Automakers to gearheads: Stop repairing cars

Automakers are supporting provisions in copyright law that could prohibit home mechanics and car enthusiasts from repairing and modifying their own vehicles.

Allowing them to continue to fix their cars has become "legally problematic," according to a written statement from the Auto Alliance, the main lobbying arm of automakers.

The dispute arises from a section of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act that no one thought could apply to vehicles when it was signed into law in 1998. But now, in an era where cars are rolling computing platforms, the U.S. Copyright Office is examining whether provisions of the law that protect intellectual property should prohibit people from modifying and tuning their cars.

Aftermarket suppliers and home enthusiasts have been modifying ECUs for years without dire consequences. By tweaking the ECU codes, ...they've boosted horsepower, improved fuel efficiency, established performance limits for teen drivers and enhanced countless other features. These innovations have contributed to a "decades-old tradition of mechanical curiosity and self-reliance," according to the EFF.

Those innovations could be curbed precisely at a time that automakers believe personalization of vehicles is emerging as a significant trend. Software is allowing for all sorts of technology, such as 4G LTE wireless connections, and motorists can use this software to choose from an increasing array of infotainment options. But the car companies, paradoxically, want to be the ones doing the personalizing.

The EFF thinks the industry's desire to block exemptions has more to do with profits than safety. As software becomes easier to update, automakers could sell these performance upgrades on an a la carte basis. Because a favorable ruling would strengthen their control of the software, the car companies could potentially force consumers to only have their vehicles fixed at their dealerships or preferred repair shops.

A couple of years ago, I decided to stop wasting time and money with tire mounting appointments and didn’t have the budget at the time for a large air compressor or tire machine. The nearest tire store is about 60 miles from here. So for those interested, here’s the part that I didn’t find on the Net to get tires mounted on aluminum wheels quickly with a hand pump in the middle of nowhere.

The tires should be a proper size for the wheels. There’s an assumption here that you already know how to deflate the old tires, lay the wheels down on their sides and run over the tires with a vehicle to break the beads. This will further ruin the steel belts in the old tires, BTW (not good for tire repair and reuse).

After the old tires are off of the wheels, clean the wheels with water, especially around where the tire beads will seat. Poke and pull the old valves (soapy water, skinny screwdriver, pliers).

Use soap and water to gently put the new valve in the wheel. Be patient. You’ll figure it out. Make sure that the cap is on while doing it (protect threads). A valve stem tool might be better for pulling them through. A whole valve seating tool would be best.

Put both sides of the tire on the wheel. Not as hard as it would seem with plenty of slightly soapy water around the bead. Make sure you put the side of the tire chosen to be on the outside of the tire, outside on each wheel.

The good part that I couldn’t find on the Net:

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The wheel will have two inner shoulders—one on each side, one side narrower and one side wider. Lay the wheel down on plywood or something, on the side with the narrower inner shoulder. Soap and water around the bead on the same (bottom) side. Patiently and gently, push the bead over the narrower shoulder on the bottom side of the wheel with the crowbar or similar abused tool through the gap on top between the wheel and tire.

Turn the wheel over and lay it on the other side. Put plenty of soapy water on the other bead (tire bead hanging down against the wider inner shoulder). Start pumping. It should air up and eventually seat (pop!). Listen to it. Easily worked for me and should work that way with properly sized tires for anyone.

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But one can resort to putting a tie-down strap around the circumference of the tire and jack on it a little if necessary.

Bubble balancers and wheel weights can be ordered through EBay and other sites.

The tires that were delivered through an Internet order were already perfectly balanced and didn’t need balancing at all. Some are, some aren’t. Tires without balancing marks are less likely to need balancing (example: Hankook winter tires here—tested and worn out with no problems). Same with wheels. The tire price was great, BTW. Some aluminum wheels are also balanced.

Some men would argue that steel wheels are likely longer lasting and can be beat back into shape within reason. That’s also probably true, but wheel weights will also more likely be needed on those.

I wore those tires completely out without any need for balancing, although it was necessary to clean mud or ice out of the backsides of some of the wheels from time to time.

If you keep this info in case of a world-changing event and order tires to be stored for later, be careful about how you store the tires. Store them standing on the treads, and rotate them a little from time to time. That will keep the beads better positioned for mounting later on.

Scratch the part about using a valve stem unscrewing tool to pull the valves through. Might not work at all. A valve seating tool (like those in tire shops) should work great, though.

I used pliers over the threads with old valve cap covering them and put the new cap on afterwards. Had to be patient and gentle with that. Worked fine with soapy water between the new valve and the hole for it in the wheel. I might have pushed on the backside of the valve a little while pulling it through from the other side while rocking it back and forth a little.

The important part was getting the tire seated on the narrower inner wheel shoulder first, though. That’s what I didn’t find on the Net. Aired right up with a hand pump, so it should work fine with a low volume air compressor.

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