So I have been rotating my own tires on my vehicles for 20+ years without incident. For many years I removed lug nuts with a breaker bar and socket. About 4 years ago I purchased an Ingersol-Rand air impact gun and it has made the job a little easier........until yesterday.
Actually, about 6 months ago I was rotating tires on my truck and one of the lug nuts started to come loose (maybe two turns) and locked up. So I tried to retighten and wouldn't budge. I got the 3/4" breaker bar and ended up snapping off the stud. Rotated tires and just tightened the other 5 lug nuts.....called it good.
Fast forward to yesterday. I wanted to check my brakes on the truck and when I went to remove that same wheel........not one but two of the remaining five lug nuts locked up as I was removing them!! Again, both of them made about 2 revolutions and will not loosen or tighten even with the breaker bar.
Only thing I can think of is I did not have all the pressure off of the wheel with the jack. In other words, I lifted the truck but still left some pressure on the tire to get the lug nuts loose without the wheel spinning. This was a habit I used to do when I only used the breaker bar but realize now I probably don't have to do that anymore with an air impact gun. I am thinking the slight pressure on the wheel and me using the gun ran the lug nut crooked on the stud and it is now stuck. Dang it!
So rather than snap them off are there any tricks or remedies to getting these babies loose or tightened? I have the three remaining lugs tight, one broke off and the two that are stuck about two rotations from being tight! I feel pretty stupid.
Actually, about 6 months ago I was rotating tires on my truck and one of the lug nuts started to come loose (maybe two turns) and locked up. So I tried to retighten and wouldn't budge. I got the 3/4" breaker bar and ended up snapping off the stud. Rotated tires and just tightened the other 5 lug nuts.....called it good.
Fast forward to yesterday. I wanted to check my brakes on the truck and when I went to remove that same wheel........not one but two of the remaining five lug nuts locked up as I was removing them!! Again, both of them made about 2 revolutions and will not loosen or tighten even with the breaker bar.
Only thing I can think of is I did not have all the pressure off of the wheel with the jack. In other words, I lifted the truck but still left some pressure on the tire to get the lug nuts loose without the wheel spinning. This was a habit I used to do when I only used the breaker bar but realize now I probably don't have to do that anymore with an air impact gun. I am thinking the slight pressure on the wheel and me using the gun ran the lug nut crooked on the stud and it is now stuck. Dang it!
So rather than snap them off are there any tricks or remedies to getting these babies loose or tightened? I have the three remaining lugs tight, one broke off and the two that are stuck about two rotations from being tight! I feel pretty stupid.