Quite Possibly the easiest way to remove lug nuts

Dodger-TC

Dodger-TC

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2009
Messages
118
Location
Fort Campbell
On the never ending quest to finish my truck I ran into a problem. I could not remove the inner lug nuts (bud wheels). I tried a breaker bar, a 820 ft/lb impact wrench, a six foot cheater bar and still no luck. I have heard that it may take a 1" impact to pull the lugs. I was about to buy one when I came across a torque mulitplier by Snap on. It is a GA190 capable of 2000 ft/lbs. It multiplies what ever you put in time 4 with a gear reduction system. I am amazed at how easy they came off. No air or electricity required! Figured I would share my amazement.

Dodger
 
How do you support that big arm that sticks out the side of the multiplier? I bought one but haven't had to use it yet but I stuck it on and was wondering about that. Looks like I might need a helper to hold that arm while I turn the socket? Sounds like you got a nice one from Snapon. Mine is a cheap one from Northern.
 
Wow, I just looked at the one you got on Snapon's web site. Very nice. They call it the "reation bar" what I'm wondering how you support.
 
the reaction bar actually rests on the ground. It is long enough to reach the ground from almost all the lugs. The reaction bar is removeable, so I guess that I could put a longer one in it. I had to spin the wheel to catch the top two. I will never travel without this tool. I can remove a wheel in under five minutes with it.
 
WOW! Stack up to three! Reminds me of multiple Allison P-51 Mustang engines powering a pulling tractor! At what point does the stud fail and break off? At little pricey ... just under $700.

"Use singly or stack up to three X4s. Stacking multiplies, not adds, torque ratios—resulting torque can be considerable. Only the torque ratio changes; total capacity is equal to and does not exceed the capacity of the largest wrench in the stack."

"resulting torque can be considerable" is probably an understatement!

GA190, Torque Multiplier, X4, Geared Head, Bar Reaction, 2000 ft. lb. Output

Does it come with a handle? The drawing appears to be only the head. How long is the handle? Hollow or solid.

If you can afford it, another thing you shouldn't leave home without!
 
It comes with a 30" solid hardened handle. Being that it is useful for much more than just lug nuts, I figure it was worth it. Time will tell, I looked at lots of them on eBay. I just don't want to be stuck somewhere unable to take a tire off because the tool broke. Plus it is shinny!
 
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I keep a couple of business cards in my cab. One for Pomp's Tire Service, and the other for Kenworth roadside assistance. I wouldn't be able to carry a spare for my truck, no place to put it. But I do want to be able to take my wheels off in my shop, that's why I got the torque multiplier.
 
A torque multiplier will be more likely to break studs than an impact. The jarring action from the impact will go a long way toward breaking the bolt loose without snapping them off. I restore antique farm equipment (very rusted/stuck). I have found that the rattling of an impact will loosen stuck bolts that brute force would have broken. Before you give up on the impact wrench make sure that it is working at its best. Give it a shot of air tool oil not wd-40 or some other stuff. Oil helps to free up a slow air tool. Many impacts have adjustments to regulate the speed. Make sure it is adjusted for MAX power. Make sure that you have adequate air supply. It takes air pressure AND volume to operate an impact wrench. Many people try to run an impact using a small air hose thus starving the tool for volume. If it has a 3/4" inlet then you need a 3/4" hose and fittinngs all of the way back to the tank.
If the nut or stud still will not loosen then I have another trick. Wack it with a BFH! You can strike the nut on the flats a few times and a lot of times it will come loose when you put the impact back on it. I like to hit the studs on the end a few times. They are hard to reach with a hammer so use a piece of steel bar stock placed against the end of the stud. I have gotten lots of stuck fasteners with a few good licks with a hammer.
To help prevent trouble a second time pay attention to how tight you put the lug nuts on. Tire shops should use a torque wrench. You do not need to tighten the lugs to your limit or the tool's limit. Lots of lugs are simply put on to tight causing lots of trouble. Don't let just any monkey work on your rig.
 
ok ive got a little problem w/ this - ADDING air tool oil increase the seal pressures and can PREMATURELY wear the gun, if youre not periodically servicing the air tool ADDING oil to it <to increase pressure/torque> is NOT a good practice.

youd be better to SOAK the studs w/ PB Blaster (or coat the threads lightly w/ anti-seize).

Hammering on the NUT or Stud can MUSHROOM the threads.

I think the point here is that being able to perform a repair on the road (even if you break a stud) is better than being stranded. For all the air tools i have, NONE would work or have enough AIR, on the road, even if i used the truck air supply.
 
Don, I'm a little confused. Do you recommend running the air tool dry? Running it dry will certainly make it wear out faster. All I suggest is a couple of drops periodically. More oil will only make a big mess anyway. I certainly agree about lubricating the theads like you say. In my experience, penetrating oils do work but it takes days or weeks for them to soak into the joint. Sometimes we cannot wait that long. It never hurts to give it a shot of PBlaster though. You are correct about potential damage with the hammer method. If you do this you must use care and not beat on it endlessly. If it does not work with a few hits it probably will not work at all. Even so, you can loose 1 or 2 studs out of 10 and still make it to the next shop. The large air hose idea might not work on the side of the road but it will help you at home in the shop. You could rig a ping tank to use with the truck's air supply but that is to much stuff to lug around "just in case".
 
no i recommend proper air tool maint. NOT dumping oil in the gun to increase the pressure (and blow out seals).

I think were in agreement CAUTION before desperation ;) Loosen 'em NOW, perform the maint. on them NOW, and the job will be easier LATER <on the side of the road, or in a campground>
 
Hey Don please don't think that I am trying to argue with you. I am using our discussion as a way to learn something new. I never even thought about using oil to increase internal pressures but I see your point. I worked in a maintenance shop that either ran the tools dry or used WD-40 in them. They never could understand why those tools had to be rebuilt often.

"I think were in agreement CAUTION before desperation Loosen 'em NOW, perform the maint. on them NOW, and the job will be easier LATER <on the side of the road, or in a campground"

I could not agree more. Some of the suggestions I made would not be possible on the side of the road.
 
Andy - Understood & Agree w/ you. Ive seen TOO many mechanics in an act of desperation FILL their tool w/ air tool (or other) oil as a method of increasing the output/torque of their gun.
 
Loosened lots of these with spline drive impacts, torque multipliers, torch etc but the easiest way was hitting them with the hammer (at least 3 lb) Hit the inner nut on the square drive portion to bend it down from the seat (saying that-it doesn't deflect that much) then spin them off with a decent 3/4 drive impact.
 
Very nice. They call it the "reation bar" what I'm wondering how you support.
 
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