Tip: Quick lug nut work without air tools
 

Didn't we have a Tips & Tricks thread somewhere? I can't find it now. Anyway...

I hate tediously spinning lug nuts with my fingers, having to return to the wrench when they hit a dirty spot on the threads, etc...so I don't.

I use my cordless drill, a socket that fits the lug nut, and an adapter like these:
https://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=42191

https://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/pho...2199/42191.gif

All I have to do is loosen the lug nuts 1/2 turn with the lug wrench (I like to use a pipe for leverage for loosening only), then the drill zips them off quickly regardless of if the threads are difficult or easy. Installation is the reverse of removal, obviously.

The same trick works for the manually cranked stabilizer jacks on my camper, which require even more tedious cranking. The job becomes trivially quick and easy with the drill.

I second this suggestion- I got a set of these a few years ago and they are a great time saver.

I burned out a cordless drill after the fifth time of jacking my car with one of those. They work great, though.

Did you have a scissor jack that can be turned by a setup like that, and that's how you jacked your car with it?

I may be spoiled by my 24v drills. They've got enough torque that when the nut gets tight they can break a wrist, or if your head is nearby they could knock you out. I've had both almost happen but I was quick enough to just get a black eye. Now I don't use low gear for that stuff without setting the clutch to let go before it's too tight...

Anyway, I guess the lesson is that if too much torque is required you shouldn't do it or you might burn out your drill.

It was the scissor jack that came with my ex's Hyundai Elantra. Had a hex on one end of the screw. This was a while ago and I can't recall what voltage the drill was. Definitely not 24! Now I have a hydraulic jack; cheaply made, but it was free.

A pneumatic impact driver is usually under $30 at Harbor Freight. If you have an air compressor, no sense not having one. Had to get one when I bought a car on which Herakles himself must have tightened the lug nuts.

Otherwise, an el cheapo crossbar works really good...makes it easy to spin off the lug nuts.

Those choices don't work for me. I have a pneumatic impact wrench, what I lack is a compressor that can run it...and a compressor like that is no minor purchase.

I have crossbars but it's just so tedious standing there spinning a crossbar, having it catch on some crappy thread and then having to crank it, followed by spinning it some more.

This is what I have, and I absolutely love it...

https://www.cordlessdrillreviews.net/...-Drill-Kit.jpg

Milwaukee 2601-22 18-Volt Li-ion Compact Drill Kit ? The Milwaukee 2601-22 18V Li-ion Compact Drill Kit features a 1/2-inch ratcheting chuck with a plastic sleeve for reduced weight. The Milwaukee 2601-22 has a compact length of 7-3/4-inches to allow it to fit in tight areas. The compact motor on the 2601-22 delivers 400 inch-pounds of maximum torque. The heavy-duty 2-speed metal gear box is not only durable, but allows speeds of 0-350 rpm is low and 0-1,400 in high. Other features include a built-in LED light to illuminate work surfaces, a belt hook to free up both hands for work positioning before fastening. All of these features are packed into a lightweight, 4-pound form factor. Standard equipment includes the drill tool, (2) 18-volt Li-ion batteries (48-11-1815), 30-minute charger (48-59-1801), and carrying case (48-55-0960).

IMO- you don't have to have an expensive compressor.

I have a pretty good 1/2 inch impact wrench- and a small cheap 110volt compressor with only a 5 gallon air storage tank (it is only rated at 3gph at 90psi). The only problem with my setup is that I can only do 15-20 second bursts with the impact before the compressor kicks on. Which is fine with me- 15 seconds will even get most axle nuts- especially if I preheat them with the propane torch. 10 seconds will get all the lug nuts on 1 wheel. So much of the time, a bigger compressor wouldn't do me any good.

I guess I could try my little compressor, with the expansion tank I've rigged for extra capacity. It takes forever to fill the two tanks but it might knock off my lug nuts and refill fast enough to put them back on when I'm ready. By then it's too much work for just doing 4 wheels if I can just use the drill. :)

I don't think a compressor less than $150 will do a reasonable job with an impact wrench, will it?

When I don't have air tools, I just stick a socket on a 6" 1/2" drive extension, hold the wheel square against the hub, and spin the nut on by hand. If you aren't trying to push the wheel on, it's quite easy to spin the nut (usually). Then crank it down at the end with your big ratchet or cheapo OEM lug wrench or spinner or whatever.

And for taking them off, it's the same deal- loosen four nuts, remove them with the socket-on-a-stick, then loosen the fifth and remove it while holding the wheel against the hub.

