beware of Impact guns

[Big Kahuna]

Ah, the star pattern. I didn't know people still knew how to do that. Heck at the track, out of habit, I take the lugs OFF in the star pattern too! Always hand thread them going back on.

It's funny I have an older Chicago Electric electric gun I got from ebay at least 7 years ago. It's probably a Harbor Freight jobby.

Still works great. I had to replace the battery about 2 years ago because it wasn't holding a charge. The old battery was 1.7 AH and the newer battery is a 2.0 - seems way more powerful and does a great job holding the charge. I keep saying I will replace it but so far - no need.

I charge it every night before I go racing. Love that thing. Put the wheels off, on, off, and on so it's basically 8 wheel changes and it gets them so close to 100 lbs tq it's amazing. I used to check all the time but now I can pretty much do it by feel.

Every 2 or 3 seasons I change the rear studs just to be safe while doing brakes. Knock on wood, no issues.

Star pattern. Learn it. Live it. Love it.

Attached pic a few years back of my son as my pit crew at the track in MD. Check out that bad boy. Indestructible!

[VaderSS]

I did not even think about the fact that I had new tires installed on the rear a while back, until I went to remove the wheels last weekend, in preparation for some brake/suspension work.

The fronts, which I had torqued myself, came off nice and easy, with a 2' breaker bar. The rears were much tighter, and inconsistant as well. They had been installed at America's Tire(Discount Tire) using a torque stick and impact. I will be bringing that up next time I have tires replaced...

[DonL]

Originally Posted by Big Kahuna

It's funny I have an older Chicago Electric electric gun I got from ebay at least 7 years ago. It's probably a Harbor Freight jobby.

Harbor Freight recalled these a few years ago. Something about them bursting into flames. Your milage may vary.....

[sherlock9c1]

Just wanted to throw out there an oops that you can learn from. Here in Corrosion Central, I used motor oil to lubricate the threads and the lug faces, then torqued the lugs down to 100ftlbs using a snap-on wrench. 6 months later, several of the lugnuts only came off with heat and a lugnut remover socket, and a few are just frozen on there. Lessons learned:

1. Use a non-creeping lubricant (such as Never-Seize high-temp) on the threads only, not the faces. The oil crept away and left things stuck.
2. If I didn't live in Syracuse, I would only brush the lug threads clean and use no lubricant at all.
3. Because I live in Syracuse, I will continue to apply minimal grease to the threads, but will reduce the torque to 80 ftlbs or less. The drop in required torque on lubricated threads is quite significant. So far this has provided sufficient clamping force on a test vehicle.

[cashmoneyspeed]

I never let anyone install wheels for the reason of over torquing. Back when I worked at an Audi and a Bentley dealer, I would ALWAYS thread lug nut or stud by hand a couple turns, then zip it with my impact on its lowest setting( around 60 ft lbs), then drop the car and use torque wrench to tighten to specs. The reason using the impact to get them snug was I was a flat rate employee so my time equaled money. I would get crap from the old vets for this as well as wearing gloves, safety glasses, hearing protection, and a mask when grinding. I, however, never stripped a lug or had a wheel fall off like I've seen co-workers do. After auto tech school I got into a factory training program for Audi and everything was by hand, no air tools. So I guess that kind of stuck with me. Even though I have a compressor I rarely use an impact unless I'm removing suspension that rusted or wheel bearings.

[JZ9C1LT1]

I only use the impact gun to drive the lugnuts to the rim and torque to 100lbs by hand. Also use anti-seize on the studs and face of the rotors.

Had too many times that the rim was stuck to the rotor!

[OgreSS]

Firestone uses a 55lb torque stick with the impact on its lowest setting then hand torques to manufacturer's spec then another tech double checks and both have to sign off on the repair order so if something happens they know who to discipline.

[lesknow]

I just worked on a BMW X5 yesterday. Now, I like big rims but I very much doubt that 25-series tires are ever a good idea. This guy had Forgiato 3 piece 24s installed & had to put the stock wheels back on because the gf drove it around the block once.
You would think the installer should care something about a $3500 set of rims but I think only two of the 20 studs came out easily (still needed a breaker bar for them) & we managed to shred two splined, factory BMW lock keys in the process. Couldn't use heat or fit a twisted lug removal socket into the openings, so...cue some nerve & a drill. Had to charge the guy $250 to put him back on the road for just a week or two before he gets his new hoops installed. The only part of the afternoon that made me smile was when he was on the phone with his previous tire shop, telling them to expect a bill and to be putting out a want ad!

Just torque them properly...even if you don't care about money or your car, do it for me!

[SS Weet]

Went to get new tires installed and the shop basically had to destroy the present lug nuts to get them off. Seems previous shop had torqued these suckers on, lucky no other damage. Out $60 for new nuts and won't be going back to that other shop.

[defdaboss]

i use impact gun on mine till it doesnt spin no more. take them off easily every time. i havent check but im assuming the compressor is set at 80-120 psi for the past 2 years. no leak.