Has anybody had any experiances with this: EZ Lug Wrench It's a hand crank lug nut wrench that spans two nuts and provieds 32:1 leverage. On the surface, it looks like a marvelous gadget, but I can find very few reviews online and it's a bit pricey to just try it. I've tried the stock wrench (including jumping on it) and an aftermarket four-point wrench. The only way I've successfully broken the nuts loose by myself is by setting the jack up under the stock wrench and extending it until the nut breaks loose (with the car on the ground, the wheels chocked, and the parking brake on). I'm pretty sure this is really unsafe, not to mention dreadfully slow. There has got to be a better way. Any pointers or suggestions?
Haven't heard anything good about the EZ LUG Wrench. I bought a Gorilla Lug wrench that works well on my Prius. http://www.brandsport.com/grla-1721.html
Picked up a colapsible lug wrench on sale at harbor frieght for about 8 bucks. You unfold it and get push/pull leverage. Plus I check my own lugnuts and make sure they are not above the correct value
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hawkjm73 @ Jan 4 2007, 07:09 PM) [snapback]371026[/snapback]</div> They are only supposed to be torqued to 76 ft/lbs or so... Sounds as if someone has put your wheels on way too tight. Too tight is better than too loose, but it's almost as bad. They should easily loosen with even just the stock wrench. I like the cross-style lug wrenches, you can use both hands on opposite sides to get more even leverage, but that much effort probably shouldn't be needed.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hawkjm73 @ Jan 4 2007, 07:09 PM) [snapback]371026[/snapback]</div> I got one with my electric bottle jack. It works great, but I only used it to try it. I torque my own bolts, so have not needed it, but I've had problems with shops before putting them on too tight, so if I get a flat and someone does that, I have this in reserve. I use a torque wrench for installing bolts, this thing is only for removing them easy, without the damage my air wrench would do.
I just keep a piece of iron pipe in the trunk along with the spare- handy for extra torque if needed as well as for "other" purposes but luckily I've never actually had to use it yet (for tire removal or other things).. I use the "lift" method for manually removing lug nuts and it's worked on every car with just the standard OEM tire wrench: attach the wrench with the handle pointing to the left side, horizontal or just below. Stand beside the car facing the same direction as the handle is pointing, bend your knees and reach down and grab the end of the handle, straighten your knees and lift. In this manner, you're using your legs to undo the bolt vs. arm strength and I've never failed to remove a lug nut in this manner, even with short wrenches.. I wouldn't bother with that "EZ wrench"- they claim that a constant torque is better, but that's not true.. Constant torque is what causes broken studs and stripped threads- impact on the other hand frees stuck threads without breaking things.. The "Gorilla" wrench on the other hand is basically a regular tire iron with a built in extension, and if the integrated packaging is important to you, it might be worth the $15.99 plus shipping vs. the $3 I spent at Home Depot for a 3 foot length of iron pipe..
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(c4 @ Jan 5 2007, 10:37 AM) [snapback]371237[/snapback]</div> That's a good tip. The other option, put all your weight on it, usually means at some point one or both hands will be driven into the little gravels and bits of beer bottles on the shoulder of the road when the bolt does come free. Properly torqued on, they should easily come off, though, with the lug wrench that came with the car.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(c4 @ Jan 5 2007, 10:37 AM) [snapback]371237[/snapback]</div> Are those left hand threads on the lug nuts? If the nuts are right hand thread, and you point the handle to the left, then lifting will tighten the nuts. Or by left do you mean left as you face away from the wheel? Tom
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(qbee42 @ Jan 5 2007, 11:31 AM) [snapback]371255[/snapback]</div> The Prius has regular lug nuts, i.e, clockwise to tighten. Lefty loosey, righty tighty. Point the handle of the lug wrench on the wheel at an imaginary 3 o'clock and lift up (to break the nut free on removal of course). One of my buddies in high school had a Dodge Polara handed down from his parents. We never could get two of the wheels off when I was going to help him redo the brakes. It was probably a good thing then. Other than that, I don't think I've seen much of anything else that didn't have normal threads, and I think it was only a few years for Mopars that one side had backward threads, and it was the passenger side if I remember right... But I digress. Sorry.
My old MGA had left hand knockoffs on one side. Tightened them a lot while trying to remove them the first time :lol: One other suggestions is to add a block of 2x10 wood to put under the jack. Most car jacks are worth much and if the ground isn't lvel you may not get the car up enought. The block gives you a 2 inch headstart and a flat place for the jack
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ghostrider @ Jan 5 2007, 10:17 PM) [snapback]371630[/snapback]</div> Old Chrysler products were the same way. There was a little 'L' stamped into the studs but it was usually only by a similiar experience that most owners initially discovered it.
The factory spec for nut torque is 76 lb ft. At that torque level, I can use one hand and a regular ratchet to loosen up the nuts. If the nuts are *way* overtorqued, and corroded to boot, good luck. I've usually managed to twist the bolt right off. Then I get very very VERY angry. You remember that scene from The Incredibles where Mr Incredible gets mad at his tiny car, and picks it up to throw it far away? I've come close a couple of times.
A little off subject, but what is the size of the lug nut on the Prius? I am looking for a lug nut wrench to fit my wife's Honda with 16 mm nuts and the Prius. My largest metric socket is 16mm and the Prius is slightly larger.
If the nuts are *way* overtorqued, and corroded to boot, good luck. I've usually managed to twist the bolt right off. Then I get very very VERY angry. [/QUOTE] Had a flat with my then 13 year old Carolla, and the garage had over torqued them. Couldn't budge with provided wrench even by jumping on handle. So in true Hulk fashion, picked up (real) spare and brought it down smartly on end of handle. That broke lug nut free. Then couldn't get wheel off - rusted to car. By slamming spare against bottom of flat tire, tire broke free. The last time I went to jack up that car, the jack proceeded right up through the frame. Now I am happily driving a new Prius instead. Chris
I use a 13/16" deep socket, so that would be 21 mm. I would say you were certainly due for a new car, it's good that the Corolla didn't fall apart while you were driving it... I'm not used to seeing so much corrosion, living only in Western states with relatively moderate climate and no road salt in the winter.
I understand. Go to Home Depot with a hacksaw. Buy a 10 foot piece of metal 1 1/2 EMT pipe for $5.00 there. You can hack it in half in the parking lot to get it home. A 4 foot piece of 1 1/2 emt on a breaker bar will get any and all nuts off in a wink. I use it all the time on all my cars. I don't care if the lugs are on at 150 lbs, with this pipe its butta. Especially useful after the dudes at the new tire place air wrench my lugs on at 120 lbs. I don't even bother asking anymore. I go home...4 foot the nuts loose and adjust them back on at 90 lbs with my tqe wrench. If I don't and I'm caught on the road with just my T bar I'm hosed.
