Does anyone make a STURDY Tire Wrench

I got a flat the other day and I carry a 4way wrench in my vehicle. Although I greased all my lugnuts during the summer, for some reason it seems that as soon as it gets cold outdoors, the damn lugnuts dont want to come off.

Not only dont those 4way wrenches always seem too sloppy on the nut, but they bend. And it seems that because they flex and bend, they lack the power needed to bust loose a stubborn nut.

I tried everything to loosen them. I even carry a piece of pipe, and slipped that over the end of the wrench, and could not loosen even one of them.

I finally called a friend who has a lot of tools, and asked him to bring a breaker bar and socket. With his breaker bar/socket, I was able to get some torque. I still had to use my pipe on a few of them, but they came loose. With that 4way, I could not budge them at all, and I was probably applying more pressure.

I guess the solution is to just buy another breaker bar, and socket to fit, and leave those in the vehicle all the time, along with my pipe. But before I do, I just wanted to ask if there is some lugnut wrench made, that actually does the job, without flexing and bending? It dont need to be a 4way!

Thanks

Reply to
Jerry.Tan
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Just be sure you buy a 6 point socket. A 12 point will round off the nuts and you will really be screwed. Also be aware a lot of cars are using some commie metric size so a regular 4 way may not fit right.

I would take a lug nut with me when I was buying the socket.

Reply to
gfretwell

Probably the ideal solution is to use a torque wrench when applying the nuts and to make sure that the studs and nuts are clean. I've never had a problem removing nuts that were properly applied even with the short wrench that came with my MX-5.

Reply to
BenignBodger

You are on the right track. Buy a good "breaker bar" and the proper 6 point socket to fit. A decent ratchet type bar is nice, but a cheape will just fail when you need it most.

Reply to
clare

I just use the unremarkable wrench that came with my pickup, but I carry a length of black pipe to slip over it. The extra leverage, and the stiffening the pipe provides, makes all the difference.

Reply to
Mayayana

Hmmm, You grease the nus? 6 point black steel socket used for impact wrench is what you need with braker bar. I have HEAVY commercial truck tire wrench but I call road side assistance in case like that. Maybe you over tightened nuts in summer.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

Jerry.Tan wrote, on Thu, 25 Dec 2014 07:09:37 -0600:

  1. Perhaps the lug nuts were torqued too tightly?
  2. I often step, and bounce, on my lug-nut wrench.
  3. Whenever you junk a car, keep the old lug nut wrench (if you like it).
Reply to
Danny D.

Tony Hwang wrote, on Thu, 25 Dec 2014 07:37:38 -0700:

I use Never Seize on mine, but, then you have to be careful with torque.

Also, some (older Chrysler) lug nuts & bolts are reverse threaded (I hope they don't do that anymore) on one side.

First time I ran into that, as a kid, I snapped off two bolts before I figured it out (yeah, I know).

Reply to
Danny D.

Are new cars with commie metric lug nuts no longer sold with their own lug wrenches?

Reply to
Don Phillipson

I think the OP's complaint is the lug wrench that came with the car is junk. Changing tires has not been a priority in cars for years. Some don't even have a spare and finding one with a real spare is rare.

Reply to
gfretwell

That would be my guess. If you grease them you must reduce the torque you put on them.

An alternative to grease is Teflon tape. Works anywhere you would use antiseize and is less messy.

Reply to
TimR

On 12/25/2014 7:09 AM, snipped-for-privacy@spamblocked.com wrote: ...

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I'm sure there are but I've not looked. I've never had a time the furnished didn't suffice.

I do have a 4-way that is none of the above--but, it's at least 60 yr old and possibly quite a lot older than that. In general, however, and this one is the same way, they really aren't that long so they don't have much actual leverage. The overall length of an arm from one end to the other is all right, but it's only half of that length that is the useful lever-arm length.

I've thought of the 12V DC direct-powered impact drivers to put in wife's car but never really checked them out to know if they really solve the problem or not...

