often).

Alloy Wheels generally 110 Nm.

My Focus ST is 130Nm ( when released Ford stated 90 Nm, then upped this to 110 Nm, and it is now 130 Nm).

Steel wheels maybe a touch higher, but 130Nm is enough.

We should always think - if one of our sister's or mother's had a flat tyre, would they be able to loosen the wheel nuts? And thats how tight you should do them up. I was taught to tighten wheel nuts with one hand for this reason. I now use a torque wrench because its more consistent.


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