# Wheel bolts are on too tight



## Dave 20T (Apr 7, 2013)

Wheel bolts are in too tight. The offender is a shop 12 miles away. What should I do. I used a breaker bar with a 1/2" to 3/8" adaptor and a 17(?) mm socket. The adaptor just broke because it was too tight.

1. drive the X3 to that shop. However, the other three tires are different and snow tires.
2. take it 1 mile to a gas station
3. Buy a breaker bar that can use a 3/8 socket so no need for an adaptor
4. Buy a 17 mm socket/bit that fits in a 1/2" breaker bar I already have
5. Buy a long tire iron.

I am that thinking of #2 or 4


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## aKiwiJoKer (May 30, 2013)

4


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## chaswyck (Oct 12, 2014)

You probably need a pneumatic gun to loosen the bolts. I'd go with option 2.


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## Autoputzer (Mar 16, 2014)

4

Never take your car to that shop again. They are idiots. Don't expect the tire apes at the gas stations to be Rhodes Scholars, either.


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## Squiddie (Dec 19, 2010)

Why not limp to the next gas station garage that has a gun and give them $20 in cash for simply getting the bolts off and on?


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## Racer-X / 6'er (May 19, 2013)

...and ask Santa for a torque wrench for Christmas. I see these frequently at pawn shops if you don't want to drop a bunch of cash into something you may not use a lot. 

Good luck.


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## wcr3d (Jul 17, 2012)

Auto Zone has a tool rental program. Rent a 3/4" breaker and torque wrench with socket. Then you know what to ask for christmas.


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## Ellis M. Stewar (Dec 13, 2014)

*Rear Wheel Wiggles, but lug bolts are tight!?*

I have a 1998 Ford Windstar Cargo Minivan and one rear wheel is a little loose, but the lugbolts are tight. I think it might be a wheel bearing. Any other suggestions out there? 
Thanks in advance!


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## cwsqbm (Aug 4, 2004)

#4, but buy an impact socket so that you can use an impact wrench if you buy one. Use anti-seize on the lug bolts - the problem might be not that the bolts were too tight initially, but that they've rusted in place. I also put a little anti-seize on the back of the wheel so that it doesn't corrode and stick to the brake rotors.


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## Dave 20T (Apr 7, 2013)

Racer-X / 6'er said:


> ...and ask Santa for a torque wrench for Christmas. I see these frequently at pawn shops if you don't want to drop a bunch of cash into something you may not use a lot.
> 
> Good luck.


Thanks. I do have a torque wrench but I only use it to tighten bolts to the desired specification. I view it as a precision tool. A breaker bar is slightly longer than a torque wrench and has no measuring mechanism. It is just a metal bar that you can attach sockets to fit the bolt size. The wheel bolts were so tight that it broke the adaptor.


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## tim330i (Dec 18, 2001)

4

Do not use a torque wrench to remove bolts. 

Tim


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## marshalltj (Nov 5, 2014)

#4 and keep the breaker bar and socket in your trunk, just incase you get stuck somewhere and need to remove the tire.


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## luigi524td (Apr 4, 2005)

I have a 2 foot steel bar with a 1/2 lug welded on the end; And a 1/2" impact socket (one of the deep ones) in the correct size to loosen OVERTIGHTENED lugs. I agree, DO NOT use your torque wrench to loosen overtightened bolts - even though their extra length offers more leverage; That could cause a problem with their calibration when you need it most - TO CORRECTLY TIGHTEN FASTENERS!


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## wingless (Apr 14, 2007)

A torque wrench is the best / only way to properly tighten fasteners, like lug nuts / bolts.

Most manufacturers recommend against using a lubricant, like anti-sieze, on the threads. My experience is that vehicles operated in the rust belt require anti-sieze and those used down south do not need that protection.


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## Ruggernaut (Apr 25, 2014)

Harbor Freight has a 1/2 inch torque wrench on special for $21.95 right now. If you purchase one, buy the impact sockets to use with it. It also a good idea to have a metric four way lug wrench and a 24" piece of pipe. Leverage is a wonderful thing. That pipe will move a cross threaded lug nut. 

