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      03-21-2013, 06:35 PM   #1
makrop
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Removing Wheels

So this may seem dumb... I've removed and changed wheels countless times on my e46 and cars before that but I CANNOT get the wheel lug bolts removed from this car, even with air-tools at 140psi. They absolutely wont budge. Anyone else encounter this? There's not some kind of locking feature to them is there?
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      03-21-2013, 07:19 PM   #2
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Lefty loosey, righty tighty?

Nope nothing special to taking the lug nuts off.
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      03-21-2013, 07:40 PM   #3
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Didnt figure there would be. This thread was mainly just to humor me because I'm feeling defeated...
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      03-21-2013, 07:56 PM   #4
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I know i usually have to loosen mine with a breaker bar before using air tools. Could be the same for you.
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      03-21-2013, 08:09 PM   #5
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I have an 18 inch long 1/2 drive rachet that I use. Had to put a lot of force the first time because they must have been tightened down with air tools when I got the car but since then no trouble. I wonder if the impact wrench is putting less torque than you could with a long breaker bar?
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      03-21-2013, 08:12 PM   #6
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Leverage is your friend, try a long breaker bar.
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      03-21-2013, 08:14 PM   #7
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i usually use a 3 foot breaker bar to crack them loose, then an air ratchet the rest of the way.
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      03-21-2013, 11:36 PM   #8
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2012 BMW 135i  [0.00]
Did your vehicle come with wheel locks? Check and see if one of the lugs looks different than the others.
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      03-21-2013, 11:38 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Maxicono View Post
Did your vehicle come with wheel locks? Check and see if one of the lugs looks different than the others.

Nope, I checked that pretty quickly... Heard from someone locally that discount tire will swap wheels for free. Might have to give that a shot tomorrow.
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      03-22-2013, 12:09 AM   #10
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maybe try a little WD-40...
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      03-22-2013, 12:23 AM   #11
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Use a breaker bar to break them loose... then impact wrench. Pretty standard practice. Impact wrenches over time always lose their torque rating... internals get worn.
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      03-22-2013, 12:48 AM   #12
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I use the handle from my jack.
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      03-22-2013, 06:42 AM   #13
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I had the same issue and used a long breaker bar with a wheel nut socket on the end. I pretty much had to jump on the bar petrified of snapping a bolt but I don't think the wheels had been off for a long while (low mile 2008 car). I finally broke four loose and the locking bolt luckily was easier to remove with a normal wrench using my arms.

Next issue, the wheel had fused to the hub so in came the big rubber mallet as well as laying on my back and kicking; I put padding on the floor to protect the wheel face. Not my idea of fun, especially on a jack. Just be as careful as you can.
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      03-22-2013, 07:17 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hydroboy35th View Post
I use the handle from my jack.
It's like Sex Panther, works everytime! But seriously, it works everytime, I always jack the car up and pull the handle, I know at LEAST one is going to be on hard enough to have to use it.
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      03-22-2013, 07:32 AM   #15
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Holy crap they must have been very over tightened! That will warp the rotors in no time.

Be careful using a breaker bar. Using a lot of force with a breaker bar puts a lot of force downwards on the bolts and can damage them. Using an impact will only put pure rotational force on them and is much safer.

May be time to get a better impact gun? At home I use a Snap On 18V cordless impact. Have never had a nut/bolt that thing will not take off.

http://www.motherofallcordlessimpactwrenches.com/

And if that does not work, I have an 800 lb.ft air gun at work.
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      03-22-2013, 07:43 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by box_man View Post
Leverage is your friend, try a long breaker bar.
^^+1.

Everyone should have a LONG breaker bar. Also it helps IF you have a nice long(four foot-er plus) metal pipe that can slip over said breaker bar... use that combo for added leverage.

A lot of the new-er pneumatic air tools have A LOT of tq in the CC direction to bust open stuck bolts like this. For example most air tools will put out something like 280ft/lbs Tq in clockwise direction... but like 500 ft/lbs in the CC direction.

The other thing is once you get all the wheel bolts off... often with my 135i the wheels are almost welded to the hubs. Maybe its bc I wash my car too much... but my wheels are a real PITA to remove from the hubs. Even using plenty of high temp anti seize... I always have issues every Spring/Fall when I need to switch summer/winter tires wheels over.
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      03-22-2013, 07:50 AM   #17
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Unluckily for me, I live/work in the municipality with the highest salt usage in the entire world (Ottawa, Canada) so I see the worst when it comes to corrosion on cars. The best thing to use on the hubs to prevent them from seizing to the wheels is a healthy dose of spray lithium grease every time the wheels are taken off. The lithium will break down the rust that is on there, and help prevent the rust from forming.
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      03-22-2013, 08:30 AM   #18
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Sounds like you are dealing with dealership work, they love to nail wheels to the car at ~250ft/lbs instead of 88.
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      03-22-2013, 08:32 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech View Post
The best thing to use on the hubs to prevent them from seizing to the wheels is a healthy dose of spray lithium grease every time the wheels are taken off.
I'd use anti-seize on the hub... And the lug bolts as well.
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      03-22-2013, 08:42 AM   #20
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Copper grease on the hubs works for me but then again I am weird and remove the wheels often to do insane things like clean the arch liners and calipers.
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      03-22-2013, 08:49 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bmw1racer View Post
I'd use anti-seize on the hub... And the lug bolts as well.
It is not recommended to use anything on the wheel bolts. Using any kind of lubricant will change the friction level, and tightening the wheels to the proper torque means you are actually over tightening them and applying too much stretch.
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      03-22-2013, 08:57 AM   #22
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Slip your jack handle over your ratchet and use it as leverage.
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