Swapped to my winter setup: Warning light (DSC and ABS disabled)
 

Took off my summer setup ( the staggered 20's setup for the 4.8). Installed the winter setup which I've been told the 18' would be perfect but after I installed the 18's (I did maybe 10-20 KM), the red warning sign went on and disabled both the DSC and ABS....

Would this have anything to do with going from the 20's to the 18's or is this a completely different problem?

You can try putting your 20's back on to see if the lights go off.

The wheels shouldn't disturb the system unless you are not running something right. Are you winter shoes on factory wheels? Only thing I can think of is if you accidentally clipped a speed sensor.

Since the fault is there, changing the wheels will do nothing. You will need to have the system scanned to see what the fault is registering to be accurate.

There a reason why a warning light is on, get the X scan and find out why the light is on. Lights only come on when there's are trouble codes.

Yes , tires are mounted on factory wheels, but come to think of it, the indy who changed the wheels used a piece of 2x4 to "gently" knock off the front wheels. I'm wondering now if it's possible that he hit a speed sensor.

Where is the speed sensor located?

Speed sensor is located on the hub itself. Hitting the tire with a 2x4 shouldn't harm it. Its a robust piece of steel there, unless the guy missed and hit the inner fender. From there all bets are off.

If you can, take the X to have the codes taken out and see what they are. From there it should give you a general idea of what the problem is.

I mean I'v kicked the wheels off, taken dead blow hammers to the hub and such and everything has been fine. But if he missed or used the 2x4 between the spokes and tried to pry it off, he may have nicked something. Right now these are all guesses and it is best to have the codes scanned. In your neck of the woods, no DSC and ABS is very dangerous. So be careful, but if you wanna put a smile on your face after a long day at work... the occasional throttle blip in an open freeway shouldn't be a problem. lol

Im going to say they probably are but doesnt hurt to check,


18s all around and all running the same tire size correct?

scan the codes is what i would do, just to be sure. dsc and abs are good to have in the winter :)

It's very tempting to put my 20's back on like someone suggested cause when I bought the X last year ( end of February ) the 4x4 warning sign was on with the winter setup ( I used the same wheels that came with the X) . Because winter was over I decided to wait until I installed the summer 20's and then have it checked. When I did put them on , everything was fine and the 4x4 warning went away. Only thing different this time is the red warning sign is on as well as the DSC.
I'll probably have to get the codes but I'm still wondering if this can have anything to do with a bad mag???? Arggggg and my 20's are all winterized , polished and clean.....lol

Thanks guys for all your help!

You didn't mention if your winter tires are all the same size. Mismatched sizes would cause DSC problems and potential damage to your transfer case. The fact that it happened before and putting the 20's back on fixed it makes it sound like you have staggered 18's but the diameters don't match.

Oh sorry , yes all 4 match....Summer setup are 20"s staggered but winter setup all matching 18's....oh but wait , would 2 brand new tires with 2 more used tire do anything?
I put the 2 new ones in the back and other 2 with about 60% left on them in front.....

No, treadwear shouldn't matter too much, but maybe with winter tires usually having deeper tread, that has a small chance of causing an issue. Even if you were almost to the min. tread depth, that's going to be only about a 2% difference in overall diameter between the worn and new tires, so not significant enough to cause a problem.

Since all 4 are the same size, now maybe we should know what size are the 18's? You should have 255/55/18 to get a correct speed reading. Maybe DSC is worried that your wheel speed vs. transmission speed is different than before? Normally, this would cause the flat tire monitor to come on, but all 4 wheels travelling at the same RPM would prevent that from happening.

255/55/18 is what I have.....

If two of the 18" winter tires are used/older....and the other two 18" winter tires are new...and every time you mount them on the vehicle the DSC/4x4 light illuminates...but if you mount your summer 20" wheel/tires...the light goes off...isn't there a big ELEPHANT standing in the middle of the room in that there's something off with the 18" winter wheel/tire set-up?

If the overall diameter/circumference of the wheel/tires is off by 3% (+/-)...it can create an issue. And perhaps a simple check to see how far off the overall circumference of the wheel/tires on each axle are...may reveal what the issue is.

Are the tires on the front & rear axles the same brand and size (just double checking)? Or do you have dedicated winter tires on one axle and all season tires on the other axle (even though the both may be 255/55/18)? And which axle has the "old" tires...and again, what is the tread depth?

