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Pretty stupid question about ordering/mounting winter tires/wheels from tire rack

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2.3K views 9 replies 8 participants last post by  DeyemeRacing  
#1 ·
hi everyone

picked up a 2014 GT and in michigan i am not going to attempt to drive in the snow with the stock wheels/tires. it's a lease so I don't want to bend a rim and pay $$, i'd rather pay an upfront cost and know i'll have better traction in the snow + protection from bending the wheels (somewhat). a 2 year lease and maybe i can sell the wheels on craigslist or something afterwards. i'm coming from a '13 200 which handled amazing in the snow with the stock setup.

if i purchase steel wheels (i'm getting 16") from tire rack as well as some winter tires (bridgestone blizzaks seem to be the best? not that concerned with $ for the tire), tire rack offers to mount/balance them on the wheels and deliver them to my house. can I just unmount my stock wheels and put on the steelies and be good to go? do I have to go to any tire place to get them adjusted/on correctly? or aligned?

thanks in advance sorry for the stupid question. it seems like if i get them from tire rack i can get a whole package for a very reasonable price and not have to pay any extra fees.
 
#2 ·
I'd recommend an alignment unless you know the wheels and tires are exactly the same size as the stock setup. If the alignment is a little off they could wear funny.

I purchase winter wheels/tires from tire rack for my last car. They arrived mounted and balanced just fine. I ordered alloys for 40 extra bucks, and 2 of them had small gouges in them from something striking through the cardboard they were wrapped in. It was minor. They offered me a small discount to keep them or they could swap them out.
 
#3 ·
What? If you tighten the bolts all the same, the alignment will be fine. Just jack the car up and swap the wheels out
 
#5 ·
Be aware the Dart has lug bolts, not lug nuts. It makes putting the tires on a bit more challenging because you don't have studs to help you align the wheels. While it can be done with one person, a second person would help.

Are they including hardware like lug bolts and/or centering rings? I do know the steel rims from Dodge use slightly shorter lug bolts than the aluminum ones do. I'm not sure if that makes a difference though.
 
#6 ·
Be aware the Dart has lug bolts, not lug nuts. It makes putting the tires on a bit more challenging because you don't have studs to help you align the wheels. While it can be done with one person, a second person would help. Are they including hardware like lug bolts and/or centering rings? I do know the steel rims from Dodge use slightly shorter lug bolts than the aluminum ones do. I'm not sure if that makes a difference though.
I've ordered three times from them and received all necessary hardware each time,

-pitajr
 
#7 ·
if i purchase steel wheels (i'm getting 16") from tire rack as well as some winter tires... can I just unmount my stock wheels and put on the steelies and be good to go? do I have to go to any tire place to get them adjusted/on correctly? or aligned?
Yes, Just mount them up, no need for paying for anything else*. If they don't work then TR did something wrong and they will make it right.

*Assuming you are keeping the wheel/tires the same size as the OEM stock 16" configuration that TR recommends. no need for realignment etc... I have done this for years without issue.
 
#8 ·
I had to use spacers (5/16) to get my 16" steel wheels to clear the Front calipers, the rears worked fine, which of course means I need longer Wheel bolts.

Found them one Block from my work at Essex Distributors for those of you in my area. the steel wheel still centered on the hub with the spacer in place I just want a little more bite than the stock length bolts are providing...

Essex Distributors - H&R Springs