TonyG3

to take wheels off on track days?
Looking for comments/opinions

KMarshall

... to remount, I use the dewalt which torques them to ~75lbs then drop the car, and finish off with the torque wrench.

I have a stud kit which makes it light years easier.

I know the torque wrench shouldn't be used to break the bolts, but that's just the type of guy I am. Plain crazy.

Car Crazy

It makes changing wheels so fast. I use a breaker bar to loosen the lug nuts and then the cordless impact wrench to take off the lugs. I also use the cordless to put the lugs back on. I have one of the cheapest Dewalt models (9.6V I think) since the cheap ones are the only models to tighten to less then 90 ft/lbs (don't want to over torque to wheels). As I recall, it tightens the lugs to around 83 ft/lbs and then I give them a 1/4 twist to 90ft/lbs with the torque wrench. It comes with two batteries and a one hour charger. one battery will change wheels about 4 times before it nees charging. I can never go back to the manual method. Even my wife loves it because I spend less time in the garage. It was about $200 well spent.

jpc-S4

I use a breaker bar... don't need to worry about running out of charge, etc. It doesn't take much to loosen the bolts.

One of these days I might get one, though, so I'm interested in hearing opinions.

-JPC

1dxrat

I have a Snap-On 1/2 drive 18v impact. It lasts long enough to remove more wheels than I care to do in one day. And if I remember the number correctly it has about 285lb. ft. of torque. More than you will ever need for any lug nut

NoS4

I wrestled with the idea of whether or not it was worth getting one as it's just another thing to pack as well as make sure it's charged. But I'm glad I got it as it dispatches with the lugs pretty easily. Like everyone else, I break the lugs loose first and then take them off with the impact wrench. I picked it up on sale for $29.99 at Harbor Freight, and at that amount it's not a big deal if it gets a little worn out from road trips or worse yet, lost or stolen. It's got a good amount of torque but the socket extension doesn't stay seated and will fall off (hey, like I said it's cheap). But the battery has held up for a while on a single charge after several wheel changes as well as helping Deeno with his wheel swap at Fernley.
<a href="http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=90798">Harbor Freight Link</a>

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/43280/impact-wrench.jpg">

kgorman

me too

AJG

There was previously an additional $50 off code (THCAT5X6DEAL), but it appears to have expired.

Andrew<ul><li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0001LQLE2/qid=1121785396/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/002-1665735-2611225?v=glance&amp;s=hi&amp;n=507846">http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0001LQLE2/qid=1121785396/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs

ExpStang

The 3/8 gun even takes off lugs it has that much power. Batterys last forever too.

JeffW

I picked up a ryobi on sale. I already had the other ryobi tools, so I didn't need to buy batteries or a charger.

It tops out at 82 ft/pounds, so i don't have to worry about over torquing. It won't break the buts free either, but that's fine. It does make tire changes quick.

Take my advice: don't ever use the impact wrench to start the lugs. It mostly works, but it got me a stripped lug hole on one hub....<ul><li><a href="http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?CNTTYPE=PROD_META&amp;CNTKEY=misc%2fsea rchResults.jsp&amp;BV_SessionID=@@@@1580546948.112 1834913@@@@&amp;BV_EngineID=ccefaddfekjgghdcgelcef fdfgidgmk.0&amp;MID=9876">http: