Any ideas on how to get this undone?!

[The Moose]

So, it seems the last spunk-monkey who changed the tyres on the car decided to do the nuts up to about a million ftlbs making them near on impossible to undo.

I started with a standard breaker bar. No luck...even with me standing on the end. Next was a longer breaker bar. The 1/2" drive actually sheered off.

So, I went for something a little more manly with the following setup:



That managed to get 2 off.

Let me explain - that bar is 4 feet long from end to end. I, being powerfully built of course, tip the scales at approximately 100kg or 220lbs was bouncing on the end of that bar. By my calculations, that's applying nearly 900ftlbs of torque to that particular nut. The amount of force I was exerting was so great, the wheel brace wasn't just bending, the shaft connecting to the socket and nut was and is now permanently twisted.

We managed to get 3 of the 5 off but the remaining 2 are rather stubborn.

Any ideas on how to remove the remaining 2 without fking up more tools?!

New tyre shop is in order...I think! As well as some new studs. And new tools

[The Moose]

jas xjr said:

blowtorch ? or drive it round to a tyre place who should have something .
i hate to give in though , might be somebody more knowledgeable in a bit

There's no brake fluid in the system at all as we're changing the discs and pads all around. Front has been done already!

Don't want to use the blowtorch as it'll fk the alloy.

I didn't want to give in either, but after breaking 2 tools the second one twisting the metal like that, I kinda thought discretion was the better part of valour (and a beer had my name on it!!).

Sorry - I forgot to say that we also used the impact wrench on the thing too!

bigmowley said:

You need to belt the wheel nut or bolt very hard with a lump hammer in the direction of the wheel. This's compresses the threads and effectively loosens them. The big wrench will then do the trick. If the wheel studs stick past the end of the nuts so you cannot whack them with the hammer then get a socket that is a snug fit over the stud and whack that against the nuts. This trick works 100% of the time. Be brave and whack hard.

The wheel nut sits within the alloy so would need the socket to protrude past said wheel. Would be worried that I'd hit the wheel!

[The Moose]

ambuletz said:

what amount of force do the mechanical tighteners have? why can't tyre shops just have something that's rated to a specific max torque so that humans can actually undo them?

Why can't they use a torque wrench and do the job properly?!

[The Moose]

PugwasHDJ80 said:

stop standing on the breaker bar as you aren't actually adding much force

if you really want to get it off, lie on your back and use both feet to push upwards.

Most people can exert 2-3 times their weight as power in their legs.

The only thing that'll achieve is a dirty back!! I'm bending the tools so applying more force isn't the issue I guess.

What I need is a method to undo the bolts without fking more tools up or the purchase of the correct tool. I will try the beating it with a hammer thing.

The vehicle is undrivable currently so can't take it to the local tyre shop!

[The Moose]

SUCCESS!!!!

I was passing a tool shop earlier so I went in and bought the biggest breaker bar they had (was quite dissapointed it was only 24" really) and the most manly socket on the basis I could fk that one up with a hammer if I needed to. The hammer being the last resort as I really don't like to repeatedly hit things (other than the misses of course *).

Anyway, I used a similar technique to last night but with seemingly better tools and after a couple of bounces they reluctantly undid.

Thank you for the suggestions and help chaps - got there in the end!


* This is of course said in jest

[The Moose]

Boosted LS1 said:

The Moose said:

SUCCESS!!!!

I was passing a tool shop earlier so I went in and bought the biggest breaker bar they had (was quite dissapointed it was only 24" really) and the most manly socket on the basis I could fk that one up with a hammer if I needed to. The hammer being the last resort as I really don't like to repeatedly hit things (other than the misses of course *).

Anyway, I used a similar technique to last night but with seemingly better tools and after a couple of bounces they reluctantly undid.

Thank you for the suggestions and help chaps - got there in the end!


* This is of course said in jest

Nice one. I'd have just jumped up and down on the breaker bar but a results a result :-)

That's what I did - didn't need to resort to the hammer!