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BobFV1
11-22-2008, 04:26 PM
We had flurries a couple of days this week - nothing drastic, nothing sticking to the ground, but it has been unseasonably cold this week and we are expecting a cold winter. This is the first winter I have had my 550, but I imagine that the staggered, 19 inch low profile summer tires will be completely useless the first time the roads become a bit slick.

Back in September, I picked up a set of 17 inch cast Rial Salerno wheels with BMW center caps and a new set of Pirelli SnowSport winter tires mounted, with TPS. Today I mounted them up.

First a couple of "before" shots with the 19 inch BMW Type 172 wheels:

http://bobfv1.smugmug.com/photos/422315742_Q7juJ-L.jpg

http://bobfv1.smugmug.com/photos/422277203_XrGKo-L.jpg

Here are a couple fo shots of the 17 inch Rials, prior to mounting, next to the Type 172's:

http://bobfv1.smugmug.com/photos/422277446_UgDNG-L.jpg

http://bobfv1.smugmug.com/photos/422277370_4pkZL-L.jpg

To get the Rials to sit correctly, I use plastic centering rings - that's it in orange:

http://bobfv1.smugmug.com/photos/422277556_KheLj-L.jpg

Before mounting the wheels, I used Rejex on them (applied it a few weeks ago) to make cleanup of brake dust easier:

http://bobfv1.smugmug.com/photos/422279511_P8gu9-L.jpg

I considered using the POS factory jack, but thought better of that plan:

http://bobfv1.smugmug.com/photos/422277827_gnR7s-L.jpg

I have a nice little floor jack from Sears - works fine and doesn't take up a lot of room:

http://bobfv1.smugmug.com/photos/422277854_2DxKN-L.jpg

Got the left front off without any problem:

http://bobfv1.smugmug.com/photos/422278078_rxzZ2-L.jpg

That's quite a disk BMW put on there!

http://bobfv1.smugmug.com/photos/422278430_jToXX-L.jpg

I picked up some slightly longer nuts to go with the new wheels - the factory lugs are black:

http://bobfv1.smugmug.com/photos/422278217_ubHW8-L.jpg

I decided to use these wheel disks as a clean alternative to anti-seize compound to prevent the wheels from sticking to the hubs. The factory hadn't used anything and the rears were a bear to get off - took a fair amount od beating with a mallet. Here are the disks - one in place:

http://bobfv1.smugmug.com/photos/422278265_67ZFE-L.jpg

http://bobfv1.smugmug.com/photos/422278339_pkmHn-L.jpg

Wheel on but suspension still unloaded:

http://bobfv1.smugmug.com/photos/422278525_dBaWe-L.jpg

Once I had the front off, I could compare it to one of the 17 inch witer wheels with 225/50 tires - they were actually the same overall diameter than the 19 inch fronts with low profile (30) summer tires:

http://bobfv1.smugmug.com/photos/422278133_A56w9-L.jpg

That's the 245/30/19 front with Continental SporttContact 2, compared with the 224/50/17 with Pirelli SnowSport tire:

http://bobfv1.smugmug.com/photos/422278169_RjsMH-L.jpg
I used a 6 inch extension and a 17MM socket to break the lugs:

http://bobfv1.smugmug.com/photos/422278039_ztra5-L.jpg

Got the rear off - here is a side by side of the 19 inch Factore fronts (245) and rears (285):

http://bobfv1.smugmug.com/photos/422278776_AwkZb-L.jpg

Job complete - winter wheels are on and torqued, air pressure adjusted and TPM reset! Bring on the snow and ice:

http://bobfv1.smugmug.com/photos/422279091_RhkK6-L.jpg

http://bobfv1.smugmug.com/photos/422279128_6wish-L.jpg

http://bobfv1.smugmug.com/photos/422279215_3epxB-L.jpg

http://bobfv1.smugmug.com/photos/422279325_r54QV-L.jpg
DarthRider
11-22-2008, 05:04 PM
Nice set up!
Rchop
11-22-2008, 05:36 PM
The winter tires should at least ride a little smoother than the summer tires Bob. Nice set-up, I like the do-hickies you used between the wheel and hub, nice :023:
isiahstites
11-22-2008, 05:53 PM
Having lived half my life in a region that was prone to very long, hard winters I completely understand the need for snow tires, however your summer rims and tires look so much better in comparison.

Scott
Rchop
11-22-2008, 06:10 PM
Having lived half my life in a region that was prone to very long, hard winters I completely understand the need for snow tires, however your summer rims and tires look so much better in comparison.

Scott


:rofl::rofl: Scott said "long and hard" :icon_redface::icon_redface:
Biff's R
11-22-2008, 06:56 PM
The snow tires look like they will handle the winter potholes a lot better.

