Lugs OVERTIGHTENED

[powerhouseduece]

Had the same issue on my brothers truck a while ago. What I did was heat the thimble up with a torch, not till glowing, just some good heat, then try the breaker bar.

 

[Oldfart]

The one suggestion I haven't seen so far is to make sure your air hose is large enough diameter to provide the flow necessary to operate a big impact gun. We use the standard hoses available at most supply houses for everything except our 1 inch impact. For that we have a larger diameter hose. When we first got the 1 inch wrench, it was not much better than our high output 1/2 inch snap-on impact. High capacity hose and fittings direct to our compressor tank made all the difference.

 

[Nonotagain]

I'm using SHOP air with the guns.

What diameter air hose are you using?

A 3/4" impact gun requires a 1/2" diameter air hose for full rated torque.

I have one 1/2" diameter 50' hose that I use on my 3/4" Snap-on impact and 1" CP gun.

Its not just the pressure drop but the lack of air volume that will keep you impact from best performance.

BTW, spray some Kroil or PB Blaster on the threads and allow it to soak in for a day.

 

[jasonjc]

I 2nd the 1/2" air hose and you need the bigger fitting to go with it. If you use the same fitting as the 3/8" you are not helping any. I have broke studs with my HF 1" gun and have removed 200-300- wheels with it. They do work well with enought air vollum.

 

[Floridianson]

I used my big truck 4 way and 5 foot cheater for a long time then I bought the real truck air inpack that your nuts were put on with I bet. PS it ain't no one inch or smaller !!!

 

[OldDominionIron2]

The truck doesn't have enough volume. You need a good shop compressor and a 3/4 impact or larger. They torque to 450 ft lb.

TM 9-2320-209-10-4, section 2-7 says torque to 325-350 ft. lbs.

 

[stumps]

Also, unless you were watching the mechanic when he did the work, it is possible that he twisted off several of the lugs and replaced them with what he had on hand. Always check to be sure that the lugs are the correct thread. I have found trucks with a couple of lefts stuck on the right side, and a couple of rights stuck on the left side. Exciting!

-Chuck

 

[drgreg]

This is the impact that I use. I run it off of the PM96-133, lube and service unit, it works great.

Composite 1" Impact at National Tool Warehouse

 

[hole]

If you still havent gotten them loose by Dirtbag, we can try useing a geared wrench. I would be interested to see if the geared wrench could do it or not. I had some lug nuts that I couldnt budge with the regular bar and socket, but came off like they where finger tight with the geared wrench.

 

[DUG]

Hole - thanks for the offer, but I'll get them loose before Dirtbag. I don't want to drive it knowing I can't get them off.

My next step is to hook my 1/2 inch hose directly to the compressor and directly to the 1 inch gun with no fittings. Then I will move the truck closer to the shop and have at it.

If that fails I will call a mobile truck tire guy and get some help.

Anything that's on so tight you bend a 3/4 inch breaker bar is too tight, IMHO. My 1/2 inch gun is rated to 400 ft lbs, that should be tight enough. I've never had a loose lug after using it before and I check before every trip.

Saddest part is the wife says this project is over budget and if the 3/4 Sears gun ain't doing it, it has to go back................................

 

[Oldfart]

My next step is to hook my 1/2 inch hose directly to the compressor and directly to the 1 inch gun with no fittings. Then I will move the truck closer to the shop and have at it.

If that fails I will call a mobile truck tire guy and get some help.

Anything that's on so tight you bend a 3/4 inch breaker bar is too tight, IMHO. My 1/2 inch gun is rated to 400 ft lbs, that should be tight enough. I've never had a loose lug after using it before and I check before every trip.

Saddest part is the wife says this project is over budget and if the 3/4 Sears gun ain't doing it, it has to go back................................

I forgot to mention we went to half inch chuck and fittings as well as a half inch hose. And we keep the length of hose to 50 feet. ~~~ Also did not mention that I managed to bend my 3/4" torque wrench on some deuce lugs field changing a flat. All went smoothly when we got back to our shop and had access to our 1" impact.

 

[319]

First time I tried taking my tires off of my M35 they wouldn't budge using the standard issue tool or a 3/4 drive breaker bar and pipe extension (guessing torque was at spec). I then tried an Ingersol Rand 258 (3/4") with a 1/2" hose and 1/2" industrial couplers, off of the back of my M35, while running (wheels chocked), it hammered for a few seconds then it spun the nuts off like they were finger tight. I also tried the Ken Tool Gear Wrench (a great investment, I think KsM715 has one in the classifieds) and that worked great as well.

 

[Paul Wolfe]

Hi,
I have yet to encounter a lug nut that my 1 inch air impact will not loosen, but for it to perform properly they need 1/2 air line, and an oversized pressure regulator. With anything less the large air tools starve for air regardless of how big the compressor and air tank .

Paul

 

[runk]

I have used a 3/4 breaker bar, ~ 5' long iron steam pipe over it (probably schedule 80 or 120), and a smaller pipe inside the big pipe to keep it from bending. The weight alone will pretty much turn a properly torqued lug nut, I had to stand on it to get most of them off the first time, and at least one required the extra weight of a friend.
Good luck !

 

[DUG]

I bent the 3/4 inch breaker bar.

I now have 50 feet of new 1/2 hose and plenty of 3/8 QD connectors and brass fittings. The plan is to hook directly to the compressor and to the gun.

I have to stop by Sears to return the 3/4 inch gun and then I'll try the new improved flow plan. If that fails I'll pay someone to come deal with it.

 

[Bad_Carp]

Let me know if you get them off, I have a 1" drive twin hammer that I bought specifically for the lug nuts on the M109 that hadn't been removed in 40 yrs and had 23 coats of paint on em...it did the trick.

I can run down there if need be, it's only an hour or 2 if I remember.

 

[jollyroger]

What's the PSI of the shop compressor? I ask because some compressors only go 110 psi. You may need 135+psi to run the twin hammer HF 1" gun effectively for initial removal of the lugs. If the shop had a high pressure compressor and you don't you may not be able to match their capability.

This is one of the reasons why we wnet with the higher pressure compressor.

 

[DUG]

SUCCESS! 60 lugs and thimbles all removed and reinstalled by me.

Thanks to Will, Rat4spd and everyone else who told me to check the air supply. Went with 1/2 inch hose and 3/8" fittings, moved the truck closer to the shop and they all came off. A couple were a little harder than others, but they all came off.

Gave the threads all some high temp grease on the reinstall.

Now to fix the blown axle seal and see where this new oil leak came from.

 

[Seth_O]

Congrat's DUG. I ran into this exact same issue on my M35 when I recovered it. The motor pool had tighted the lugs on insanely tight. I couldn't get them with the 3/4" impact, or the geared wrench and a few hundred pounds of friends. I ended up having to take it into a big truck tire place and have them remove it. One was on so tight the stud just twisted off instead of the lug loosening.

After that I had them tightened to spec, and no one does my lug's but me.

 

[Oldfart]

Glad to hear it worked!! Tools and things mechanical sure can be a PITA sometimes.