what tool do you guys use to remove your lug nuts? for those that swap between stock wheels and your aftermarket ones.

i am planning to put my 19's back on and i am planning to put them on myself. With the tool kit in the trunk to remve the lug nuts is just impossible. not enough torque.

could you use a torque wrench>?
i dont know what its called but its a tool that is shaped liike the letter T and has different lug nut sizes on each end.


thanks

 

can you list the steps i should take in order to remove and install the new wheel?

thanks

 

Use an air gun, it's quicker.

 

Gorilla wrench and thin-wall socket and torque wrench. (TireRack's got 'em).
Ah, didn't your '04 come with an owners' manual????

 

I remove the lug nuts with the supplied lug nut wrench. I install them with a torque wrench and 19mm deep socket.

This product may be interesting to you. It will minimize the damage YOU do to the lug nuts, but not what your dealer does.



http://www.exclamationagiftshop.com/auto-p...ocket_Set.shtml

 

....I guess there is a first time for everyone, if you are joking then we have just been "had"

I use what's called a "breaker bar" you can buy it at Home Depot or Sears (anywhere that sells tools) and use a regular socket on the end of it (want to say we use 17mm, but could be the 19mm) for breaking loose the nuts. It's about 2' long looks like a large ratchet that doesn't have a mechanism on the end.

You can use a "cross bar" the "t looking thing" just as well but it may not get down into the openings in your wheels?!

Never use a torque wrench for breaking loose bolts, but you DO need one, you need to put your lugs back on using about 85lbs of pressure (make sure you know how to work the wrench PROPERLY). If you don't torque your wheels down right and evenly you WILL warp your rotors evenutally (experience talkign here).

Procedure (I feel kinda silly just typing this out but oh well).....

-Break loose your lugs with the car sitting on the ground. DONT' TAKE THEM OFF, just break loose
-Jack your car up (you really aught to take out that owners manual for the jack points and specific directions)
-loosen the bolts the rest of the way
-take the wheel off
-put the new wheel on
-put lugs on by hand
-get them "just tight" using a star pattern back and forth across the lugs a little at a time
-lower the wheel so it contacts the ground just enough so it won't spin
-use the torque wrench to get them to torque specs, again using the start pattern (DON'T go around the lugs in a circle, you are trying to get them cinched down evenly here)
-lower rest of the way

-repeat 3 more times
-go wash your hands
-pat yourself on the back

-next weeks lesson, changing your own oil

Travis

 

I second the gorilla wrench from tire rack! It has two double ended sockets for different size lugs and an extendable handle for more leverage. $15

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by VTEC4-2
I remove the lug nuts with the supplied lug nut wrench.

 

Are you trying to use the Honda lug wrench with your hands? I haven't even looked at the honda lug wrench, but most are designed for you to step on so you can get your whole weight on them. Let's say they are 1 ft long and an average person is say 150lbs, if you can't break them with that then someone seriously overtorqued your lugs. Even if you use a breaker bar or other wrench to do it at home, you should learn how to use the onboard tools just for emergencies.

Other than that, basically what everyone says. I found a really cheap but extremely long 1/2" drive "breaker bar of death" at Harbor freight for like $10. Get a good torque wrench, don't use it for breaking only for tightening. Also if it's a "clicker" type torque wrench (highly recommended for convenience), when it clicks *that's it*. If you give it that extra little shove after the click, you've just defeated the entire purpose of using a torque wrench.

Also, I always break and retorque my lugs after being at any tire/alignment shop where wheels were removed. Most mechanics I've seen will hit it with an air gun until it's about 250 ft-lbs, no joke.

Peter

 

I don't see why the Honda Lug wrench would not work. That's what it's there for, to remove the lugs on your stock wheels. I can see if they don't fit but, I don't see that as being the case. I've removed my wheels a million times and never had a problem whether using a xbar, OEM lug wrench, or the proper socket and wrench.

BTW a torque wrench just measures the amount of torque you are putting on. It doesn't supply you with extra torque to remove a lug. If you are having problems removing a lug it most likely was tightened to much. OEM specs only call for 80lb/ft of torque. Which my 80 yr old grandmother can yank off. Of course she's in pretty good shape for her age.