What is the tread depth of the old 255/55/18 winter tires vs the tread depth of the new 255/55/18 winter tires? If you don't have a tread depth gauge...stop by any tire vendor and they can measure this for you...and probably for free...especially if they think you may be buying a pair of tires from them. :)

If you don't want to do this simple task...then as suggested in other replies...hook the vehicle up to diagnostic equipment so that you can communicate with the vehicle to find out what faults the DSC/4x4 system has registered.

Check the air sensor levers. Sometime they will flip over when you let the jack down. The arms should be toward the outside on that side.

Using the first recommended pair of snow tires on tirerack for a 4.8is on 18" wheels, the tread depth is 13/32" new. Assuming same model tire used all the wear to the wear bars, 2/32", would give a total diameter change of 22/32" (2 x 11/32). The new tire has a diameter of 29", subtract the worn tread depth, then divided by new diameter, 97.6%, or a 2.4% difference. Since rolling/loaded diameter is different than unladen, its very possible to go over 3%.
What about tire pressures? Snow tires have softer sidewalls and seem to be more affected by tire pressure differences. If using the recommended pressures on the door, I could see just that causing a rolling diameter difference, compounded with tread wear difference...I run my snow tires same pressure all around, haven't noticed an issue, same deal 20" summer tires, switching to 255/55/18 snows.

wouldn't this throw a self-leveling warning?

Normally yes--I missed the part where you drove 10-20km--not the leveling arms.

I'll double check everything you guys brought up...but to answer some questions:
-all tires are the same brand/model and size ( scorpions).
-both new tires are in the back and older ones front
-I'll check the tread depth.....

:thumbup:

Just get a tape measure and measure the circumference of all the wheels

The wheel sensor wire is not protected. The 4X4 could have damaged the wire or one of the connectors.

I find it easier to measure diameter to learn the variation. I don't need to have the wheel off the ground and I don't have to find the high point of the tread to get an accurate measurement from wheel to wheel.

I'll look it up but would you have the wheel sensor diagram handy?

If you look at the back of the hub you will see the wire running to near the top of the fender well. Similar on both ends.

:thumbup:

Update:

Yesterday coming home from work , ran some errands and no warning lights. This morning went to work and still nothing.

How possible is it that the computer had a delay to adjust to the wheel swap????

Could also be totally unrelated. Back to one of the posts earlier, is your battery fully charged?

Nothing lets me suspect a dying battery but I will add testing to the list.

Hey, anything is possible with bmw. If you have no warning light drive it like you stole it.

No such luck.... Lights came back on.
I'm going at my indy this afternoon. Will report back with codes.

This is what came out.

-Anti lock brakes: 5eri/steering
-Angle sensor (lws) signal
-Relative: Steering wheel central position unidentified
-Instrument panel: BD/electronic brake balance

Then this one that worries me a little more: 5F3A : Transfer case internal

We also noticed that the front 18 rims almost rub on the callipers. The stick-on balancing weights flew off cause they probably hit the callipers on the first rotation. The rear ones have plenty of room. Should the space between the rim and the calliper be the same all around?

what are the specs on your winter wheels? You may need to put spacers on to make them clear the calipers, did you use oem bmw 18's for the E53? Those should clear. I'm pretty sure if you were rubbing the calipers on the wheels you'd know it LOL, it might be close though.

The electronic brake imbalance code I wouldn't worry about, we always get it when scanning.

The transfer case code I might worry about, you might have an actuator motor that's going bad. Can you get an official scan with DIS? those codes are kinda generic

Three faults related to steering...either your steering angle sensor needs to be recalibrated or replaced. Not sure what the cluster has to do with brake balance. Are the brake balance and transfer case faults active?

Your calipers on the rear are smaller, and so are the discs, so the gap will be larger back there. Same rear brake diameter as the non-iS X5's, so you could put 17's back there if you wanted. Note the location of the part of the wheel that is closest to the caliper on front, and then ask the tire shop to install the weights outside that area if possible. you could always do a single stick/tape weight instead of two. Won't be perfect, but you might not really notice with the snow tires anyway.

BTW: I have this as a winter setup.
http://i575.photobucket.com/albums/s...gab/x5rims.jpg

18's will def clear the caliper. It is tight, but the wheels move freely. If you are using an OE wheel, which you said you are. The wheel weights are a pain. Honestly, I don't run em with the weights cause they end up flying off anyways.

