I decided to put this in the Detailing 101 forum, as this tip is mainly for appearance care.

To keep your wheels and lug bolts looking showroom-new, take a plastic sandwich bag and put it between the socket and the lug bolt. When done carefully, this little trick keeps the black finish on the bolts from getting chewed up by the socket as well as protects the wheel finish from minor socket scuffs. As you move from bolt to bolt, use an undamaged area of the plastic bag to maintain the protection. It's surprising how chewed up the plastic bag gets; better the bag than your black anodized lug bolts! I know about the sockets designed for changing alloys, but this trick is much cheaper and gets the same result.

This may be old news, and it might seem trivial, but I thought somebody might appreciate this tip.

 

Thanks for the tip!

 

Thanks for the tip. But with my 5 stars, the cap hides any uglieness that may occur.

Besides I am going to go with a stud conversion when spring means no more dips below 32 degree at night. It is much more fun to work on a car when it is warm outside and not so cold that your fingers stick to the tools!

 

That's a great tip, thanks.

I have a nylon lined socket which works but gets chewed up real fast and is $$. I got to the point I rarely use it now. The bag idea is perfect and cheap.

 

Very good tip. I never would have thought of that one. Now let me see if I have this right. Eat sandwich then use bag on lug bolts.

 

huh, i use my bare sockets but i don't get any scratches on my lug bolts...

 

Thanks for the tip!

 

Very cool. Thanks!