[iratollah]

Like many factory spare tire kits, the lug wrench included in our kit is useless, especially trying to bust loose a 140 ft/lb torqued lug nut.
Had a tire pick up a nail and go flat after Coffee & Cars Saturday morn, I was out in the middle of nowhere. No problem. Until I realized the long leverage socket bar I keep in the trunk had been removed when cleaning my trunk. I know it works and there's a reason I carried it. I'd forgotten to put it back in.

Turn the lug nut anti-clockwise to loosen, so just put your weight into it, right? Gave up after about 10 minutes, it wouldn't budge. Waited 40 minutes for roadside service. With a longer wrench, the service guy was able to get the wheel off. He was amused when I showed him the OEM tool.

TL;DR: Keep a better lug nut wrench in your trunk than you got with the spare tire option.

 

[FCHolden]

Like many factory spare tire kits, the lug wrench included in our kit is useless, especially trying to bust loose a 140 ft/lb torqued lug nut.
Had a tire pick up a nail and go flat after Coffee & Cars Saturday morn, I was out in the middle of nowhere. No problem. Until I realized the long leverage socket bar I keep in the trunk had been removed when cleaning my trunk. I know it works and there's a reason I carried it. I'd forgotten to put it back in.

TL;DR: Keep a better lug nut wrench in your trunk than you got with the spare tire option.

Ira, I couldn’t agree more. After checking lug nut torque once I got the car home from the selling dealer, I realized that I needed a better tool than the one provided by the factory. So, I went to Sears and bought an 18 inch long 1/2 inch drive breaker bar, a 6 inch extension and then ordered one of the plasticized 6 pt. sockets to fit the lug nut. These tools permanently live wrapped up in an old towel (so they don’t rattle) with the full size spare and the jack in the spare wheel well.

Sorry that you had to go through the hassle, but it is a good reminder to the rest of us to put our tools back in the car if we have to take them out for any reason.

 

[2074]

Ira, I couldn’t agree more. After checking lug nut torque once I got the car home from the selling dealer, I realized that I needed a better tool than the one provided by the factory. So, I went to Sears and bought an 18 inch long 1/2 inch drive breaker bar, a 6 inch extension and then ordered one of the plasticized 6 pt. sockets to fit the lug nut. These tools permanently live wrapped up in an old towel (so they don’t rattle) with the full size spare and the jack in the spare wheel well.

Sorry that you had to go through the hassle, but it is a good reminder to the rest of us to put our tools back in the car if we have to take them out for any reason.

... you use a torque wrench ... not a breaker bar and guesstimate.

 

[good2go]

Like many factory spare tire kits, the lug wrench included in our kit is useless, especially trying to bust loose a 140 ft/lb torqued lug nut.
Had a tire pick up a nail and go flat after Coffee & Cars Saturday morn, I was out in the middle of nowhere. No problem. Until I realized the long leverage socket bar I keep in the trunk had been removed when cleaning my trunk. I know it works and there's a reason I carried it. I'd forgotten to put it back in.

Turn the lug nut anti-clockwise to loosen, so just put your weight into it, right? Gave up after about 10 minutes, it wouldn't budge. Waited 40 minutes for roadside service. With a longer wrench, the service guy was able to get the wheel off. He was amused when I showed him the OEM tool.

TL;DR: Keep a better lug nut wrench in your trunk than you got with the spare tire option.

+1 ^ to PSA:
If you keep an eye out, these breaker bars frequently go on sale at HF for less than $10 (1/2 in. Drive 25 in. Breaker Bar), then pick yourself up one of these nylon sleeved (non-marring) deep sockets from Autozone/Amazon/etc for another $10 https://www.autozone.com/ratchets-s...e-22-mm-non-marring-lug-nut-socket/453038_0_0 , throw it in the trunk (and leave it there!), and for a mere $20, you'll never have trouble cracking lugnuts loose again. Those 140 ft-lb specs are cake with a 25" bar.