As for the lights. I concur with the SAS being off. Just for a giggle. Try turning your wheel full lock left and then right and then center to recalibrate on your own. The transfer fault might be because the plastic gear is shot on the one side. All that would need to be done is flipping the gear 180* and you're done.

Tire shops will use lead weight tape to balance a tire, better shops will have slim weights. If they don't, you might have to bite the bullet and go to the dealer to have them put the super thin weights on. They taper from edge to edge so using those should clear.

-Are you talking about the gear in the actuator?

-The left/right/centre did not shut the lights off....

Yeah that actuator gear might be bald on one side. Maybe SlickGT will chime in because he did this and did a DIY I think.

And ok, so that didn't work... I am assuming you went to a shop to get the codes pulled. It sucks, but you may need to go back to have them dig further with GT-1 or INPA as to what the values the SAS is reading. There is a procedure to check if the SAS is at fault, I'm just not sure what it is off the top of my head. TwinsPappa just did this repair last year, but I think he made a DIY with the correct default values.

Let me try to find the thread and post it.

If the OBC has not been read for error codes in sometime, the codes should be cleared and see what returns.

You don't need spacers or have to compromise how the wheels are balanced. Stick on weights do come off sometimes but I say get the wheel balanced again if that happens.

Assuming your steering wheel is centered, after disconnecting the battery or suspension work the steering angle sensor will likely need re-calibration. As mentioned the lock to lock to lock may do the trick or BMW type scan tools will do the job. Steering angle sensor will cause the DSC light to come on. Seems like it the ABS light can also light up but not sure.

Ok I looked up some info on the actuator gear and found a video on youtube , at 1:10 min you can hear the sound of a shot gear. I have that exact same sound now but did not have it until I swapped for my 18's...The gear at Odometer Gears is 125$ and they specify the part wil not be covered under warranty unless given proof that all four tires be replaced at once. So now I'm thinking I have to change that gear (easy DIY) but will need to figure out if my winter setup is the cause of this gear failure ....Your thoughts on this?

Here is the vid :2005 BMW X5 TRANSFER CASE ACTUATOR - YouTube

Requiring all 4 tires be replaced at the same time is outlandish on a vehicle that has a factory staggered setup. The rears will almost always need to be replaced before the front because of the inner and center tread wear. But maybe I'm just getting too excited about such a requirement. My E30 iX has perfectly even wear front and rear, but it also has a square tire setup.
Isn't the SAS test, just verifying the angle is read correctly while turning left and then turning right? Yes, SAS would cause DSC to failsafe which will make the ABS light also come on.
4x4 light should stay off, except for that transfer case issue with the gear.

Ok so from what I understand I need to change that gear ( obviously), that should take care of the 4x4 light but I also need to make sure , before I drive with the new gear , that the SAS is working properly. If not I need to either calibrate it or replace it.
My winter setup is probably not the issue here and was most probably coincidental?

My E30 doesn't have traction control or DSC and I've never had problems with driving around. ��

It's not a question of not being able to drive it without 4x4/DSC. It's a question of keeping this X in mint condition cause I have a passion for it. I've owned many 3's and 5's series and i've even drove my M3 through a few cold Canadian winter and it was a blast.

Anyone know if the dealer sells the actuator gear separately?
Odometer Gears sells them for 110$ on ebay but they are in CA shipping cost is ridiculous and can take up to 2 weeks to get here ....

Actively searching for a gear.......

Dealer sells full actuator only, be prepared to pay 800 bucks if you can't wait from Odometer gears:

http://realoem.com/bmw/diagrams/t/q/439.png

Trust me I'll wait ;)

I would be doing the same LOL :)

FYI:

I ordered the gear from ECS Tuning : 101$ ( 25$ shipping to Canada)

Brand : Odometer Gears ( Odometer Gear sell there own gear on their web site for 125$ + shipping) :dunno:

my question is why use plastic gear. IMHO why not brass its still a soft metal.

Brass would be more expensive and require the associated gear to also cost more to be compatible with brass. I would expect their testing showed the gear will last a long time. I still have the original gear at 110,000 miles.

I agree with ya bcredliner, I wonder if that gear would wear out more in winter parts of the world though with traction control kicking in more? I would think so.

