I keep breaking 1/2 ratchets on my lug nuts.

[Big Blue Florida]

Sounds crazy but might be left hand thread

Sometimes it just requires a different direction.......after pages it might be worth a try. Good call redlegs105

 

[dstig1]

If only someone had said that, somewhere in the 18 preceeding pages!

I was more impressed that this was his first post in 14 years on the board!

 

[aircommuter]

Always keep in mind that with steel wheels, the lug nut holes are 'coined' or stamped in the wheel and overtightening them will distort the coined in flange and the deformed flange (from over torquing the lug nuts) will prevent the lug nuts from achieving a secure contact with the raised portion. Why it's imperative to only tighten the lug nuts to the specified (in your owners manual torque value) and that also applies to a motor vehicle as well, in fact any stamped wheel on anything. That really applies to alloy wheels. Lug nuts on any wheel are always torqued DRY and not WET torque and by wet torque I mean no never seize on them. When torquing any wheel, always do the final to torque setting in a staggered manner.

Actually some wheel manufacturers specify lubricants on the lugs.

 

[California]

HF Earthquake works for this 74 .

Works for me! One of those tools where you say "I should have bought this years ago!" I had to go to 3/8 air couplers to get the claimed performance. Used only for dis-asssembly. Effortless compared to a breaker bar! And HF's black impact sockets.

For re-assembly: hand-start, then cordless screwdriver on the socket then finish with torque wrench.

a deflecting beam type torque is the most accurate of torque wrenches.

I have two beam type torque wrenches, a (American) Craftsman I bought new decades ago and a vintage Proto.

I use them to verify my $11.99 Harbor Freight click torque wrench a couple of times per project.

So far, all three match. Yes I release the tension on the clicker between uses!

 

[WinterDeere]

Actually some wheel manufacturers specify lubricants on the lugs.

This is something that really should be required from all manufacturers. My inner engineering nerd smiles whenever I see a torque table that includes both "dry" and "lubricated" values for an assembly. Engine assembly manuals usually include this, but very little other things in the consumer market do.

 

[Dennis Mohn]

Please do! Here:

Working Women

You all know them: Farmer Graycee, Emily Reeves from Flying Sparks Garage, and all the other attractive women out there doing "man's work". If you don't find 'em cute or entertaining, well... I just don't know what's wrong with you. My favorite of the moment seems to be Katelyn Johnson, with...

www.tractorbynet.com

are you sure you would like to hear my experience with working women? I don't want to clutter up the forum off topic

 

[WinterDeere]

I don't want to clutter up the forum off topic

It's off-topic in this thread, but not in the one that was linked above.

As to hearing about your experience with them, only if it's something amusing. It was really more about sharing YouTube or other video stream links.

 

[Dennis Mohn]

It's off-topic in this thread, but not in the one that was linked above.

As to hearing about your experience with them, only if it's something amusing. It was really more about sharing YouTube or other video stream links.

mine are first hand experiences., Things that actually happened while I was a field service mechanic. They're clean stories , just comical.

 

[ruffdog]

Dry rusty fasteners can be very difficult to install & remove. A dry fastener will often not torque up smoothly often resisting torque then snapping loose as more torque is applied which can be painful and break tools.
I always clean & lubricate my lug nuts or screws before assembly.
I always use a torque wrench when installing wheels.
Torque specs are generally for clean dry fasteners so I reduce the torque setting to avoid over torquing.
90cummins

^^agree......50 years later and I've never had all these problems with lug nuts or ratchets.

 

[WinterDeere]

mine are first hand experiences., Things that actually happened while I was a field service mechanic. They're clean stories , just comical.

Excellent! Post here:

Working Women

You all know them: Farmer Graycee, Emily Reeves from Flying Sparks Garage, and all the other attractive women out there doing "man's work". If you don't find 'em cute or entertaining, well... I just don't know what's wrong with you. My favorite of the moment seems to be Katelyn Johnson, with...

www.tractorbynet.com

 

[ray66v]

My whole life in the repair business, I saw people struggle trying to remove tight fasteners, with inadequate equipment.

If you do, buy a 3/4" impact. They can be had at a good price, if you are a savvy shopper.

I think I paid like $100 for mine, and it was like brand new. It just took some patience.

Nothing I encounter slows it down.

Chinese 3/4" impact sockets kits are reasonably affordable, and adequate for occasional use.

Pro tip: Do not run a 3/4" or larger impact, on a 3/8" air hose. You lose much of it's power if you do. You need a 1/2" hose, and high volume couplers.

 

[California]

Harbor Freight's 3/8" couplers, needed for the 1/2" drive Earthquake impact wrench.
1/4" brass couplers were literally strangling the tool.

 

[Up to the Axles]

Decades ago, a friend owned a Flxible bus and tried to get the lug nuts loose. He was using a Budd wrench. A Budd wrench then[1] was a HEAVY ~18" long solid steel cylinder about 1.5" dia with a socket ?cast/machined? into each end. It has a hole at the 9" point for the hard solid rod that slides in and you crank on.

He used a 6 ft cheater pipe and could not budge the nuts.

After some thought, he put a bumper jack under the outbound end, propped the cheater end on a steel plate on the ground, then started the bus and eased it into gear.

The Budd wrench promptly split in half.

He called a truck tire company, and showed them the Budd ex-wrench. The tire guy had a 3/4" impact wrench, air compressor and socket. He banged away to no avail. He then called his boss, who came out with a new impact wrench, and after lots of rat-a-tat/wait for the compressor/repeat, they finally got them loose.





1] I see other ilk of tools now being called Budd wrenches. Accept No Substitutes!

 

[5030]

I have a 10 hole Bud impact socket that works just fine with my IR 3/4 drive air impact wrench. The wheels on my grain trailer and my Class 8 tractor are all 10 hole Bud style but they are all pilot mount. Loosening only. Tightening is via a 3/4" drive torque wrench.

 

[5030]

My whole life in the repair business, I saw people struggle trying to remove tight fasteners, with inadequate equipment.

If you do, buy a 3/4" impact. They can be had at a good price, if you are a savvy shopper.

I think I paid like $100 for mine, and it was like brand new. It just took some patience.

Nothing I encounter slows it down.

Chinese 3/4" impact sockets kits are reasonably affordable, and adequate for occasional use.

Pro tip: Do not run a 3/4" or larger impact, on a 3/8" air hose. You lose much of it's power if you do. You need a 1/2" hose, and high volume couplers.

You need adequate CFM as well and no 'wenie' air compressor will be capable of delivering adequate CFM to run any air hog tool like a 3/4 or 1" drive impact. Why we have a minimum 35 CFM @ 135 psi air delivery in the shop and contrary to most opinions about compressed air delivery, 135 psi is more than adequate to run any air tool, so long as the delivered CFM is available. Your compressors as well as your entrained moisture will be a whole lot less at 135 psi as well and I run an IR Refrigerated air dryer between my Quincy QP reciprocating compressor and my main air supply line as well as point of use filters (Motorguard 2 micron) on the plasma cutters. You'd be amazed at how little downtime is required for removing carbon from the compressor valves when running 135 psi, versus the normally set 175 psi, plus the compressor will last a lot longer, use less electricity and produce less entrained condensation. I also have a timed condensate valve on the bottom of the receiver, that way I don't have to manually drain the receiver.