Can't even imagine it--snow. We are in the high 70's or 80's by day, 60's at night, and not a raindrop in sight. We haven't had rain since last Easter and we anxiously watch clouds: will they/won't they? Too cool for the AC (usually!!) but we're still collecting water in the shower for the struggling garden. Things I've planted like bulbs and sweet pea, waiting for the normal winter rains to kick in, and.....nothing. The only good thing is that my 4-flat is getting a whole new roof, and so we are actually hoping for no rain for the time being, until they get that sucker sealed. But oh, we need it bad, and after reading here how you are all on the slippery slope towards real weather, I can only yearn. We are drying up, the Sea of Galilee(where we get most of our drinking water) is shrinking by meters a year, and aquifers are running low. Now if we could just get the Powers That Be to manage the water we do have wisely; but wisdom is in short supply here. So I compost and plant seeds and water by bucket. And the roofers just dumped the entire thing - slate, rotten wood and all, the entire old roof, an 8' pile of moldy, rusted rubbish - onto my new lasagna garden. I'll mail the wool scarf I knit (and sweated under) to my son in Vermont. At least they get real winter! A delightful and peaceful Thanksgiving to you all. Batya

Make sure that the wheels you get are for disc brakes (if you have disc brakes). Although you may find that the bolt pattern of wheels for shoe brakes will fit a disc brake equipped wheel, the wheel may interfere with the caliper assemby and that won't be discovered until the final tightening of the lug nuts. Damage may result since great force can be developed by the lug nuts. The dished shape of wheels for disc brakes are different to older wheels for shoe brake autos. Beware of this when getting wheels from a slavage yard. Also, when buying used wheels, make sure that the beveled holes for the lugs are not worn out. The lug nut should contact the wheel face and become snug before the backside of the material around the hole touches its clamping surface. The wheel acts as a very stiff spring lock washer to keep the lug nut in place. If the backside of the wheel bottoms, or the lug nut bottoms, before the lug nut begins to tighten on the wheel face, the lug may loosen, or the wheel will not be tight. This happens when the beveled hole is too large.

It's highly recommended to use a torque wrench when tightening lug nuts. They ensure not only that your lug nuts are snug enough to not back off, but not too tight to damage the nuts, studs, or even potentially the wheels, rotors, and hubs behind them. A torque wrench also ensures proper EVEN tightness on all lug nuts to ensure alignment. You can certainly change your wheels without a torque wrench, but your first drive should be to a place that can properly torque them for you, or where they can loan or rent you a torque wrench. You can buy one like this for $35. That's a VERY CHEAP investment to protect your vehicle. I'd suggest a better one if you can afford it, but for basic usage, it will work fine. How to use it: Use a normal socket wrench to get the nuts snug on the studs. Then crack the black handle until it registers your required tighness. Then use just like a socket wrench, torquing until it "clicks." Then move to the next lug. If your lugs require a lot of torque, (my Tahoe needs 140 ft lbs), it's recommended to do them in stages like 100-120-140 so you're not applying a lot of torque to one side all at once.

You do have to be mindful of clearance with wider tires, and in particular in front. Will the wider tire rub against anything with the steering turned all the way to one side and the suspension depressed? The other concern is tire diameter. Both of these wider, but lower profile, tires have smaller circumferences than the stock, although the 215/55/16 tire is only 3% smaller. Tire designation-----Circumference (inches)------% of stock 195/65/16 ---- 82.77 ---- 100% 205/55/16 --- 79.18 ----- 95.6% 215/55/16 ---- 80.59---- 97.4% Tire circumference affects speedometer and trip meter readings, acceleration, and road clearance. The 3rd concern is handling change, notable torque-steer for front wheel drives. If the center of the replacement tire falls at the same location as the stock tire, steering feel should be the same. If the center of the tire shifts away from stock, you may encounter torque-steer, i.e., with power applied or when braking, the location of the applied forces tends to rotate the wheel about its steering axis (vertical). This adds load to the steering rods and joints and if the force becomes different between the wheels, a reaction will be felt at the steering wheel. The choice of wheels (rims) is important. The combination of wheel and tire must put the contact patch at the same location as stock to retain stock performance. The amount of dish the wheel has determines where the center of the tire will be. Another factor: Wheels made for older cars with drum brakes may interfere with the caliper of disc brakes. The dish shape of the two wheels are different. The dish in wheels made for disc brakes have larger diameters to clear the caliper and disc. Tightening the wrong wheel can damage parts. A mix of wheels can happen when buying from a salvage yard or other sources.