I think that would be true of the X drive version as it is infinity variable and works in conjunction with ABS and DSC systems. Earlier transfer cases were mechanical with constant split between front and rear. Could still be true of the mechanical version if only because of the effects of cold weather has on most things, like my fingers and toes.

its nice to know you can just get the gear instead of replacing the whole unit assembly.

Mine lasted 170.000Km (105K Miles) and we have some decent winters over here.

Update: I ordered the gear over the weekend at ECS Tuning and from the tracking number I should be getting it on Thursday ( Very impressed with ECS btw) ...
My X is going to my Indy for oil leak on Friday so I'll have him remove the actuator so that I can replace the gear. I'm still questioning myself on what caused this failure the same day I changed to my winter setup and afraid I'll strip the brand new gear. Hopefully it was only a coincidence.

I'm debating on whether I should flip the old gear and drive with it and see what happens or install the new one and risk it...

:dunno:

I subscribe to--there are no coincidences.

I assume you measured the diameter or circumference of the tires to see if there is a variance of 3% or more?

When the indy read the codes did he clear them so you can see if they all returned?

The change from 20" to 18" wheels can effectively change the gear ratio. That means that at any speed you travel the engine will very likely run at higher RPMs with the 18"wheels. I think that means that anytime the transfer actuator is engaged the gear will be under greater stress than with the 20" wheels. If that is correct and the gear was already worn the change could cause the gear to fail.

The fact that the 4X4 light was on the last time the 18" tires were on means to me that the tires sizes are at part of the problem.

I would do complete any troubleshooting to confirm the cause of the lights and then if I couldn't find a cause other than potentially the gear I would put in the new one.

I would think the smaller wheels and tires would effectively reduce the moment of inertia thus reducing the stress on the system (less rotating mass).
Comparing stock 20" tires vs winter 18", on tire rack, the winter tires are actually 0.3" larger, so drivetrain would actually run slightly slower, not higher.

To answer some questions:

Yes my indy erased all the codes and will read again on Friday when I bring it in but all the light came back on.

Also , I mesured the tread depth of all 4 tires: (pirelli scorpions ice&snow) 255/55R18

Both rear = 10/32
Right front= 9/32
Left front= 8/32

I am fine using your point of view, it doesn't matter.

I don't know if there is additional stress on the gear or how much it would take to strip out the gear if there was. It was just a scenario to suggest how it might not be a coincidence. I don't have enough information to know what is fact.

My guess is mass moment of inertia is insignificant but I don't have enough info to know that for sure either.

The diameter of the tires could be smaller. I don't know because I don't know if OP has snow tires and if he does if they are Tire Rack recommendation. What I would need are the diameters of the summer and winter tires.

The input OP was interested in--should he flip the gear or install the new one?

My summer setup is the usual 20's staggered

and my winter's are 255/55R18 Pirelli Scorpions ice&snow
Mesurments:
Both rear = 10/32
Right front= 9/32
Left front= 8/32
If someone tells me the uneven wear of my front is the cause of all my headache I kid you not, I'M SELLING THE X!!!!! :wahwah:

The tread remaining is not the issue.

What are the diameters of each tire? Lay a straight edge on the top of the tire and measure to the ground passing through the center of the of the wheel.

Oh sry!

Front right: 27.75
Front left : 28
rear left : 28
Rear right : 28.25

Holy Crap, the right side is off by .50 inches (Hopefully he didn't use a metric ruler) which will result in circumferences of
87.18 inches (27.75) and
88.75 inches (28.25)

Which result in a difference of 1.57 inches. One wheel is spinning faster then the other.

Any suggestion? And is it enough to cause problems? From your "Holy Crap" it can't be good :rofl:

I'll need to take those measurements again though. My driveway has some ice and snow and might falsify the measurements a little.

Make sure the air pressure in the tires are all the same. Are all the tires the same make and model? Could be that one tire was replaced and that is why there is such a big difference.

The difference between the two right tires is more than 5.6%. That is probably you problem. As it was pointed out earlier:

Where is the 5% value coming from? I get a 1.8% difference (FR and RR). Since the calculations include a constant (pi), its easier and faster to just divide the diameters by eachother, comes out at 98.2%, FR/RR. And technically, this isn't exactly the correct way to do it, since the front and rear differentials will balance the difference between sides. And someone correct me, because I'm probably wrong, but the average of the left right per axle is what is seen by the center differential. So, the center would see 27.88 Front and 28.13 Rear, which is 99.1%. I don't think this would cause the differential faults.