By the way if you do get an air compressor, you should put the compressor in your basement and run an air line (usually 1/2" for a 50-ft line) out to the garage. This will eliminate that obnoxious noise, and many of them are quite loud. Then to maintain pressure in your garage, plumb in one of those portable air tanks and use it as a pressure reservoir- that will easily hold a 15-second hit of a good-size air tool. You'll really want a $300 or $400 compressor for most automotive work, those small ones are good for nail guns and tire inflation.

If you don't have a garage or any of that, I've bought those 12V impact wrenches from J.C. Whitney (about $50 I think) which plug into your cigarette lighter. They work well and loosen some really tight nuts (just plan on replacing it every 3 years or so because they are cheaply made).

-BC

Garage? In my dreams!

A friend bought a house recently and I'm so jealous. His basement is exposed at one end and there's a garage door. He could easily park 3 cars in it, and if he knocked down a wall he could park 5. I could probably put my camper in it!

I had one of those 12v wrenches once, it was worthless, but in past discussions I've found that my experience was not typical. Mine would spend 5-10 seconds spinning up, then go "dink" with one impact, then another 5-10 seconds spinning up.

I use a Chrysler lug wrench most often, the socket on the end is hinged, so I straighten the handle and roll it in my palms to zip the nuts off.

I usually break the nuts loose, then jack up the wheel and spin it while holding the tire iron. Works very well.

-Jay

That's the same thing I do. I have pneumatic tools and the drill socket adapter, but I'm typically too lazy to grab them (usually on the other side of the house).

Doh, forgot I do that quite often too.

Spinning the tire is another good one. You can even keep it spinning by pushing on the lug wrench.

I guess we all have different types of laziness...or maybe I just enjoy an excuse to use my drill. :D

Any excuse to use a power tool is a good one. I love my drill, and maybe I might try it next time, but last time I took a wheel off I didn't have that drill.

a $125-175 compresser is plenty for doing lug nuts. I have a 5 gallon pancake compresser. No you can't run the impact constantly but just moving between wheels is enough time for it to catch up enough to turn off. only time I wish I had something more is when I try to use a die grinder cut-off wheel but I'm a little old-school, still using ratchets and wrenches instead of air tools on every nut and bolt.

you shouldn't be impacting lug nuts on anyway. if need more than 2 seconds with a cheap impact gun to have the nut off the stud you're putting them on too tight. 80-100 ftlbs for most vehicles, 140 for trucks (still only 100 ftlbs if they have 19mm/3/4" nuts)

New here but I use and carry 2 foot long flex head 1/2" drive breaker bar and a 2 foot section of 1/2" I.D. pipe for extra leverage because it'll either break them loose or break them off.

I have anti-seize on my lugs and use the 4-way "tire iron" tool for removal/installation. Once I crack them loose I just free-spin it and they're off in seconds. By the time someone drags their air hoses out, finds their impact and the right size socket, I have already popped the trunk and got the tire iron, spun at least 2 wheels off and have the car in the air. It helps that I've done it about 500 times.

About a month ago I found an 18V, 1/2" drive, cordless impact on clearance at Harbor Freight for $30. I used it for the first time about 2-3 weeks ago to remove and reinstall the wheels on my '02 Escort. It wouldn't break the lug nuts loose, but I think they must have been torqued to about 200 ft. lbs, because they were even tight using my old trusty 4 way. I know they were installed at a commericial tire store using their air impact. When I reinstalled them I torqued them down with the cordless then put the 4 way on them just to see how tight they were and I'd say they were torqued to about 100-125 ft lb. I guess I should have got the torque wrench out to see just how much torque they had on them, but I knew without question they were tight enough and just didn't bother. Maybe sometime when the weather warms up I'll check to see how much torque it has.

Re: Tip: Quick lug nut work without air tools
 

I'm totaly on "theholycow" idea, been doing that for years. Never burned any drill and they are all cheap chinese 14V or 18V. For the really tuff jobs use a very pratical, also cheap, electric impact wrench. So ni need for compressor or anything else. By the way it's a 12V unit. So don't need wall socket also. :)

Re: Tip: Quick lug nut work without air tools
 

Thus the label "greenhorn". LOL

Re: Tip: Quick lug nut work without air tools
 

I've been thinking about buying one of those 12V impact wrenches from Harbor Freight.

Re: Tip: Quick lug nut work without air tools
 

https://www.fuelly.com/attachments/fo...c185158d69.jpg

This is the one I have, surely will not recommend for "professional" continous use. But for any skilled amateur is more than enough. :D