 

[SoCA-SS]

I use a breaker bar to break lug-nuts lose,
cross wrench to take off and screw on,
Rubber coated socket not needed,
torque wrench completes install.

see attached pics


.

 

[FCHolden]

... you use a torque wrench ... not a breaker bar and guesstimate.

CB, You are correct. That post could be read a number of different ways. It probably would have been better to post:


"After checking lug nut torque with a calibrated torque wrench once I got the car home from the selling dealer and seeing the tool provided by the factory, I realized I needed something that would give me more leverage to loosen the lug nuts should I need to change a tire/wheel assembly on the road."


I don't carry my calibrated torque wrench in the trunk of the SS because I don't think it would stay in calibration very long. Also, when it is in it's storage/carrying case, it takes up quite a bit of space. However, I do use the breaker bar for changing the wheel/tire on the road, then do the full torque sequence once I get the car back home.

 

[dwainw]

This is what I have equipped my vehicles with, particularly if I know the wife is going to be the main driver:


https://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-drive-click-type-torque-wrench-63882.html


Firstly, it's cheap and provides a much longer torque arm than the original tool. It's also bi-directional, so it can be used for removal. And it may not be dead accurate, but will do a decent job getting you in the torque ballpark for reassembly.


Thanks for posting this, Iratollah. I somehow hadn't thought to add one to the SS, but I'll remedy that soon.

 

[six]

It's the reason why I carry a breaker bar and torque wrench in the trunk 100% of the time.

 

[SoCA-SS]

This is what I have equipped my vehicles with, particularly if I know the wife is going to be the main driver:


https://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-drive-click-type-torque-wrench-63882.html


Firstly, it's cheap and provides a much longer torque arm than the original tool. It's also bi-directional, so it can be used for removal. And it may not be dead accurate, but will do a decent job getting you in the torque ballpark for reassembly.


Thanks for posting this, Iratollah. I somehow hadn't thought to add one to the SS, but I'll remedy that soon.

torquing 140 on a 150 max wrench may not be great on accuracy.
a 250 ft-lb wrench could be a better choice and probably have longer shaft with less strain on user.

here's one .. there are many others, some even cheaper.
https://www.harborfreight.com/12-in-drive-professional-click-type-torque-wrench-64064.html
torque range of 50-250 ft. lbs.
Length 24-1/8 in.

.

 

[good2go]

Y'all can do whatever you like with your torque wrenches, but I've always followed the belief that you are NEVER to use a torque wrench to break loose nuts/bolts.


:2cents:

 

[36thEVACVet]

Y'all can do whatever you like with your torque wrenches, but I've always followed the belief that you are NEVER to use a torque wrench to break loose nuts/bolts.


:2cents:

For SURE! And as this post is about REMOVAL of lug nuts..a torque wrench doesn't deserve mention. I have a breaker bar
In the trunk. In an emergency the torque wrench will come out of the tool chest when I get home. If I die on the way home?...so be it.

 

[cyp]

I use a breaker bar to break lug-nuts lose,
cross wrench to take off and screw on,
Rubber coated socket not needed,
torque wrench completes install.

see attached pics


.

I have the same lug wrench, just used it first time couple weeks ago changing flat on the road. It’s almost not big enough to break loose lug nuts that are torqued @ 140 ft.llbs.

 

[SoCA-SS]

I have the same lug wrench, just used it first time couple weeks ago changing flat on the road. It’s almost not big enough to break loose lug nuts that are torqued @ 140 ft.llbs.

Really not long enough for studs torqued to 140ftlb, but its doable unless driver is a "senior".
also the only wrench I have seen that folds. So I carry the breaker bar.



.

 

[GXPaycheck]

Gorilla wrench. One in each car.

 

[SoCA-SS]

getting Glinda ready for some travel.

