mkk41
US Veteran
Many of the new aluminum and magnesium wheels have a lug nut torque spec. Ya can actually distort the soft metal to the point where it grips the body of well-type nuts and will gall and get permanantly stuck.
Check Your Lug Wrenches
- Thread starter rgitz
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jdh
US Veteran
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Bottle of tire slime and a small 12v compressor are less than $30. Couple cans of fix-a-flat less than $15.
Exercising due caution, either can get you back to population. And can be most helpful if you have more than one flat.
Exercising due caution, either can get you back to population. And can be most helpful if you have more than one flat.
loose nuts, tight wheels
In addition to above problems, we've had two GMC pickups which required multiple blows with an eight pound sledge to get the stock steel wheels off the hub. Alternative is a heavy post or kicking. All methods involved being partially under the jacked up vehicle.
A 12v compressor didn't help my 83 year parents with a stobbed and blown out tire two weeks ago. They walked home.
In addition to above problems, we've had two GMC pickups which required multiple blows with an eight pound sledge to get the stock steel wheels off the hub. Alternative is a heavy post or kicking. All methods involved being partially under the jacked up vehicle.
A 12v compressor didn't help my 83 year parents with a stobbed and blown out tire two weeks ago. They walked home.
Jack Flash
Member
I periodically rotate my tires myself and always use only the equipment I carry in the truck / jeep. This way keeps me familiarized with what I will have to use if I have a flat out on the road. What good is knowing how to do the job with tools and jacks that are back home in the garage?
Definately +1 on periodically ensuring the spare is pumped up. A flat spare isn't much better than the flat tire it needs to replace, unless you carry a pump.
I had a garage I thought I could trust overtighten my lug nuts after doing a brake job. Trying to loosen them, I bent the OEM lug wrench (to this day it is still bent but usable). I took the truck back to the shop and the guy went through every wrench he had in the shop before he could get it off. Last time I ever went there ...
Definately +1 on periodically ensuring the spare is pumped up. A flat spare isn't much better than the flat tire it needs to replace, unless you carry a pump.
I had a garage I thought I could trust overtighten my lug nuts after doing a brake job. Trying to loosen them, I bent the OEM lug wrench (to this day it is still bent but usable). I took the truck back to the shop and the guy went through every wrench he had in the shop before he could get it off. Last time I ever went there ...
m1gunner
US Veteran
I buy several tires a year, but it has been 12 years or so since any of my vehicles has been in a shop. I ALWAYS take the rim off and carry it to the shop. Just leave the rim/s and ask when they will be ready.
Cuts down on a lot of BS, no joyrides in my stuff, no overtorqued/undertorqued nuts, and no need to remove all valuables and tools from the vehicle to prevent theft.
Cuts down on a lot of BS, no joyrides in my stuff, no overtorqued/undertorqued nuts, and no need to remove all valuables and tools from the vehicle to prevent theft.
Jack Flash
Member
+1 M1Gunner. I usually buy tires in pairs. Just put the tires / wheels in the back of the pickup and take them in. If the pickup itself needs tires, rotate the ones that are staying to the front axle and put the snows on the rear, then off to the tire store.
84CJ
US Veteran
I also carry a four way lug wrench because I tow a trailer sometimes. Any time I have my tires rotated I go home and use a torque wrench. Many times they are not tight enough. Some tire shops actually bring you out and do a finale torque while you watch. Ask the guy what torque the wrench is set for and what is the proper torque for your wheel and when was the last time the torque wrench was calibrated. Normally you just get that stare followed by "What".lol
Had a guy borrow a large 4 way we used on our farm equipment once. He over torqued and the wheel studs broke off while doing a burn out to return the wrench and tore down our pasture fence in two places and ended up in our pond.
Very good advice about checking.
Had a guy borrow a large 4 way we used on our farm equipment once. He over torqued and the wheel studs broke off while doing a burn out to return the wrench and tore down our pasture fence in two places and ended up in our pond.
Very good advice about checking.
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Mickey D
Member
I carry a trunk monkey. Actually it's an Orangutan. They are strong sons of bitches!
Left turn Clyde!
Left turn Clyde!
mwtdvm
Member
Timely, unfortunately
Picked up a used trailer last month and before a 150 mile trip, decided to repack the bearings. One side went sort of OK. I had to lean my considerable body mass to get the lug nuts loose. The other side was a nonstarter. They don't budge. I guess I will have to take it to a shop with an impact wrench..
Fortunately I had the four socket lug wrench.
Picked up a used trailer last month and before a 150 mile trip, decided to repack the bearings. One side went sort of OK. I had to lean my considerable body mass to get the lug nuts loose. The other side was a nonstarter. They don't budge. I guess I will have to take it to a shop with an impact wrench..
Fortunately I had the four socket lug wrench.
m1gunner
US Veteran
It wasn't built on an old chrysler axle, was it? Do the lugs on the stuck side hafe a little "L" on them?
