I second the recommendation to use an impact wrench rather than a drill. A drill is not designed for this, but an impact wrench is.

As I said above, I use an 18V, 240 ft-lb impact wrench. Frankly, I don't see the point in using a wrench that won't break the lugs loose. Yes, mine is a heavier tool to work with, but I don't need to bring along a tire iron, and I don't need to plan ahead and break the lugs loose while the car is still on the ground.

The only real risk is over-tightening the lugs or crossthreading them when you put them on. So I always start them by hand, and I use a mechanical torque limiter for safety when I install the wheels. Then I use a torque wrench to finish the job -- usually about 1/2 turn does it.

And yes, if you use an impact wrench you need to use impact sockets. If impact sockets won't work on your wheels that would be a problem, but they will work on most wheels (including the 00-03 stock wheels).

Plus, you have an impact wrench! Comes in quite handy in lots of other places too.

Mine came with two batteries and a smart charger. But a single battery charge has been enough to change my wheels (and other people's wheels) at the track several times.

You get what you pay for, though. The cheap ones are unreliable, in my experience.

 

Most autocrossers I know use drills, not impact wrenches. I've never seen a drill fail, and personally I'd be a bit leery about subjecting my car to the abuse of dozens of wheel changes using an impact wrench.

I agree with silvershadow that, if you go the drill route, you should get the beefiest one you can afford -- I use a 19.6 V one.

Steve

 

I also use the Milwaukee cordless impact gun and love it. I autocross my BMW heavily and change wheels at event sites. The Milwaukee's been a lifesaver. Even though it's a bit bulky, it's saved me a tremendous amount of time. I got a refurbished one from http://www.powertoolservices.com for $250, complete with case, charger, and two batteries - I couldn't tell that the wrench wasn't new. I've really beat mine up and it's never let me down.

You can get away with not having a torque stick as long as you make sure you don't let the wrench chug away at the lugs. Make sure you use a torque wrench afterwards. You should do this anyway, even with a torque stick, because it's hard to gauge how much power your battery-powered gun is putting out. The suggestion to first hand-thread the lugs is an excellent one - don't try to cut corners here.

As far as jacks go, just keep in mind that a 3-pump jack is much harder to use than one that takes 6-8 pumps. I have to put a good amount of effort into using my aluminum Harbor Freight jack, but it's worth it to me because the jack only weighs 37lbs. It's a lot better than lugging my 103lb. Norco around (which I did for a while.) I would personally stay away from the smaller, cheaper HF jack - it's a little too flimsy for me.

For general use at home or in a shop, I would recommend an AC Hydraulic jack (http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/cata...Hydraulic1.htm) over the HF one. The HF jack is good for tire changes and other light duty, but I wouldn't trust it for heavier use. Another good option would be the Craftsman aluminum jack, which is heavier than the HF one but also seems to be built better. I love my Norco, but it's a little on the heavy side and really intended for shop use.

Dave

 

LOL. Most autocrossers I know use impact guns (or want to borrow mine!)

What kind of abuse would you think your car takes from use of an impact?

Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

Dave

 

What abuse? I have made dozens of wheel changes using my impact wrench. There is no sign of any wear and tear. An impact air wrench is what a shop would use.

 

An impact wrench doesn't abuse the car as long as you make sure to torque to the specified limits of the wheel/lug combo. No one is sitting there letting the impact gun beat the hell out of their rims while they eat a ham sandwich

 

Milwaukee 18 Volt Cordless Impact Wrench Kit $329.99 at Amazon.com with an additional discount of $25 through October 10.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00...7325287-4205511

I think someone on the forum emailed this to me over the weekend or something....

-Justin

 

I don't like using the words "car" and "impact" in the same sentence. Maybe it is harmless, but jackhammering away at my lug nuts just doesn't feel right to me.

Steve

 

completely off topic, but:

good switch. RSX is the suck.

 

Thanks for all of the info. I suppose it would have been easier to just hire a pit crew. ;-)