The DIRT Staff

One of the most common upgrades on an off-roader is a set of new tires and wheels. The right set of tires and wheels can enhance the outlook of your vehicle, as well as improve its off-road capabilities. There's a popular saying that goes, "All the electronics and performance hardware in the world can't take you as far as the right set of tires," and that's true. Your tires are the only contact patch between your vehicle and the ground. However, tires are only half of the story, as they must be matched to the right set of wheels for maximum performance as well as safety.

While certain aftermarket mods like stretched tires may look cool, they are not particularly safe, as you are pushing the wheel and tire beyond what they are designed to withstand. Therefore, it's essential to ensure that any tire and wheel upgrades are done correctly, and you should also investigate if you need to upgrade areas such as the suspension on your vehicle, for example, to ensure that an upsized set of tires doesn't catch on the fenders. Let us take you through the signs of needing new tires or wheels, the tools and supplies needed, and the steps to install a new tire and wheel package.

If you're looking to purchase a new tire and wheel package, just hit up our tires and wheels, and go to town. Our friendly experts are always on hand to advise you of the best choices as per your requirements and vehicle specifications, ensuring that you are purchasing an appropriate, safe, and cost-effective solution.

Signs You Need New Tires Or Wheels

How do you know that you need new tires and wheels? Let us break it down into tires and wheels and take each separately. Of course, you will need new tires and wheels if you desire to upsize them or install off-road tires.

When Do You Need New Tires?

When your tires are worn beyond legal limits, you need new tires pronto. This is non-negotiable. Worn-out tires can put you in serious danger, especially in inclement weather, as well as in higher-speed situations. The last thing you need is a sudden blowout on a highway. There are many ways to check if your tires are worn out, such as the penny test, which is published by GoodYear.

You will need new tires if your existing tires have sustained more than three punctures that have been repaired or if you've sustained some form of sidewall damage. Sidewall damage is not repairable, and any attempted repair on a sidewall is dangerous.

If your tires are showing blisters, bumps, uneven wear patterns, cracks, or other damage such as chunks of rubber ripped off, it's time for new tires.

When Do You Need New Wheels?

You will need new wheels if your existing wheels have sustained severe damage and are badly out of balance. While this is most common in vehicular accidents, it can also occur under severe impacts with hard objects, such as jumping a curb at speed with low tire pressure. While cosmetically damaged wheels can be restored, it's not recommended to attempt to repair wheels that have buckled, deformed, or suffered structural damage.

Tools & Supplies Needed

So what do you need to install a new tire and wheel package? Here's the list.

• The set of new tires and wheels, mounted, balanced and inflated to correct pressure.
• A jack, or multiple jacks.
• Jack stands for added safety.
• Lug nut wrench, four-way wrench, or socket on a breaker bar.
• Torque wrench.
• A power lug nut remover can assist with removal but shouldn't be used to tighten lug nuts.
• Tire pressure gauge and tire inflator.

Steps To Install A New Tire & Wheel Package

How do you install a new tire and wheel package? The same way you would change a flat tire! While that's becoming a dying art due to run-flat tires and filler cans, it's still a valuable life skill. Do teach your kids how to do it if they don't already know. Here are the steps.

• Park your vehicle on a level piece of ground that's away from traffic.
• Ensure that you have easy access all around.
• Identify which wheels you are going to change. Is it all four, or just two?
• Use the lug nut wrench, four-way wrench, or socket on a breaker bar to loosen the lug nuts on the wheels you are going to remove, but do not remove the lug nuts. You may use the power lug nut remover for this if desired.
• Place the jack underneath the appropriate jacking points, and jack up your vehicle so that the tire is clean off the ground. You don't need to jack it up too high — a couple of inches of clearance between the tire and the ground is sufficient.
• Place a jack stand to support the vehicle, as you should never trust a jack alone.
• Fully remove the lug nuts and place them carefully aside so that you do not lose any.
• Remove your old wheels and tires.
• At this stage, it's nice to have a look at the condition of the hubs, brake rotors, and other moving parts, to identify any rust, dirt, or damage and rectify it accordingly.
• Fetch your new tires and test fit them. Remember that some tires are directional, in which case you should match the rotation arrow with the direction of forward rotation on your vehicle. Other tires may be asymmetrical, in which case the side marked "Outside" or "Outer" should be facing you when installing the tire.
• Check the fitment of the tire and wheel on the hub. Some manufacturers recommend using centering rings, so check your vehicle's owner's manual for vehicle-specific information.
• Once everything is seated, place the lug nuts and finger tighten. They should be easy to tighten by hand. If there is resistance, check for dirt and debris in the lug treads.
• Place your vehicle's transmission in neutral and gently rotate the wheel, ensuring that nothing is catching or snagging. This is to also ensure that the balancing weights do not contact any part of the brake assembly, for example.
• Replace the jack, remove the jack stand, and gently lower your vehicle to the ground.
• Use the torque wrench to torque the lug nuts to the correct specification, this can be found in your vehicle's owner's manual. Never use a power lug nut wrench, as this can over-torque the bolts and cause damage.
• Check your tire pressure once the vehicle is resting on the ground, and adjust as necessary.
• Take a test drive, cautiously at first.

Be sure to re-check the torque on the lug nuts and re-torque if necessary after 100 miles. Another helpful tip is to check your tire pressure every week when the tires and vehicle are cold.

Tires, Wheels, and Everything Off-Road from 4 Wheel Parts

If your ride needs new shoes, why not swing by 4 Wheel Parts? We carry a broad range of tires, wheels, and everything else you could need on your off-roader, spanning thousands of quality products across hundreds of established brands. Either head towards your nearest 4 Wheel Parts Branch, which can't be too far away as we've got over 90 scattered across the nation, or let your fingers do the walking and talking on our comprehensive website. Whichever avenue you choose, you can avail yourself of expert advice from our friendly staff, as well as be entitled to our price-match policy, ensuring that you pay the most competitive price for your choices. We offer all applicable warranties and our after-sales service has been lauded by all our regular customers, many of whom have been with us for years. Choose 4 Wheel Parts; we're not just another retailer but a partner.