IMO tire +- tire diameters that will generate warning light(s) or error codes from side to side or front to rear are confusing and inconclusive.

One reason is that I see no indication that posts are about a particular transfer case or all E53 transfer cases or transfer cases in general. As many know, there are two E53 transfer cases. One used from 2000-2003 and one used with xDrive from 2004-2006. The earlier transfer case was mechanical with a constant percentage front and rear. The xDrive transfer case is infinity variable and operates in a very different way.

Another is that for most of the posts there is a counter-post. Since I don't know the credibility of one verses the other, I don't have a clue if either of the posts are correct.

In addition, I can't find a BMW technical paper on how each operate, the impact of tire size on the transfer case or on the intended operation. Nor have I read a BMW generated percentage of how much variance is too much. I would guess there is one and would like to read it. Anybody know a source?

I can find where BMW states that different makes of tires may cause DSC to overreact and another where BMW states tire size is critical to proper operation and also one that states if the DSC is not operating properly it will generate error codes--all without any details. The only thing I think I know is that some amount of tire diameter or tire brand differences will compromise the effectiveness of the DSC system.

From personal experience I have never had a DSC problem related to tire size. At 110,000 miles I still have the original transfer case and never had a problem. I have replaced a single tire due to a blowout where the tread depth was then quite different than the other side. I have replaced tires on one end or the other many times as I go through rears twice as often as front tires. I have had different brands on the front and rear. I have had two different brands front and rear where the tires on the other end were down to half the tread depth. I have had to drive over several miles on deflated tire. I have noticed a low tire and had to drive 20+ miles before I could correct the 8 pounds it was low.

Thus far my conclusion has to be that some degree of tire differences front to rear or side to side may cause error codes or cause the DSC to over react but nothing else that is significant enough to mention.

:iagree: that OP should, in some manner, get all tire diameters to as near to the same height as possible and see if the problem goes away because that would eliminate the question if variation in diameter is the problem. Might be able to safely achieve that goal using inflation.

Lets recap:

-Tires are same brand , same tread pattern, same model, all inflated at same PSI....etc
-Problem started AS SOON as I put my winter's 18
-Many different theories concerning tire size but nothing really conclusive .
-Battery is fine
-Actuator now makes the ratchet sound when I shut the engine off.

I myself don't know as much as most of you concerning mechanics but it's hard to believe that such a small variation in tire can cause all this S***T.

How about the Angle sensor (lws) signal code that was pulled out from the scan? Couldn't this cause the same symptoms? Could this have been dammaged while the rim swap?

I'm trying to find another lead here....it's going in to my Indy on Friday and would like to know as much as I can before I do and especially before I install the new actuator gear.

Guys , thanks for chipping in with all your precious knowledge. It's greatly appreciated , trust me. :thumbup:

Steering angle sensor, DCS and ABS work in conjunction with each other so theoretically the answer is yes. While I wouldn't call changing tires suspension work, working on the suspension can require re-calibration of the sensor to get the light(s) to go out.

I am not convinced the problem is tire diameter differences either but I would put the 20s back on to see if that cures the problem. It is easier and much cheaper than Indy diagnostic hours. I know you would rather not do that, I wouldn't either, but I would anyway.

Reason I asked if the codes were cleared is so you can see if, for instance, that code returns. Unfortunately, even if it has it may only steer you in a direction instead of identifying the core cause. That likely means the potential of the tire diameter differences being the cause will still be on the table.

I know I should put the 20's back on and check it out but it won't help much now that the gear is shot (I guess) . I would need to change ( or flip) the gear then put my 20's on. Since my indy erased all the codes , now I only have the 4x4 signal going on but when I hit ice and slam the brakes to intentionally activate the abs , the ABS and red brake light goes on also ( and I only noticed that by testing on ice). Before the codes were erased , all 3 light stayed on.
There is so much combinations for this single problem that I've decided I'd flip the old gear after the indy is done with it and test for a while. I'm just not convinced we will find the problem on the first try for this one.... I'll hold on to the new gear and when the time is right , it's not that bad of a job to get to the actuator to swap the gear.
The headache...hahahahha

I would just flip the gear over right now, keep the snows on, double check your air pressure on all 4 corners, and see what it does.

