I AM SO ANGRY re: oil change!!!

Hi Julia,

That floor jack is OK. I understand you do not want to spend excessively on tools. You only need a pair of jackstands for now.

If you are going to rotate from back to front and vice-versa - which is the recommended Prius tire rotation pattern, only one side of the car has to be lifted at a time. Hence, you could first raise up a front corner, then place a jackstand at that corner to keep that corner up. Then move the jack to the rear corner on the same side of the car, raise up the car, and place the second jackstand there.

If you follow the maintenance recommendations, you would rotate tires at 5K mile intervals.

Regarding the breaker bar, you want the 1/2" socket size, 24" length would be very good. If you don't have enough room under the car to use that tool, that means you should raise up the car so that you have adequate clearance to work.

There has been a recent discussion regarding exactly how to raise up the Prius and where to place jackstands, so please search for that if you have Qs along those lines.

 

yep. A socket bar that is longer than usual. The further away from the socket you hold the bar, the more torque on the bolt.

 

Yes, it's typically longer than a normal ratchet handle for extra leverage. Also they typically have a non ratcheting head (fixed or swivel) for increased strength.

Anyway, now that you've done the job once you probably won't need the breaker bar next time you have to remove that plug. Be aware though that many things take a fair bit more torque to undo (break free) than what you you used to tighten them. So don't be too surprised if that drain plug isn't still a little bit difficult next time as well.

Personally I like to use a nice long double box end wrench to remove (and replace) the drain plug. Double box end wrenches are often available with a little more length than the more common combination or open ended types, which makes them a good choice for breaking fasteners free.

BTW. With the split oil. After you mop up the bulk of it with rags or paper towels etc, a good tip is to spread a shovel of garden soil over the top and just let it sit for a week or two. The microbes in the soil get stuck into it the oil and it just seems to vanish. Scrap off the soil after a week or two and give the area a hose down.

 

LMAO that's the first thought that came to me too.

 

Two things I've found essential to clean oil changes: a large sheet of cardboard(which also increases the comfort factor) and a proper oil drain container. Sure, an ice cream pail sorta works, but the fancier gizmo is much cleaner, and it's easily transported to the used oil depot.

 

Hi Julia,

No. A 3/8" breaker bar probably will be only around 1 ft in length. That won't give you much additional leverage.

There is no wonder you had trouble loosening the drain pan bolt if you were using a 3/8" ratchet wrench which likely has a pretty short handle.

Suppose the drain pan bolt was tightened to spec at 28 ft.-lb and your wrench had a 6" long handle. You would have had to apply 56 pounds of force on the end of the handle to have a chance of budging the bolt. That is not easy to do if you are not in a position where you can apply some of your body weight upon the handle.

If your socket set is 3/8", then buy a 1/2" size breaker bar, 2 ft. long, and a socket adapter from 1/2" to 3/8". Then you can use your 3/8" sockets with the 1/2" breaker bar.

With a 2 ft. long breaker bar, you would only have to apply 14 lb of force upon the end of the breaker bar to move the bolt given the above example. That is much easier to achieve.

 

While you're at the store, have you got a good oil filter wrench? A big screwdriver and a hammer works, but it's messy.

 

While at the store, she should definitely get a subscription to the TV show 'home improvement.'

Absolutely required for any aspiring tool junkie.

 

The first time I changed the oil in my Prius was a disaster. The oil filter had been tightened so much at the factory that I couldn't get it off. The thing actually twisted and kinked when I tried the cap wrench! The pucker factor got pretty high when I saw that. As far as I'm concerned, experiences like that are all the more reason to climb the learning curve and do it yourself so that someone else won't have a chance to screw it up. I can always get bolts and filters off when I'm the one who installed them.

 

Don't waste your money on a breaker bar. You'll probably never use it. A better device is to go to Home Depot and in the electrical aisle buy a 10 foot piece of 3/4 metal EMT pipe. Ask. There cheap. This pipe fits perfectly over your socket wrench and instantly converts your socket wrench into a spectacular breaker bar. If you don't already have one then buy a hacksaw there too. Cut the thin metal pipe in half in front of the store so you can get it home. Its very easy to do. Leave one section 5 feet long...your going to need it. Cut the other 5 foot section down to a 1 footer athome and save the other 4 foot piece. The one foot works perfect under the car and you will need the 5 footer to get the lug nuts off the wheels to do a rotate.

To get the lug nuts off put your socket wenech on the nut and then slip your 5 foot bar all the way on the end of the wrench. Go to the end of the bar and gently bounce the bar a little till the nut gives. With a 5 footer it will be a peice of cake. Please wear eye protection if you ever have to wail on the pipe to get a lug nut off. Sometimes a cheap socket will shatter.
This super breaker comes in handy especially if the last time the wheel was mounted it was mounted at a tire shop using an air impact wrench. Then you will never ever get that lug off on the side of the road with the crappy wrench thats comes with the car in the trunk so its a good thing to at least bust the lugs off at home with you mondo bar and put them back on.

Also be aware although the wheels are only 15 inches they are very heavy. Don't hurt youself. There easy to get off the hub but you have to lift them up on the hub to mount them while your sitting on the ground. All arm strength. Not easy.
Best way is to sit under the wheel with the tire almost in your lap. Be careful cause your going to use muscles you never ever use.
Remember your neck under the car?

The best part about rotating the tires is cleaning them. Its the only time you can wash the interior rim of the wheel and its going to need it. It will be covered in all kinds of tar and crap aned thats where the wheel starts to corrode.
Sometimes there's so much debris it upsets the tire balance. You'll see. Wash the inside and outside of the tire & wheel real good.
Also You'll notice the center cap of the wheel that has the Toyota Insignia can be easily pushed out from the back. Its just a clip. Remove those wheel centers before you mount the tires. After mounting the wheel spray or fill up that hole where the hub castle nut is with grease and then put the cap back on. You'll notice that castle nut is already rusted all to hell. Some grease there will really help further corrosion because someday if you lose a wheeel bearing and lots of reports of that here you will then you will be able to get that nut off to get the hub off. The grease can't get on the rotor because the wheel is sealed to the hub.

Btw, if you dig what were posting there's a like bottom right of all posts. Click on that. That tells us you like our post.

Good Luck.

 

Couldn't agree more. I don't think a new driver should not be able to get a license with out knowing basic maintenance.

 

Yes you have the strength. Most lug nuts require around 85ft/lbs of torque, not a lot. A nice half inch torque wrench will act as a breaker bar. But is a bit expensive. I also use anti seize of my wheel bolts. This will help the next time you take them off.