Yup, there are some left hand thread lugnuts in existence.
Apparently more water is indicated, as well as appropriate tools --- some mechanical problems are beyond immediate repair, but there's no excuse for not having H20, food, shelter, etc., when all else fails, which sooner or later it may...
Heck, we do that when we work on cars... I've had farm equipment with bolts so stubborn we've bent wrenches with a six foot cheater bar on them. I don't know how they got cranked down so hard in the first place.
Andy Griffith
Member
You had a shotgun...why didn't you shoot the nuts off? 
I always keep a long handled 1/2" drive Craftsman long handled bar and appropriate impact rated 6pt. socket in each car. I agree with everything everyone has said to this point, but there is two things to add...
These new alloy wheels will rust to the rotor and hub on many cars and trucks- always apply a good amount of anti-seize to the back of the wheel to help keep this from happening.
One other thing, many cars now don't use lug "nuts," but instead lug "bolts." Another innovation- good in ways, bad in others.
The other thing is, most new cars are "unibody" style, and have very few places on their tender undersides from which to jack! Please check and know these places- many tire shops don't even realize this and damage and warp cars when they lift them with the arms of the lift in the wrong place! Know these places- or put a bit of yellow spray paint on these places (no one will see it,don't worry!) so you will know where to jack it in case you need to do it in a hurry or on a dark night and your flashlight is dying quickly!
I always keep a long handled 1/2" drive Craftsman long handled bar and appropriate impact rated 6pt. socket in each car. I agree with everything everyone has said to this point, but there is two things to add...
These new alloy wheels will rust to the rotor and hub on many cars and trucks- always apply a good amount of anti-seize to the back of the wheel to help keep this from happening.
One other thing, many cars now don't use lug "nuts," but instead lug "bolts." Another innovation- good in ways, bad in others.
The other thing is, most new cars are "unibody" style, and have very few places on their tender undersides from which to jack! Please check and know these places- many tire shops don't even realize this and damage and warp cars when they lift them with the arms of the lift in the wrong place! Know these places- or put a bit of yellow spray paint on these places (no one will see it,don't worry!) so you will know where to jack it in case you need to do it in a hurry or on a dark night and your flashlight is dying quickly!
BigRich315
Member
Don't forget that some wheels have a cap over the lugs that is secured by some screw. You'll be in the same boat if you find yourself without something to remove that screw.
I bought a Geo Tracker (wimpy but very fun) my Senior year of High School and came out one day to a flat tire. I got the jack and 4-way and it clicked that I had to get that cap off too. There was nothing in the vehicle for it. I had been driving it several months at this point and it wasn't lost on me how lucky I was this had happened at home instead of way out in BFE where I'd been the night before. It took a #3 Phillips and one rode in my glove box after that.
I bought a Geo Tracker (wimpy but very fun) my Senior year of High School and came out one day to a flat tire. I got the jack and 4-way and it clicked that I had to get that cap off too. There was nothing in the vehicle for it. I had been driving it several months at this point and it wasn't lost on me how lucky I was this had happened at home instead of way out in BFE where I'd been the night before. It took a #3 Phillips and one rode in my glove box after that.
Thunderhawk88
Member
Like already mentioned I use a 1/2" breaker-bar and socket to loosen and redo my lug nuts after a shop service. Also both of our vehivles had Ham radios in them.
CJ
Member
Hell, you should have should have just turned around and drove out on the flat tire. Send Toyota the bill for all parts and damages incured.
I chose to do that once in the Nevada desert after having 2 flats and only one spare. Drove 6+ jarring miles with the 2nd flat in the 100+ degree summer heat with the a/c on full blast. Once I reached pavement I hitched a ride into town and had the truck towed. Completely destroyed the tire and rim. Sure beats dying of heat stroke, especially if you have a loved one with you.
I would probably faint from surprise if a mechanic followed manufacturer's recommendations and used a torque wrench! 99% of the mechanics do not even seem to own one in these parts. Having spent a part of my youth replacing cylinder head bolts on flat head Ford V8's with a torque wrench, I have a real appreciation of how important proper torque is.
dlstewart01
US Veteran
At our local Firestone garage all mechanics use a torque wrench to finish tightening all lug nuts and have to get a manager to sigh off on it.
enfield
US Veteran
I really ticked off a tire dealer when I had the tires on my F350 rotated. I saw that they were going to use an air wrench to reinstall the lug nuts. I asked them to torque them by hand to 100 lb-ft. They told me the air wrench was calibrated to stall at 100. I asked them for the calibration sheet.
I got them hand-torqued.
I got them hand-torqued.
Black_Sheep
Member
The factory service manual for my '37 Packard has a spec for wheel lugs so the importance of proper wheel torque has been recognized for a long time. Overtightening not only makes it very difficult to change a flat tire using an OEM lug wrench, it will warp rotors, damage wheels, fastners and occasionally cause a wheel to come off.
