Tire change. Does the workshop use impact wrenches when tightening wheels? What does it threaten?

Did you know that wheels cannot be tightened with impact wrenches? This can damage or strip the bolts and, at best, make it difficult to loosen them with a hand wrench.

A pneumatic or electric impact wrench is used to lightly tighten the bolts - full tightening can only be done with a torque wrench and to the torque specified by the vehicle manufacturer. However, non-professional service centers tighten the wheel bolts with full force, which even leads to damage to the rim or stripping of the threads in the wheel bolts.

After maximum tightening, using a torque wrench will not add anything - the screw torque value will be much higher than the corresponding level on the torque wrench, so the tool will not be able to further tighten it. Unfortunately, torque wrenches are not immune to stupidity - they can only work if the screw is too loose. If it happens that we have to change the wheel on the road, it may not be possible to unscrew the screws that are too tight.

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This basic knowledge should be known to any specialist working in a good tire fitting. Unfortunately, few drivers can stand in the hall and look at the hands of mechanics.

Please note that when changing tires, the service must:

• be careful not to damage the valves and air pressure sensors by properly placing the wheel on the tire changer
• carefully and carefully disassemble the tire so as not to damage its inner layers
• use tools with plastic caps and attachments on the tire changer to avoid scratching the rim and making it corrode or not making good contact with the tire
• thoroughly but gently clean the rim where the old weights are removed to ensure the accuracy of the new balance
• clean the hub and rim where it contacts the hub to ensure perfect engagement with each other after tightening
• offer replacement valves that are subject to very high centrifugal forces and bad weather during six months of driving

There are almost 12 thousand of them in Poland. tire services. Unfortunately, the level of service and technical culture varies greatly. Also, there is no single system of education. Too many workshops replace tires in a completely unacceptable way, often by force. This causes stretching and tearing of the inner layers of the tire and even rupture of the beads - the parts that transfer forces from the tire to the rim. That is why the Polish Tire Industry Association introduces a system for assessing and rewarding professional services based on independent audits of equipment and qualifications. The Tire Certificate helps workshops improve quality, which is critical for safety, increases competitiveness and gives customers the confidence that the service will be performed by well-trained professionals.

As a result of the intervention of the Polish Tire Industry Association, the Polish Association of the Automotive Industry and the Association of Car Dealers, the Ministry of Health approved the replacement of winter tires with summer tires for people who use cars to commute and meet their needs. daily needs. For drivers who do not drive their car during this period, and for those who are in mandatory quarantine, there is no hurry - they can still wait for a visit to the garage. PZPO has prepared a guide for tire shops on how to act to stay safe during the epidemic. By following them, drivers will be less likely to contract the coronavirus in the service than before a collision or accident when driving on inappropriate tires.

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