I have a battery-powered one that has sufficient torque it'll do anything but the largest truck/tractor, but in a car it'll be certain that it doesn't get charged frequently enough so it'll likely be discharged the time you really need it.

Reply to
dpb

I believe the real problem lies within the rusts on the bolts and nuts. I have changed many tires in past years and my experience notices the bolts/nuts that weren't properly lubricated provided the most problems when removing. When they were lubricated I never had a problem.

Using never seize is a risk. I have heard, as well as had my own experience, of the nut(s) unscrewing while driving. My own experience after using NS was my rear passenger wheel clanging, clunking, knocking, etc while I was driving and I thought my entire drum assembly was broken. When I pulled over to look, the tire was missing two nuts, one was almost off and the other was loose but mostly on. Therefore, I always suggest a spray lube to prevent rust. Rust is why lugnuts are hard to remove. IMO, Aero Kroil is one of the best. It keeps rust off and maintains a coating on the bolts and nuts to prevent further buildup.

Reply to
Meanie

You've answered your own question. But a 1/2" breaker bar and a quality socket that fits. For my set of alloy wheels, that would be a deepwall socket although the deep socket works fine on the steel wheels too. An extension may help too, depending on the wheel/tire. A 1/2" ratchet can be useful too.

There's no reason to break the bank either. I'm not a Harbor Freight fan but their wrenches are serviceable.

Reply to
rbowman

Depends. A deep wall impact socket won't fit into the recessed holes on my alloy rims.

Reply to
rbowman

I don't know why anyone would want to use a crappy cross-wrench anyway - NO manufacturer supplies them with their vehicle, and the "commie metric" sizes are generally close enough to either 13/16 or

3/4" that a 6 point standard socket will work with no harm done. A 3/4 inch socket will be snug on a 19mm AF nut. 13/16" socket will be just a tad loose on a 21mm AF nut. I generally use a 3/4 inch and a 13/16" socket to change the wheels on the 2002 Taurau, 1996 Ranger, 2007 Civic and 2013 Hyundai Elantra.

I believe they are ALL "Commie Metric" nuts

And I thought it was the Frenchmen everybody blames the metric system on - not the "commies"

Reply to
clare

On my Ranger the Eagle Alloy Torque Thrust Clones won't even allow a thinwall 12 point on a 13/16" nut - so when the alloys are on they are atteched with "spline drive" "tuner" nuts which require a special "key" socket - which requires the 13/16" wrench to turn.

Reply to
clare

Teflon Tape is designed for tapered threads - I would NEVER use it on a straight thread - particularly on a safety related item like a wheel stud/nut pair. NEVER.

Reply to
clare

I agree with Clare on the teflon tape. Since lugs are a straight (not tapered) thread, the teflon tape will only make it easier for the nuts to loosen on their own.

I think the problem is that the OP is using an ordinary grease on his wheel lugs. While I expect that's better than nothing, ordinary grease will not prevent metal to metal contact between the lug and nut, thereby resulting in seizing where the lug and nut are in metal-to-metal contact.

I would advise the OP to switch from whatever grease he's using to a copper antiseize compound. Copper antiseize compound is nothing more than tiny particles of copper metal mixed with grease. Those tiny particles of copper get caught between the lug and nut preventing actual metal-to-metal contact between the lug and nut, thereby preventing any seizing of the nut to the lug thread.

I always use a metal antiseize compound on my wheel lugs, and I've never had a problem removing lug nuts in summer or winter. I like Permatex antiseize compound, but ANY antiseize compound should work fine. Nickel based antiseize compounds are exactly the same, except they use tiny particles of nickel instead of copper and are generally required in higher temperature applications where the copper could conceivably soften or even melt.

If the OP questions why that should make a difference, just consider putting white metal knobs on a brass cartridge spindle. Leave that white metal in contact with the brass for a few years, and you'll have a real fight getting that faucet knob off. Put antiseize compound on between the white metal knob and the brass cartridge stem, and you'll never have a problem getting the knob off.

Reply to
nestork

They are more socialist than the soviets these days.

Reply to
gfretwell

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