[DorsoDuroJohn]

Guys, i'm sorry to revive this thread but my posts will not be controversial or raise blood pressure. I did a bunch of searching and came up short on this.

#1 Do you use a torque wrench to loosen a 140'lb lug? I've heard that's a bad idea so I just suffered through the loosening process with a 10' or 12' standard socket wrench. I would have loved to use the much longer heavier torque wrench if I knew I wasn't going to destroy it.
#2 Follow up to this, do you need to set it to 140'lb to loosen?
#3 is it best to simply buy a much larger socket wrench that can handle the job of loosening.

[arpad_m]

Originally Posted by DorsoDuroJohn

Guys, i'm sorry to revive this thread but my posts will not be controversial or raise blood pressure. I did a bunch of searching and came up short on this.

#1 Do you use a torque wrench to loosen a 140'lb lug? I've heard that's a bad idea so I just suffered through the loosening process with a 10' or 12' standard socket wrench. I would have loved to use the much longer heavier torque wrench if I knew I wasn't going to destroy it.
#2 Follow up to this, do you need to set it to 140'lb to loosen?
#3 is it best to simply buy a much larger socket wrench that can handle the job of loosening.

#1 Bad idea indeed, torque wrenches are not made for this. I use a simple, cheap 24" breaker bar to take the lug nuts off, and they should loosen up gradually. Those that do this more often tend to use an impact wrench to get them loose. Then I use a 250 lb-ft torque wrench to tighten them, for the reason thescreensavers mentioned above.

#2 No, you just loosen them with a breaker bar or an impact wrench.

#3 See #1 and #2

[DorsoDuroJohn]

awesome thanks much. Breaker bar search begins.

[ctrlz]

I use an 18" breaker bar (1/2"). For more leverage I use the handle off my floor jack slipped over the bar.
Impact grade sockets are helpful for removing torqued lug nuts. I prefer not to use an impact wrench, but the sockets are very strong.