My guess is the lower weight of the 18s doesn't absorb the torque from the engine as well and exacerbates the worn gear in the transfer case, as opposed to the "boat anchor" 20s that don't get the case as rattled.

Back to square one...

Took my X to my indy early friday morning as asked ,been waiting all week to get it in to get this problem fixed plus the oil leak. I was very exited to finally get something going.... So I wait til about 3pm and no news so I decide to give him a call and see what he found so far. Unbelievable: the car was still sitting outside and didn't even take a look at it. He said he would take a look at it Monday...Yeah right!
I took the X back home. I'm probably gonna end up taking it to the dealer , but I'll do the gear flip myself ( not putting the new one right away).

:banghead:

Good plan. Flip the gear and see if the problem persists, if it doesn't, you bought yourself some time and at least you know you have a replacement gear ready to go in.

If the problem persists after flipping the gear, you know you have other issues.

Good luck!

Update:

So I replaced the gear ( I couldn't resist and went with the new gear).

The 4x4 light (DSC) still turns on but AWD actually works. The system doesn't deactivates the AWD like it use to. The ABS works also now (and the light is off) . The only thing that doesn't work is the traction control. If I press the DSC button for a few seconds , the 4x4 light will reset and turn off but a few spins in the snow and the 4x4 light will turn on again and disengage the traction control.

I've also noticed that when I reset the DSC and have the 4x4 light turn off , if I just turn my steering wheel fully left , the 4x4 light turns on instantly.

I know I'll need to clear all the codes and see what new codes pop up but from the description above can we start pin pointing something?

Thx

You need to do left to right lock to lock to reset the steering angle sensor. Maybe that and a reset of the faults would put you back in action.

Rickey , I did the left /right/center but nothing happened. I guess my next move SHOULD be to reset all the faulty codes right?

Yes, clear the codes, I am not very confident that will work but if it doesn't the codes that return should be more helpful finding core cause.

UPDATE :

People who followed this thread remember I changed the actuator gear and it did fix part of the problem but after the gear swap , the 4x4 warning light stayed on and the abs on the left front wheel would activate for no reason (on dry) then the system would deactivate the 4x4.

Just got back from the dealer. Yes I went to the dealer again cause I went to an Indy last week and he charged me 50$ to tell me I had a problem and that I should have it aligned cause he saw the angle sensor fault and thought an alignment should be done first before doing anything else. So he sent me away to an alignment place and told me to come back after .....yeah right!
Anyway , dealer reprogrammed the steering angle sensor and voila , problem solved.
They think someone played with the steering wheel while the car was lifted and key in position 2, OR ,another tech said it could be because I changed the actuator gear and for some reason the position changed and sensor couldn't figure it out and "invented" new specs. But left spec was way off according to the angle sensor. They charged me 1hr no parts.

Thanks to everyone who chipped in.... :thumbup:

Wow, never would have guessed a wheel speed sensor could throw off the angle sensor...glad you got it fixed!

Angle sensor was off....not sure I understand why you are referring to the speed sensor. :dunno:

You were mentioning the left wheel was off. That made me think wheel speed sensor because there isn't a sensor that measures the actual position of the wheel. The steering angle sensor is composed of two angle sensors measuring rotation in opposite directions (redundancy just like every other fully electronic system). That's why you have to steer lock to lock to calibrate the sensor, so the number of rotations and end positions can be recorded. Disconnecting the battery for a long enough time also clears that memory.
I guess it just needed a factory refresh to reset all the 0's and 1's. Kinda like a smartphone needs every couple years...

I probably explained it a way that might be confusing but basically what the dealer told me is the steering angle sensor wasn't within spec.

Must feel good to not have to look at those lights anymore!

For you to bring this point up must be cause you know the feeling bro :D

Yes, and for me it is usually when I have been putting something off because I'm thinking it will cost a lot to fix and be hard to track down. Then when it I do get it fixed I am thinking why didn't I do that a long time ago.

I have to admit , I wanted to push this repair back til spring cause I was nervous about this particular problem. My projection of this repair was many many moments of frustration and trying to battle things out with dealer....Thats not how it happened at all and everything went smooth....Glad I decided not to wait until spring.
Now can't wait for next snow storm cause I can barely remember how it feels when everything works A1 on this X....