I usually do not carry all this in car, unless we are leaving town .. AAA takes care of in-town-needs.
jack is a 850 kg Nissan aluminum jack, very light, strong enough.

notice the LITHIUM USB power & 12V jumper ... I LOVE IT !
that is my anything-goes-kit, snacks, plugs, reflective vest; all goes into a small crate that gets transferred between vehicles.
this kit also services my 4x4. WD40 knock-off cleans hands and tools.

does anyone else carry a non-FOB key?
Its a Camaro key, same as our FOB key minus FOB.

FOB vs. KEY
- cannot start engine or open trunk w/o FOB.
- place FOB in metal can with lid
- place can, lid on, in CABIN area, NOT trunk.
- while holding door open, key in hand, lock doors, close door.
- KEY should now be on your hand, FOB locked inside car, and car locked.

Lets swim.




.

 

[antwerpflash]

I am enjoying this thread. Picking up all sorts of good ideas. Not being afraid to mention a possibly bad idea, here it goes. When I was younger, I was rather light in weight (problem solved now, ugh!), and my family was in the car business. Long story short, my solution back in the day for difficult lug wrenches was to "break" the lugs before jacking the car by standing on the end of the lug wrench. Not being able often to break them by hand, this technique never failed. Having to deal with many a flat tire on deliveries, I can say it is a tested method.

 

[SoCA-SS]

I am enjoying this thread. Picking up all sorts of good ideas. Not being afraid to mention a possibly bad idea, here it goes. When I was younger, I was rather light in weight (problem solved now, ugh!), and my family was in the car business. Long story short, my solution back in the day for difficult lug wrenches was to "break" the lugs before jacking the car by standing on the end of the lug wrench. Not being able often to break them by hand, this technique never failed. Having to deal with many a flat tire on deliveries, I can say it is a tested method.

better have a darn good socket with a snug fit or you may need a ride to the ER if its slips with you standing on it.
that's what I like about the breaker bar in my pic .. two hands will do the job if you are in decent shape.
learning good techniques helps .. seriously.

But, assuming its all good, with xtra lbs, its gotta be a little easier now .. (see bold txt) ?

:grin


The Bachelor Party Corrosion, Big bang theory.

a flat tire hinders the fiesta plans of our party-goers. Howard is able to loosen all of the lug nuts except one. The four friends study the tire. After brainstorming ideas that involved Superman’s heat vision, the Green Lantern’s ring, and a quick call to The Avengers, they decide to approach the problem using science.

You can look it up, I cannot watch it again, the laughing makes me lose control.

:nerd :rock: :lol2:

The Exothermic reaction ...

.

 

[iratollah]

CB, Does this mean that Chevrolet has opened themselves to liability as they were negligent in not including the torque wrench necessary for safely mounting a spare tire?

Ira, I couldn’t agree more. After checking lug nut torque once I got the car home from the selling dealer, I realized that I needed a better tool than the one provided by the factory. So, I went to Sears and bought an 18 inch long 1/2 inch drive breaker bar, a 6 inch extension and then ordered one of the plasticized 6 pt. sockets to fit the lug nut. These tools permanently live wrapped up in an old towel (so they don’t rattle) with the full size spare and the jack in the spare wheel well.

Sorry that you had to go through the hassle, but it is a good reminder to the rest of us to put our tools back in the car if we have to take them out for any reason.

... you use a torque wrench ... not a breaker bar and guesstimate.

 

[SoCA-SS]

the torque wrench necessary for mounting a spare tire?

it occurs to me that such a tool is misunderstood.
also seen mechanics that fail to hold it properly, which is a must for accuracy.
also, going from 0 to 140 ftlbs on one nut while other nuts are lose, is crazy - yet, mechanics do it all the time.

torque wrench is a great tool but there are other methods specially if on-da-road.
for racing and high speed is totally another issue, a must carry one.

plus calibration if you like accuracy.

.

 

[SaberOne]

I too keep a 1/2" breaker bar with sockets in the spare tire compartment.