Did you move Bob? I thought that your place was blue.
BobFV1
11-22-2008, 09:49 PM
The snow tires look like they will handle the winter potholes a lot better.

Did you move Bob? I thought that your place was blue.

It's a long story. When we came to the DC area, we house-sat for a year, then we leased for 18 months, and we are finally in the process of buying a place - had the structural engineers in today - if all goes well we will be in right after the first of the year. We picked up an acre lot backing onto parkland in Vienna, Virginia.

The ride is much smoother on the 17's! The car actually looks much bette rthan I thought it would with the Rials mounted. Over the winter I will have the little boo-boos fixed on my rims, and plan to mount a new set of Michelin PS'2's.
mnnden
11-23-2008, 08:53 PM
Bob, That is one beautiful car!!!, and I really like those tires, they should be great for icy roads, Den
Arby
11-24-2008, 04:36 AM
I don't believe I saw a torque wrench in any of those pics :eusa_naughty: :)

A buddy checked on the house in NC for me yesterday, said we've got snow in our driveway and it was 8 f yesterday morning.

Yikes!

RB
BobFV1
11-24-2008, 05:25 AM
I don't believe I saw a torque wrench in any of those pics :eusa_naughty: :)
RB

RB - You didn't see it, but it was there! My neighbor from across the street, a loquacious, long-retired Navy pilot (he flew the old S-2, which you may recall had propellers!) , came over and shot the breeze with me as I finished up - ie torqued the lugs. I was fully occupied between talking and torquing, so no pics of that part of the operation :).
Rchop
11-24-2008, 07:57 AM
RB - You didn't see it, but it was there! My neighbor from across the street, a loquacious, long-retired Navy pilot (he flew the old S-2, which you may recall had propellers!) , came over and shot the breeze with me as I finished up - ie torqued the lugs. I was fully occupied between talking and torquing, so no pics of that part of the operation :).

Wow, do I remember the S-2, having spent most of my active duty in ASW. With a stall speed of under 70 knots, they looked like they just floated off a carrier deck under full power!


http://www.aviastar.org/pictures/usa/grumman_tracker_1.jpg
Gord
11-24-2008, 10:24 AM
Wow, do I remember the S-2, having spent most of my active duty in ASW. With a stall speed of under 70 knots, they looked like they just floated off a carrier deck under full power!


http://www.aviastar.org/pictures/usa/grumman_tracker_1.jpg

A co-worker of mine (now deceased) used to fly the Grumman Tracker for the Royal Canadian Air Force. He produced a video and a book on the history of the Tracker. I will have to track that down and share it with the board.

Sorry for hijacking your thread on winterization Bob! Here we have two feet of snow. I am jealous of your lack of snow!
DarthRider
11-24-2008, 10:29 AM
Snow?
What's "snow"?
BobFV1
11-24-2008, 11:54 AM
Wow, do I remember the S-2, having spent most of my active duty in ASW. With a stall speed of under 70 knots, they looked like they just floated off a carrier deck under full power!


http://www.aviastar.org/pictures/usa/grumman_tracker_1.jpg

By the time I was in the Navy, they had completed the transition to the S-3 Viking, a jet platform. If I am not mistaken, the S-2 was basically the same airframe as the C-1, which was still in service for COD (Carrier Onboard Delivery) flights during the early 80's - my Navy era.

I was TDY to an admiral's staff at Cubi Point, Philippines once and they flew me out to the Midway and back on a COD flight - so I well know how it actually feels to be thrown off the end of the deck, lose a little altitude, and then lumber away.
Rchop
11-24-2008, 12:17 PM
I was TDY to an admiral's staff at Cubi Point, Philippines once and they flew me out to the Midway and back on a COD flight - so I well know how it actually feels to be thrown off the end of the deck, lose a little altitude, and then lumber away.


"Lumber away"...that's a much more accurate description of the S-2 in flight off the deck. :)
BobFV1
01-27-2009, 12:09 PM
First snowfall of the year here in the mid-Atlantic - about an inch on the ground in the driveway when I woke up:

http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v644/175/71/1640977600/n1640977600_146615_5993.jpg

Shoveled the drive and drove in - my street had not been plowed so traction control kicked in a few times going up the hill - but on the Summer wheels/tires I would never have made it, I'm sure.

On the treated roads coming in I had no problems - but on a side road near the office a fairly new Honda Civic blew a stop sign, turned in front of me, and had a hell of a time holding the road - I was going in a perfectly straight line right behind him.

Went to the bank at lunch - snow has continued to fall all morning and the temp has fallen to 26 - the Pirellis are taking a nice bite in the fresh snow - tonight and tomorrow I will get to field test them on ice, as the snow is supposed to convert to sleet and freezing rain later:

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2095/175/71/1640977600/n1640977600_146824_6138.jpg