Should it be difficult to get lug nuts off?
Discussion
Somebody did them up on an E60 BMW of mine to the point where, with a long breaker bar, I sheared a 1/2" square drive extension. Twisted right off at the end.
Sometimes only an impact wrench will do, and when it comes to electric impact wrenches (and cheap air ones), there can be a huge difference in their capabilities.
The Milwaukee m-18 fuel brushless 2763 is very good.
Sometimes only an impact wrench will do, and when it comes to electric impact wrenches (and cheap air ones), there can be a huge difference in their capabilities.
The Milwaukee m-18 fuel brushless 2763 is very good.
underwhelmist said:
Careful if you use a pipe for extra leverage - this was after trying to undo the front sprocket nut on my motorbike, meant to be torqued to 115Nm so just a bit tighter than most wheel nuts.
What is that though? Is that some sort of hand t-handle wrench thing? It looks like a tap wrench, and the bit that you "extended and bent" is thin/dodgy at best.You really do just need a couple of long-ish 1/2" breaker bars.
Big bars, and a big hammer, and maybe an extendable swivel-head ratchet, are the first tools to have IMO. No point pissing about with a s
tty starter/hobby socket set and trying to do everything with the included ratchet.Edited by carl0s on Saturday 15th September 23:13
underwhelmist said:
It's a sliding T-bar, 1/2 inch drive. That was from a Draper set so not pro quality but (I thought) not bottom of the market either, I've bought some Halfords Advanced Pro stuff since then.
What's a tap wrench? Do you mean like for driving a tap to cut a thread?
Yeah. They come with a similar sort of tee handle, or some of them do anyway.What's a tap wrench? Do you mean like for driving a tap to cut a thread?
Obviously I can see it's not a tap wrench, but I just mean the sliding T handle is the same style and I'd be weary of putting an extension onto that.. well I guess that's obvious with the evidence you've presented :-)
https://www.beatsons.co.uk/tools-c1584/hand-tools-...
>600mm breaker bars are cheap. I've avoided getting my hands dirty for some time now but I have a smallish (but still bigger than most ratchets) 1/2" breaker, then one up from that (might be 600mm), and then one awkwardly long one that might be 900mm, which is great if you can get it in the wheel arch or under the car and actually still be able to move it. Oh that's also why it's good to invest in a swivel head extendable fine-toothed ratchet. I forgot about the fine toothed bit. Still only £20 from eBay though.
https://www.beatsons.co.uk/tools-c1584/hand-tools-...
>600mm breaker bars are cheap. I've avoided getting my hands dirty for some time now but I have a smallish (but still bigger than most ratchets) 1/2" breaker, then one up from that (might be 600mm), and then one awkwardly long one that might be 900mm, which is great if you can get it in the wheel arch or under the car and actually still be able to move it. Oh that's also why it's good to invest in a swivel head extendable fine-toothed ratchet. I forgot about the fine toothed bit. Still only £20 from eBay though.
underwhelmist said:
carl0s said:
I'd be weary of putting an extension onto that.. well I guess that's obvious with the evidence you've presented :-)
Well yeah, it's obvious *now* 
carl0s said:
...other stuff...
Good advice, noted - thanks 
handles from failed trolley jacks make good extensions for big breaker bars.
My breaker bar arrived earlier this week and I just tried it on one of the wheels I will be removing for the brake job.
It worked! I heard an audible click on each of the nuts (including the locking wheel nut). I did not expect the breaker bar to bend as I did it, it is quite a hefy bar!
I got to use my torque wrench to re-tighten them afterwards to 108 Nm. However, even after loosening with the breaker bar, the nuts were still above 108Nm as the wrench clicked immediately.
It worked! I heard an audible click on each of the nuts (including the locking wheel nut). I did not expect the breaker bar to bend as I did it, it is quite a hefy bar!
I got to use my torque wrench to re-tighten them afterwards to 108 Nm. However, even after loosening with the breaker bar, the nuts were still above 108Nm as the wrench clicked immediately.
IDontKnowCars said:
My breaker bar arrived earlier this week and I just tried it on one of the wheels I will be removing for the brake job.
It worked! I heard an audible click on each of the nuts (including the locking wheel nut). I did not expect the breaker bar to bend as I did it, it is quite a hefy bar!
I got to use my torque wrench to re-tighten them afterwards to 108 Nm. However, even after loosening with the breaker bar, the nuts were still above 108Nm as the wrench clicked immediately.
When undoing some overtight wheels I saw a puff of smoke off each nut as it cracked. It worked! I heard an audible click on each of the nuts (including the locking wheel nut). I did not expect the breaker bar to bend as I did it, it is quite a hefy bar!
I got to use my torque wrench to re-tighten them afterwards to 108 Nm. However, even after loosening with the breaker bar, the nuts were still above 108Nm as the wrench clicked immediately.
Be very cautious about tightening/loosening locking wheel nuts, especially if they have been over torqued as yours seem to be. The locking nuts/keys aren't as strong as normal wheel nuts and can easily be damaged if the key slips. Make sure they're seated firmly and you're applying torque as close to the plane of the nut as you can, preferably hold the key in place with a free hand.
You can get a Sealey 750mm 1/2" drive breaker bar for about £15 off Amazon (sold by Amazon themselves, so should be genuine). I have the 1000mm 3/4" version and haven't found anything it won't undo. Overkill for most things, but I got it for undoing the front hub nut on my 12 year old Z4.
+1 for not using a torque wrench to undo stuff like this too - it probably won't do it any good. That's what I got taught as a Saturday lad in a dealership workshop about 20 years ago anyway.
+1 for not using a torque wrench to undo stuff like this too - it probably won't do it any good. That's what I got taught as a Saturday lad in a dealership workshop about 20 years ago anyway.
GreenV8S said:
Be very cautious about tightening/loosening locking wheel nuts, especially if they have been over torqued as yours seem to be. The locking nuts/keys aren't as strong as normal wheel nuts and can easily be damaged if the key slips. Make sure they're seated firmly and you're applying torque as close to the plane of the nut as you can, preferably hold the key in place with a free hand.
Something I’ve wondered about, having previously broken a locking wheel nut - should they be tightened to the same torque as regular nuts or a bit/considerably less?Edit: yes I break stuff sometimes but that’s how we learn, right?
underwhelmist said:
Something I’ve wondered about, having previously broken a locking wheel nut - should they be tightened to the same torque as regular nuts or a bit/considerably less?
Locking nuts should be done up to the same torque as the others,or else they will not be done up tight enough.Gassing Station | Home Mechanics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff