Hi guys. I just ordered a set of michelin P.A's from Damon yesterday (that tirerack had on special closeout pricing) on O.Z alleggeritas for the winter for my '09 C4S that I bought two weeks ago. Unfortunately I am two hours away from Seattle which is where I bought the car. Wondering if it is safe to have a local tire rack approved installer do it or should I taxi the the winter wheel/tires on my minivan to Seattle to have them installed there. Anything do'/dont's as far as installation/TPMS reset. (One friend told me to not use the airgun for fear that it will overtighten the wheels) If it's just a swap out am I overreacting. Let me know. Any help will be appreciated. Here is a recent picture of my new baby.

 

To clarify further, I ordered the 18 " package.

 

Do it yourself. It took me no more than 25-30 minutes to install them and I used a torque wrench and tighten it to 96 lb. Re-torque after few miles of driving. Resetting the TPMS is quite easy; just follow the owner's manual.

John

 

like JohnAMG said, tighten the lug nuts with a hand torque wrench. Do not use an impact gun to tighten your lugs completely. Are you tires coming mounted on the wheels from tirerack? If so, it will save you time and money to just throw the car up on your jack and do it yourself.

 

Yes the tires are coming mounted on the wheels from tirerack. I'll probably get the tools and start mounting them myself from next spring but this time would like to use the local guys ...is that okay.

 

If the tires are mounted on the wheels, do it yourself.

You will need a low profile jack, and I recommend a few of these to help set the wheels up on your car.

http://www.e-partssales.com/miva/mer...ode=997cwheels

When you remove wheels from your car, it is good to wash the wheels and inspect the tires for any possible problems.

Not many Porsche's in Yakima, I drove through there in September with mine on the trailer after a few days at Oregon Raceway Park.

 

If all is mounted and balanced already then all you have to do is swap the tires like you do with a flat. Just have to do it 4 times.

Did you purchase the TPM units from Tirerack too?

 

Well you answered one of my questions. I would use the local guys, and stress to them the importance of this car to you! Installing wheels isn't rocket science, but if they are approved by Tirerack, then I am sure they are OK.

Take some before shots of your wheels with a digital camera, incase anything happens during the transfer.

 

Yes it ordered with the TPMS sensors all balanced and mounted.

 

Hmm. Not sure what question is about then - it is definitely a physical job of changing wheels and if it is challenging for you - get it done in the shop. There is nothing wrong with it. To me it would more like waste of time and money but it definitely easier this way.

I did it differently - I do not trust any supplier like tirerack or anything else to mount and balance my tires. I always do it in a local shop. First of all you will be guaranteed this way to receive your new rims in original manufacturer packaging, undamaged, plus you can see with your own eyes if balancing was done right. Also I do not like cheap black rubber valve stems, I like stainless steel ones. They never degrade and keep pressure better.

 

Looks really nice!
The 997.2 Wheels S wheels looks better than the 997.1 S....

 

post pics when done please.

 

Thank you for the input. I will post the pictures once they are mounted later this week.

 

I go to a local shop whose work is exceptional for all my wheel and tire needs. They cost more than TireRack, but there's a big difference: they do on car high-speed balancing.

From their site:
"The difference between traditional balance and our on-the-car balance is often dramatic. Here’s why:
-Most tire stores only “spin balance” the tire and wheel off the car.
-To really eliminate vibration the tire and wheel are balanced on the car at a higher rate of speed. Butler tire balances the complete tire and wheel assembly on your car while simulating speeds up to 120 MPH.
-For a smooth, vibration-free ride and extended tread life ask about Hi-Speed on-the-car wheel balancing."

Find a local shop with a great reputation. It'll drive smooth as silk!
CATTMAN

 

Hey, I like how you shoot your Porsche from a ground level.