lug nut key keeps breaking?
#16
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (3)
Ugh I have two same threads going how do i delete one? I am tightening them mostly by the wrench that is given in the car.... either that or a power wrench drill.... I can agree with you IXI187IXI... but I wouldnt think metal would have that much of a deformation in a bit of climate change... It's been cold around here ever since i was doing work on the car 40-60F.... Does anyone know if Lexus will trade in the key lug nuts?
#17
woahh that looks real bad.... I did have a problem before when i was driving and we hear a thud and the car started vibrating so we immediately pulled over and we didnt tighten the nuts enough.... a pretty scary moment.... My method of tightening them is how you would if you changed a spare... you use your body weight to tighten it... I know this stresses the bolts and the factory wrench but its what i got.... I'll make sure to get a torque wrench soon!
Last edited by i8thesun; 04-21-15 at 06:04 AM.
#18
Pole Position
I find the click type wrenches too delicate and too easy to throw out of calibration by getting bounced and knocked around. I own the GearWrench electronic torque wrench, no fiddling around twisting the stupid thing to the right torque number and it is spot on. Gives you torque readout in real time as you go, along with a series of LEDs that go from green, yellow red as you get closer to the set torque and finally a satisfying beep when you've hit it. Digital all the way... though yeah maybe cheap digital ones are worse than good low tech beam ones.
Whatever you do I wouldn't be using a tire iron on a regular basis and trusting that at all.
Whatever you do I wouldn't be using a tire iron on a regular basis and trusting that at all.
#19
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
A Craftsman beam torque wrench is around $20 and will take the guesswork out of it. Don't bother getting the digital readout junk, it will break. I picked up this Precision Instruments twin-beam clicker for $130 online. If you get this, professional mechanics will be impressed, and your grandchildren will be using it, it is not delicate. Bring it with you to the tire store if they don't use one, insist they use it or go elsewhere, preferably somewhere that uses torque wrenches. NAPA and other parts stores have lugnuts for your car, M12 x 1.5 thread, 21mm hex, about 1.5" tall matches factory nuts, maybe $4 each. Bring one of your lug nuts in to compare.
#20
I still have my $20 beam-style Craftsman. It will never go out of calibration, never need servicing, always as accurate as you want to take time for. Torque wrenches that click or give audible signals are more convenient and really nice in awkward places where you can't easily read a beam-style, but they are not all that much better for simple lug-nut torqueing.
Snap-on is over-priced for most things, but almost everything they sell is high quality and comes with an excellent warranty. They sell my Precision Instruments wrench for twice the price, with a different color blow-molded case.
Craftsman quality has gone down, and they no longer have a good warranty, but they are decent. I'm surprised at how much better Chinese stuff has gotten. I'm not sure who makes Gear Wrench or where it's made, I don't see it used much in shops but the stuff I've seen has been good. I love my flex-head combination wrenches from Gear Wrench. But their torque wrench is really spendy.
Snap-on is over-priced for most things, but almost everything they sell is high quality and comes with an excellent warranty. They sell my Precision Instruments wrench for twice the price, with a different color blow-molded case.
Craftsman quality has gone down, and they no longer have a good warranty, but they are decent. I'm surprised at how much better Chinese stuff has gotten. I'm not sure who makes Gear Wrench or where it's made, I don't see it used much in shops but the stuff I've seen has been good. I love my flex-head combination wrenches from Gear Wrench. But their torque wrench is really spendy.
Last edited by i8thesun; 04-25-15 at 07:41 PM.
#21
Driver School Candidate
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Ms
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I agree with others. Ditch the lock. It will cause nothing buy trouble. If you insist on getting one, then get one that surrounds the whole lug (like the gorilla ones).
#22
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
I still have my $20 beam-style Craftsman. It will never go out of calibration, never need servicing, always as accurate as you want to take time for. Torque wrenches that click or give audible signals are more convenient and really nice in awkward places where you can't easily read a beam-style, but they are not all that much better for simple lug-nut torqueing.
Snap-on is over-priced for most things, but almost everything they sell is high quality and comes with an excellent warranty. They sell my Precision Instruments wrench for twice the price, with a different color blow-molded case.
Craftsman quality has gone down, and they no longer have a good warranty, but they are decent. I'm surprised at how much better Chinese stuff has gotten. I'm not sure who makes Gear Wrench or where it's made, I don't see it used much in shops but the stuff I've seen has been good. I love my flex-head combination wrenches from Gear Wrench. But their torque wrench is really spendy.
Snap-on is over-priced for most things, but almost everything they sell is high quality and comes with an excellent warranty. They sell my Precision Instruments wrench for twice the price, with a different color blow-molded case.
Craftsman quality has gone down, and they no longer have a good warranty, but they are decent. I'm surprised at how much better Chinese stuff has gotten. I'm not sure who makes Gear Wrench or where it's made, I don't see it used much in shops but the stuff I've seen has been good. I love my flex-head combination wrenches from Gear Wrench. But their torque wrench is really spendy.
#23
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
#24
Craftsman has a lug socket set for $20, all the common sizes and a short extension, impact quality.
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