My tire shop installed my summer tires this morning (It’s been a long winter here! ).

One problem though. The shop installed the 245/45-18” tires on the front and the 245/40-18” tires on the rear.

I have stock wheels with the “prevention” bolt, so I wonder how they managed to mess this up.

Anyway, the problem was obvious immediately when I began merging onto the expressway. I have a Performance model (and thus VDC). The TCS component activated, reducing acceleration. It didn’t kill power… I would describe it more like a hesitation, but it was very obvious.

I went back to the shop this afternon, and they remounted the wheels.

If anyone wonders if “taller-fronts-than-rears” is a problem with VDC or TCS, I can now say from personal experience that it is.

--Spike

 

Did you ask them how they managed that?

 

^^ Yes. That question elicited lots of throat clearing, and the blame fell upon "Ben," who was conveniently no longer in the shop (I was told that he had gone home).

Mistakenly reversing OEM front and rear wheels on a 2003 Z should be about an impossible error to make since Nissan deliberately “block-bolts” to prevent this confusion.

--Spike

 

You would think so Spike... I am glad they took care of everything for you and everything worked out well in the end (minus the inconvenience and time you lost). Thanks for the info.

 

They only work if they stay on on the car. Bolts can come out pretty easy.

 

Still, 1+1=2.

If you took the wheels off of the car, but they didn't fit when you go to put them back on, you know something isn't right. REMOVING something from the car is not the answer, unless YOU (tire shop emp.) put it in after taking the wheels off.

 

^^ Yes, they removed the defensive bolt! I had them reinstall this when they remounted the tires correctly.

Of course my question was: "Why did you do that?"
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EDIT: I just called them ( a few minutes ago) after reading the messages posted by Members here (and, thanks guys for the help).

As it turns out, they removed the defensive bolt 6 months before (before winter) to mount my snow tires that are on aftermarket wheels and won't fit with the bolt in place. I should have known.

--Spike

 

Hey Spike, 03 18's right , just the normal ones , not the track versions? LOL guess what , they are the same front and back 18x8 no difference at all. That bolt doesn't do jack chit unless you have the OEM 17's or the staggered 18's (track , 06 and newer)

 

you sure theres a bolt? i mean they could have put the wrong tires on the wrong rims? is it really that big of a deal?

 

People who don't read If the front and the rear wheel are identical , guess what?

Please use your head for something other than to hold a hat.

 

Oops…
You are correct. My ’03 Performance model has the OEM silver “wagon wheels.” They are all the same size (18x8”).

The bolt was removed because it interfered with mounting aftermarket 17” wheels for my studless snow tires. But, as you point out this wouldn’t be any help preventing mixing the front and rear OEM wheels (I don’t think?) in the case of my Performance model. No wonder the guys in the tire shop gave me a confused look when I described this.

You’re right … again!

--Spike