A DC10 INCURRED A MAINT DELAY DUE TO AN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED MAIN WHEEL AND TIRE ASSEMBLY.

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ON MAY/XX/97; I WAS ASSIGNED TO CHK DC10 TIRES AND BRAKES. I WAS NOT VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE ACFT; SO I ASKED THE OPINION OF A MECH WHO WORKS ON THE DC10 ON A NIGHTLY BASIS. HE SAID THAT THE TIRE IN QUESTION OUGHT TO BE CHANGED; AND HE VOLUNTEERED TO HELP ME. ALTHOUGH HE IS NOT A TRAINING LEAD AND HAS ONLY 3 MONTHS MORE EXPERIENCE THAN ME; I SILENTLY ASSUMED THE ROLE OF HIS TRAINEE; SINCE IT WAS MY FIRST DC10 TIRE CHANGE; AND HE HAD DONE SEVERAL. WE CHANGED THE TIRE ACCORDING TO THE MAINT MANUAL AND WHEN I ASKED HIM ABOUT THE 'SPACER;' HE THOUGHT THAT A NEW ONE WAS ALREADY IN PLACE; BUT THERE WAS NOT ONE THERE. WE FINISHED INSTALLING THE WHEEL; AND WHEN MY PARTNER FILLED OUT THE UNSVCABLE TAG FOR THE WORN TIRE; HE ENTERED THE WRONG ACFT NUMBER. LATER IN THE MORNING; THE TIRE SHOP NOTICED THAT THE 'SPACER' WAS STILL WITH THE UNSVCABLE WHEEL. BUT DUE TO THE PAPERWORK ERROR; THEY CHASED DOWN AND DELAYED THE WRONG ACFT. WHEN THEY REALIZED THE MISTAKE; THEY HAD TO ALSO DELAY THE CORRECT ACFT TO REPLACE THE 'SPACER.' AFTER THE PROB WAS CORRECTED; BOTH ACFT WERE SAFELY RETURNED TO SVC.