So I was going to rotate my wheels on the weekend. But I couldn't get some of the wheel nuts to budge. I got a big long scaffolding pipe and put it over my 19mm ring spanner, but it just bent the spanner :o

What if I had to change a flat tyre at the side of a highway, 100kms from anywhere??? I'd be stuck!

So I've painted some words on all my wheel rims (the hubcaps hide it) to tell all mechanics not to use those f#$%ing rattle guns. It's now a Rule for my kombi.

try using a decent wheel spanner, might work a bit better

If you mean a cross-shaped wheel brace, that's what I tried first.

If the monkey can't do up a wheel properly do you really think he can read???

They should leave those things to the race track

[Edited on 11-8-2003 by blue74l]

hehe I've just realised how monkey wrenches got their name :P

you could always try a truck socket set :P i had use one of them once to get one of my wheel nuts off

Better spanners, bigger socket sets, longer levers... and then BANG I'll just break a stud.

The point is that I should be able to change a wheel at the roadside with a normal wheel brace.

That's why rattle guns are now banned on my kombi.

sux doesn't it. best let them loosen it. :puke worst thing is, the bolts can break!!

It's not the rattle guns that are the problem, it's the idiots driving them...

Rattle guns should be burnt


I use a impact socket 1/2 " drive 19mm only single hex or six sides not a 12 sides socket and a knuckle bar about 15" long.... never had a problem

funny that, the monkeys driving the rattle guns tighten the F%^ out of the wheel nuts so i cant get them off without more torque than my engine can output, but the last time they tighened my rear axel nuts, i could simply take them off (by myself) with a long armed ratchet (with the 36mm socket of course) .... mmm bloody monkeys :cussing

I always take my wheels in separate, the tire mobs don't go near my cars
As for locked wheel nuts, while you've got them off (I assume you have succeeded?) CLEAN the back of the rim, the outside face of the drum, the nuts, the studs and where the studs sit on the rim. Make sure they are rust free. (Basically all contact points).
Then smoother them with something like never seize. You'll be glad the next time you take the rims off.

Also for the Kombi, I make a point of removing the drums whenever the rim is off and clean & grease the spigot the drum sits on the hub with. They rust up and you can't get the drums off!!

:thumb

I've had tyre places strip the threads out of brand new brake drums once...... not happy Jan !!!!

I agree - never needs to be tighter than you can get with a wheel brace.

if you put never seize on all the contacting surfaces of the nut, and on the threads, all your problems will magically disappear.

Quote:

Originally posted by Purple Martin So I was going to rotate my wheels on the weekend. But I couldn't get some of the wheel nuts to budge. I got a big long scaffolding pipe and put it over my 19mm ring spanner, but it just bent the spanner :o What if I had to change a flat tyre at the side of a highway, 100kms from anywhere??? I'd be stuck! So I've painted some words on all my wheel rims (the hubcaps hide it) to tell all mechanics not to use those f#$%ing rattle guns. It's now a Rule for my kombi.

Ned, you should also let other people touch your nuts, trust me

Just get them to be gentle, and not so rough.

I had the same problem as Purple Martin. On every other car I've owned I've had no problems getting the wheel nuts off with a cross-brace - even after they've been got at with a rattle gun. With my kombi I had to heat each nut with a mini blow torch and spray WD40 on the thread while it's hot. Then by pushing on the crossbrace with one leg I eventually got them undone.

I think that there is a real problem with inadequate training and supervision in tyre shops and a heap of other "mechanical, but not qualified mechanic" roles.

I recently had two new tyres fitted. I knew that it was going to be difficult when the yokel started into removing the hubcaps by hitting a screwdriver with a vernier caliper (presumably the hammers at this place are used for fine measurement).

Despite requesting minimal tightening, when finished I could not come close to loosening the nutsa with a cross brace; I returned and got them to loosen all and I then tightened to the book-spec. ~94 ft. lb. with the cross brace.

I estimate that the nuts were originally rattled on to well over 150 ft. lb. This is not a "good" or cautious setting; it is overtightening and may cause premature stud failure; whilst Wes's suggestion about "never sieze" is worthwhile, I still can't swing 200 ft. lb. on a cross brace .

Just my $0.02.

I've had the opposite experience, took the Kombi in to a well known tyre chain a couple of months ago and amongst other things had the wheels swapped around and balanced.

Later that afternoon was driving down the Great Western Highway and heard a strange noise. Pulled over and took a look and BOTH wheels on the passenger side hadn't been tightened!!!

With my 20 month old in the back you can bet I wasn't happy thinking about what could have happened

just listen to modulus i am not a vw expert altho i own a kombi i am a mechanic wheel nuts dont have to be as tight as u think 94 ft lb is not that tight a light smear of never seize & the right tension & no problem i believe most tyre fitters over use the rattle guns the rattle gun should son the nut down firm then final tightening should be with a hand brace or possably a tention wrench good luck & enjoy your VW

when i first bought this bug i have atm i could not remove one wheel out of four.. then i realised it was the only one that had been recently changed by some confident capital B kid.. so i know that overtightening is annoying and i feel your pain.. i had to use a super long handled socket with a inch quarter pipe around it.. sucks huh

I always have a 5' length of RHS handy that I can use as an extension handle. I've twisted the cross-brace a couple of times using it, but I've found that the same handle will also fit over my Kingchrome 1/2" drive ratchet, which is much stronger than the cross-brace. If I can't undo the nuts with the cross-brace alone, I now swap to the ratchet and handle. :thumb

I've been using anti-seize since Wes suggested it months ago, and it works. :thumb I was a bit disappointed with it at first, until I realised that the threads are a friction surface too, and need the treatment just like the locating face. I find that the 5' handle is now overkill, but its great for working on other people's cars!

on Ludwig III we dont use the rattle gun to tighten the bolts because we are scared of breaking studs. i dont think it is a good idea to use them.
hmm, that spanner does look pretty flimsy
good VW mechanics should know better or know how to use a rattle gun and not cause trouble.
obviously apprentices at tyre places dont have the slightest idea about how much of a pain in the ass it is when you break a stud, when will they know?... all in good time my friends!!!

The correct torque is over 90ft-lbs on a VW, but my rattle gun is capable of producing 230! There are rattle guns on which you can set the torque, but I've never seen one in a regular tyre shop in about the last 10-15 years. BTW - the rattle guns you see used by pit-crews are the torque-limited type and are usually set to no more than 35ft-lbs (alloy rims, you see.)

This thread is exactly why you shouldnt be allowed to bag an business on the forum. Its nobody's fault that your wheel nuts are stuck. It happens on its own. I dont own a rattle gun. I certainly dont drive my fastback with the soft race tyres down to a tyre fitting shop. But I have twisted the odd wheel brace. See how many people have said their wheel nuts have locked on? maybe its time for an apology.

Theres a simple fix. Go buy yourself some never seize. Go to a tyre place and ask them to crack the wheelnuts for you with their rattle gun. Put the neverseize on. Then you can do them up with your own wheelbrace. I'd be surprised if they charged you more than $5. I know the tyre place near me does rotations for $10.