The email I received this morning after using the link you posted up..


"Hello Sir/Madam,

Thank you for your e mail. We have updated our system and the information will be in our system on Monday. Please know we workin five pound increments so it will show 100 lbs.

Thanks again, "

 

I gave them the link to this thread too ---- it looks we were successful in getting their data base changed/fixed. Thanks for using the link; I guess that I can take it down now.

 

These cars are my Valium. My escape. My refuge.
I also have a motorcycle.

I used to be a fairly extreem person; I'm much mellower now. Really.

thanks for all the feedback, everybody.
And GO GIANTS!!!

 

A torque wrench is worth it.

I lost a lug bolt somehow, and I now have a torque wrench and 17mm socket.

It was a locking lug, and although the folks at DT touched my rear tires, they didn't touch the front, so how and when it fell out I have no idea, but I ordered a replacement set and didn't drive the car until those came in, and I replaced all the locking lugs so I'd have only one key to worry about, and while I was at it, I retorqued all the lugs for good measure.

You can pick up a decent 1/2" drive clicker torque wrench at Harbor Freight for under $20, and although the clicker type won't last as long as a needle-style, they're easier to use.

 

I will agree. If the use of it provides you with a sense of security, it has performed adequately.
I further agree that the flex bar models are the best at providing reasonable torque measurements over a lifetime of use. But, they are not the most commonly used torque wrenches.

 

Sorry to hear of your health problems. If you were serious about taking care of yourself you would not have LET yourself get excited. The difference between 90 lb/ft & 103 lb/ft is negligible. Your wheels would be just fine torqued to 90.

You carry your torque wrench around with you? LOL Life's short, slow down, take a deep breath and enjoy it.

Don't let some "manager" at Discount Tire ruin your day.

 

I live in the mountains of north Georgia and drive like a maniac ---- it's what I live for... ...relaxing would definitely kill me.

Goals for this year:
Add 30 hp
lose 30 lbs
bench press back up to at least 350 lbs
teach dog not to pull on leash
Calgary Stampede
20,000 miles on the motorcycle
no tickets
total cholesterol under 80

 

They seemed to have torqued my lugs ok, but they used the american socket instead of metric. So now I have lug nuts with rounded off edges. Nice!

 

I had a surreal conversation with the regional DT official yesterday who called to say "sorry". He said there's not much a big company can do to keep their employees in line when they don't pay them much. He suggested that I try a different store and see if they do better.

 

Wow couldn't agree more, its about time someone said it! It's no wonder why you have so many health problems. My god, you need to chill out. It has been proven that stress can be a direct link to serious heart health problems....you really shouldn't let 13 ft/lbs stress you out that much.

 

I'd let 13 ft/lbs stress me. There is a reason the spec is 90 vs 103 don't cha think? Having the wheels stay on seems somewhat important to me.

I check the torque myself at any tire store that has any of my wheels off. Not stressing, just playing it safe.

 

Same here. My mechanic is deservedly right up there on the top of the Christmas card list. If you don't have one, start/keep looking until you do.

 

Bad service, and especially bad attitudes, are hard to take. But, please, remember to take care of yourself first.

If it's of any comfort to you, you might reflect on my words to live by when my world dims.
Hope this helps. Stay well and God bless, my friend.

Go out and fire up that Mini!

 

Great, another obsessive, possible life-saving detail made known to me through this forum.

Whenever I changed flats, I used to jump up and down on the wrench to tighten the nuts. I used to weigh 170 lbs then. How does that translate to torque ft/lbs? Hmmm. 6' tall over 170 weight?

 

The wheels will stay on the car torqued to 80 lb/ft. I have no idea why people get so stressed about this.

Yes, I own 4 torque wrenches. I have my 2 Snap-Ons calibrated once a year at work. 13 lb/ft would stress me if it was a cylinder head spec, but never a lug nut.

 

Just to refresh, a guy in our club has had his left-front wheel come off on two different Minis. It was sleeting out, I just had a heart-cath, and the snotnosed manager was being obstreperous.
I'm a high-intensity person but not usually confrontational. This guy was pushing buttons on purpose.

 

I would guess he's got other issues besides improper torque.

 

Should be enough to induce MI!

 

OK not important to you. A blown headgasket wouldn't kill you. A tire falling off could kill you. You have your priorities & I have mine.

 

Not to hijack, but I've got a question about labeling for tire pressures. My MINI left the factory with the Sport Package's 17" tires. I wanted 16" instead, so the dealer worked out a deal that a car on the same truck would have 16," and they swapped wheels before I ever got it. Question is, the door sticker reflects the 17" pressures. How do I prove otherwise?

BTW, my experience with DT was unsatisfactory as far as pressures were concerned. They insisted on filling with 32 PSI.

 

I wouldn't worry about that too much. I'm running 32 PSI in my 16" tires. 205-50-16"

If you don't already have one buy a decent air gauge & keep it in your car. IMO it is best to check PSI every couple of weeks & not depend on others to do that job.

 

are tire pressures the same for regular and run flats?

 

Had a similar experience when I went to have my oil changed after 3K miles. Went to a BMW/Mercedes "Foreign Motors" shop. I stopped in and asked if they did oil changes on R56 Minis. "Of course"-went through the whole thing about different motors etc., so made my appointment for later in the week.

Appointment time, I sat there for 2 hours for the quick oil change. Went home to wait because the engine was still too hot (after a 10 minute drive), then got a call 15 minutes later that they didn't have the right filter, but would be able to get one soon. Told them to forget it, picked up my car, ordered my own filter and did it myself. So don't feel bad Arnbut-I feel that whenever I walk into most stations, since I'm not a mechanic, most places treat customers as if we have an IQ in the double digits.

Thats why I love the DIY sections here. Even with my IQ of 75 I can figure out that the R56's have a differnt tork o hundert fife cuz eye askd it munths ago.

 

There is a chart for tire pressures in the manual. I'm running 37 psi front and 36 psi rears with 16" wheels.

 

My car wanders when I run the pressures that high...
I run 33/32 for normal and 34/33 for really really fast days and/or hot weather.