I've been having problems with my lugnuts, when the guy who did my bodywork put them on, he only put 3 of them on, and tightened them as much as he could with an air powered impact wrench, so needless to say, I couldn't get them off. I have since jacked the car up and put the entire car on 4 jackstands, because the car will sit and be my project while I am in college. My question is, because I have recently purchased an air powered impact wrech and the bits to remove the lugnuts, which are chipped btw, do I have to lower the car to the ground to loosen the lug nuts and then jack the car up to take the wheel off completely, or can I just take the lug nuts off with the car fully elevated, I ask because I think the mechanics at auto garages leave the car elevated to put the tires back on when they are using air powered impact wrenches.

 

Give it a shot and see what happens If your impact gun isn't strong enough, you might have to break the lug nuts loose with a breaker bar. That would require you to have someone stand on the brakes or lower the car back to the ground. Make sure you use impact sockets since the chrome ones will possibly split apart.

 

with an impact gun you can leave it in the air but i sugest you do what evilcartman said and use a breaker bar to get them loose especally if there chiped becuase you could end up striping them depending on how tight the place you went to made them. But if you really want to use your impact gun in the air is fine.

 

I was actually using strippers, that's why I had to use the impace wrench, because they were already too stripped. Thanks for the replies guys. I didn't know about the impact wrench sockets, I'm sure you prevented some damage by mentioning that EvilCartman, thanks.

 

A wheel has so much mass relative to the nut that for an impact gun (well, wrench... however at the shop its always just "the gun") it's essentially fixed, regardless of whether it's free-spinning or not. I wouldn't worry too much about getting anything stripped, the nuts are cheap and the studs are not that hard to replace iirc.

Yeah, not only will chromed sockets break (even high-quality snapon etc..) you voided the warranty too so you can't replace them. Even if they don't break, they lose plating and look ugly.

When it comes to putting them back on, what we always do regardless of torque specs, alloy vs steel etc is run all the nuts down and then go back around giving them 2 more quick shots with the gun (100 flb gun). Remember to go round in a star pattern, so with 5 you always move clockwise 2 nuts, this makes sure they get tightened evenly. Start them by hand though of course to prevent crossthreading.

 

thats the improper way to torque your lugs, you dont want to over torque Im sorry but I dont agree with what your saying, especally sence the gun doesnt nessasarly torque to 100 ft lbs and as we all know under torque is just as bad as over. But I guess thats my oppinion and what Ive learned through my years at a tire shop and automotive shops in general.

 

I personally use an air powered impact wrench "gun" to remove lug nuts. If it is off the ground an impact is probably the only way you will get lugs off. Do not ever install lugs with an impact gun! I spin the lugs down to the rim with a quick "blip" of the trigger while holding the rim flush on the rotor. Then go to your toolbox and get out your TORQUE WRENCH! Set it at 100ft/lbs and go in a star pattern. If you dont have a torque wrench but you do have an air compressor then your extremely cheap. Go buy a $19.99 china special torque wrench. Thats better than not being able to get wheel off on the roadside, or warping your rotor by over torquing lugs. just my long winded 2 cents HAPPY MOTORING!

 

If your lugs are shot, and you aren't worried about originality, try McGard lug nuts. I have been using them for twenty years, and I've never had a problem with them. McGard Around the World!

Big E

 

IIRC, my shop manual says torque to 80 pounds.

JamesC

 

I know that the way I described isn't the approved way of doing it. However, we all know that most people won't retorque alloy wheels the way you're supposed to, and I've seen too many nuts work loose when torqued to spec. That process with the gun is a matter of aquired feel, and I'll give it a fraction longer if I know the compressor hasn't kicked on for a while meaning the pressure in the tank is at the low end, etc, adjusting for all the variables. Never had any problems or complaints, never damaged a rotor or rim, (flattening them out where they are supposed to lock to the nut is as bad as rotor damage!) but plenty people coming in from the neighboring shops complaining that they *don't* do it right.

 

My chilton manual states for standard (steel) wheels 80 ft/lbs for aluminum wheels 105 ft/lbs. At the dealership they use a 100 pound torque stick. I am not personally fond of torque sticks but they seem to like them in high production shops. I have had to change my tires on my minivan with aluminum wheels that I had torqued to 100 ft/lbs it was no problem at all for me. Im no spring chicken though. (a little bragging here : it only took 9 mins including pulling over from 70 lowering the spare, getting out jack and handle, swapping over to spare. Just thought i'd toot my own horn.) I have always used a torque wrench when not stuck on the side of the road. I always set it at 100 ft/lbs for aluminum wheels and 85 for steel.

 

I double-checked my 85 Camaro shop manual. It says 80 ft/lbs for "all" wheels. My Chilton's also recommends 80. Strange. I've always torqued mine to 80 and have experienced no ill effects.

JamesC

 

Yeah, well, my 100 ft/lbs has had no ill consequence. So with that in mind I will torque my NUTZ to 100 ft/lbs and drive my azz to the store.

 

Hey, what you do with your nutz is your personal business .

JamesC