luda42688

iTrader: (2)

This is a retarded question I know.

I change my wheels twice a year winter/summer wheel set. I usually just use my spare tire wrench but I've noticed I'm starting to round the lug's a little bit. Looking for a cheap option. My main idea was to buy an breaker bar and a socket.

Thoughts?

Hoovey689

iTrader: (16)

Make sure the tire wrench is making full contact with the lug nuts. Sounds like they've been stripped a bit. Is the spare wrench OEM from the trunk or another vehicle. Otherwise maybe invest in a new set of lugs

Whitigir

The best way I have known is to buy a cheap Air-Compressor from stores, Air gun, set of heads.

As Hoovey said "make sure you have the head on to the bolt tightly, not lose" Press your gun, and there you go.

I had this problems years ago, due to how heavy the bolts are, and usually your hands cranking power will change the angles of the head+bolt, and this damages your Bolt

Dawa

iTrader: (5)

^ IF you have extra money to invest in that set up, thatll do.
-if youre gonna run air tools (impact gun) you SHOULD invest in a set of impact sockets

a cheaper, yet equally effective way would be to:
-invest in a breaker bar (the longer the bar, the higher the multiplication of torque = less strength/work required from you)
-then buy/use a set of metric SIX POINT sockets (6 pt allows for minimal play, as opposed to 12 pt)
-and you probably need an extension

the correct hand placement for torquing AND breaking torque is to have one hand in-line with the socket, (this also minimizes play/movement) and the other on the handle of the wrench, the farther down the handle, the more torque is working in your favor.

as for breaking torque, you want to break torque by giving a quick burst of strength (jerk) to the wrench, AS OPPOSED to a slow, steady pull. in this way, you are acting as a manual impact gun. if in the future you have a really stubborn nut/bolt, etc, you can hit the end of the breaker bar/similar with a rubber mallet/piece of wood/similar (again, 'poor man's impact gun')

also, if youre removing lug nuts, that means youre installing them. im hoping you already have a torque wrench, yeah? if not, you need to invest in one, and tighten lugnuts to manufacturer's recommended torque value. never use a torque wrench to BREAK torque.

mmarshall

Get a new set of OEM factory lug nuts, and, from now on, use a proper hand-held torque-wrench, or at least a device like ProperD suggests. Hand-tighten it to the proper torque-setting for the nut (with many cars, it's 70-80 ft-lbs., but check the specs for your car to be sure). I usually don't recommend a typical air-impact wrench, especially if not used properly. They are notorious for over-tightening, and can cause not only damaged lug nuts/threads but also problems with the brake rotors. When you tighten or loosen the nuts, don't just do each one and then go to the one next to it, like going around in a circle. Either tighten or loosen them all gradually the same amount, or take off one and go to the one on the wheel the most nearly opposite from it....that will prevent uneven, asymmetric pressure on the rotors and nut-threads. Most Owners' Manuals, BTW, recommend these methods.

mmarshall

Will the impact-sockets soften the impact to the nut itself? Air-guns, especially if not used correctly, are notorious for over-tightening, stripping threads, rounding off nut-edges, and warping brake rotors. That's why I usually don't recommend them, especially for tightening.

Dawa

iTrader: (5)

if one is going to use an impact gun, they need to use impact sockets because they are different and design/rated for.... impact

i apologize, i thought that 'air gun' was another term for 'impact gun.'

i do have a compressor, but i do not have or use an impact gun, nor do i prefer them being used on any of my vehicles, EXCEPT for a tire shop using them to breaking torque on and removing the lugnuts, SPECIFICALLY for the same thing you just called out (bolded.)

some impact guns are 'adjustable' and you can adjust the max delivered torque (almost like a torque wrench) but again i prefer a calibrated torque wrench. plus, im sure there has been more than one stud that was ruined because it was cross threaded by some idiot technician that used an impact gun to install a lugnut. technicians do this because they are lazy, because they were taught to, or both.

only thing i dont do to my vehicles is balance tires. when i bring my a car to the tire shop, im right there standing outside the garage bay door. i ensure they are using the correct torque pattern, and if i see them going for the impact gun to tighten the lugnuts, i stop them and tell them to do it with a torque wrench instead. (this is when i had a guy show me his gun has a torque setting. i asked him to use a torque wrench anyways)

i apologize, long winded. but long story short:
-most preferable method is to do everything by hand (aka non air)
-and if youre going to use an impact wrench/similar, use it for removal only (although i admit ive heard an impact gun upon removal can 'hurt' the nuts, too)

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

If you're only doing it twice a year, a breaker bar is good enough. Get a square socket adapter and attach it to your drill. Once you break loose the nut/bolt with your breaker bar, use the drill to spin them off.

I8ABMR

safest way is to have the dealership do it

Dawa

iTrader: (5)

^ now i know youve seen a bunch of the horror story threads of the stealerships effing it up, too.

some of those techs are good, some of them arent. if you take your vehilce to a stealership, you are taking a change/gamble, of them messing it up, or messing something else up. as well as paying more than you need to (provided its not covered under warranty.)

now, if they mess something up they are SUPPOSED to fix it, but again, there are horror story threads about that as well. plus extra down time on your car...

luda42688

iTrader: (2)

This is what I'll do. Just wanted to see if there were any better options out there....

And no I won't pay for someone else to do it, I've swapped tranny's myself in my garage on my Z32 so I'm more than capable for doing this myself lmao.