This is an old enough thread that you have resolved your issue, but others may still learn something. I would be interested in knowing what happened in the end.


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## ol' grouch (Dec 27, 2014)

I've gotten some real stinkers off over the years. What you will need is, a 4 way lug wrench that fits your lug nuts. Wrap some electrical tape around the arm that has the size you need so you can find it in the dark. You will also need a cheater pipe to go over the 4 way arms. Lastly, a flat topped jack that will get as high as the top nut. 

Now, raise the jack so it supports the 4 way wrench on the nut. Put the cheater pipe on it and hang off it until it breaks loose. In extreme cases, I've used an old driveshaft and hung off the pipe along with another guy not much smaller than me. Even then we had to bounce to break it loose.

Do NOT use anti-sieze on the threads. This will mess up the torque settings and possibly damage the wheels by getting the nuts too tight.Like wise, do NOT use penetrants like WD-40. If you need a little lubrication to keep nuts from rusting, use a drop of engine oil or 3in1 motor oil.


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## Dave 20T (Apr 7, 2013)

Ruggernaut said:


> This is an old enough thread that you have resolved your issue, but others may still learn something. I would be interested in knowing what happened in the end.


I used a tire iron, which isn't that long. I stood on it and had another person stand on it at the same time. I also stood on it jumping (and holding on to the car for balance). The combination of this finally worked.


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## RBinDC (Aug 8, 2010)

cwsqbm said:


> #4, but buy an impact socket so that you can use an impact wrench if you buy one. Use anti-seize on the lug bolts - the problem might be not that the bolts were too tight initially, but that they've rusted in place. I also put a little anti-seize on the back of the wheel so that it doesn't corrode and stick to the brake rotors.


BMW does not recommend putting anti-seize compound on lug bolts. However, putting it on the wheel surface that mates to the rotor is a good idea.


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## [email protected] (Jun 10, 2003)

rbindc said:


> bmw does not recommend putting anti-seize compound on lug bolts. However, putting it on the wheel surface that mates to the rotor is a good idea.


+1


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## david in german (Mar 17, 2011)

I only take my cars to a shop where I can watch them installing the wheel bolts, if I see them using a torque wrench to install the bolts I stop them.. Otherwise I put the wheels and tires in the trunk and have them install the tires on the wheels and then install them on the car myself at home.


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## nickg5 (Dec 12, 2006)

How about take it back to the shop and ask them to loosen up the bolts and tighten them to the correct torque? Make them accountable. 

Regards

Nick


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## Silver Shadow (Dec 12, 2014)

Strangely enough the best garage I've gone to for wheel/tire installation is *Walmart* in Ogdensburg, NY.
I buy all my tires online in the USA and get them installed at Walmart across from The UPS Store where I have a post office box.
They always check the correct torque for the vehicle and use a torque wrench to tighten the lugs. They're balancing is always bang on also. Cheap too!


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## Squiddie (Dec 19, 2010)

BTW, can somebody explain why most breaker bars sold are 3/8"? With those forces involved wouldn't you want 1/2"?


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## Autoputzer (Mar 16, 2014)

Silver Shadow said:


> Strangely enough the best garage I've gone to for wheel/tire installation is *Walmart* in Ogdensburg, NY.
> I buy all my tires online in the USA and get them installed at Walmart across from The UPS Store where I have a post office box.
> They always check the correct torque for the vehicle and use a torque wrench to tighten the lugs. They're balancing is always bang on also. Cheap too!


Here's my Walmart story.

The one near me has a novel solution for not losing the car keys. They put them in the door lock, so that the other keys on the key ring scrape against the door as the door is opened and closed.

I stopped by there ONCE, to have a flat repair on my truck. My truck has stamped steel wheels with a polished stainless steel cover stamped onto them, pretty much indestructible. 
One customer asked another one if they had tire machines that didn't scratch the wheels. The other customer said that he assumed they did. The Walmart employee behind the counter stared laughing at him. All three of us got up, got our cars, and left.


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## Ruggernaut (Apr 25, 2014)

Squiddie said:


> BTW, can somebody explain why most breaker bars sold are 3/8"? With those forces involved wouldn't you want 1/2"?


Most places have both.


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