I recently had to change a wheel in the lashing rain. As luck with have it, there was no budging the wheel nuts. They were locked tight. Maybe even rusted on. As hard as I tried, the wheel wrench just wasn't moving them. Luckily I had a can of WD40 in the boot. I sprayed the nuts and left it for 5 minutes. When I tried again the nuts opened one-by-one. The oil spray was a life saver that day. No I travel with a can in the boot at all times. Does anyone ave any other tips for loosening tight nuts - when on the side of the road?
Copper grease and the correct torque and you should never have a problem. All the tips you will ever need......
I'm surprised that the wd40, especially the common blue can did anything, if they were that tight. I only ever use it as a runny lubricant on stuff that isn't fully seized, or for its original purpose, a Water Dispersant. It's not really any good as a penetrant, WD themselves don't market it as such. The one in the silver/yellow can iirc is the dedicated penetrant.
Get yourself a breaker bar (leverage) and a decent socket to snugly fit the wheel nuts - 99 times out of a hundred that will do the trick and a can of decent penetrant won't do any harm - not sure if you can get it over there but I swear by Liquid Wrench. I agree with Tristan, that WD40 is not (normally) going to do the business but in fairness you seemed to have lucked out with your can.
+1 on long breaker bar - I bought a cheap one from a popular internet auction site and while crappy it has more than earned it's place in the garage. Despite not fitting in my toolbox
jump up and down on your wheel wrench, and more importantly dont do them up too tight in the first place. dont use a breaker bar to heave them tight if you only have a wheel brace in the boot if really desperate you can put your wrench on the wheel braced to the floor and slowly drive the car to crack them loose
I use grease on the bolts ,any type of anti-seize is a no go ,reason being as it alters the torque value ,never put any form of lube on the taper or conical surface of the bolt as this also effects correct torque. I have always thought the factory torque is to much ,set your bolts to spec and they are real hard to loosen with tool kit spanner that at all VAG cars have which many will need on the side of the road. I use a torque wrench set @ 60lbs never had an issue other may use more ?
Bring a sledgehammer with you as well....in fairness if you clean the inside of the alloy wheel and the hub periodically it will stop that from happening. I had that problem with our old XC90, I literally had to purchase a sledgehammer in order to get the rear rims off the thing. The same sledgehammer was also used to get one of the rear bearings off but that's a different story.
Good advice. I never knew there were different types. Do they sell the silver/yellow can in hardware store, or halfords?
I used to use WD-40 but an aircraft engineer recommended “PlusGas” to me years ago. Used it ever since as a penetrating oil.
Yes have had this before,usually sitting on the ground with a good kick with boots on the very edge of the tyre @ 12,and 6 oclock has always worked for me in the past,the factory wheels are a pretty tight fit if corrosion on the hub.
I use the factory wheel brace + apply my foot to tighten. If a garage has tightened them with their air socket I'll stand on the brace (just why do they do them so tight) to undo, if that doesn't loosen them then I will slide an old 4' roof rack cross tube I have which will make it a piece of cake to undo. The roof bar is good for undoing the hub nuts too.
