Anyone here use an impact air wrench with torque settings to change wheels? I want to purchase one as I change my wheels quite often and the lugs seem to weld temselves on. I want with the a torque setting so I can set it to MINI's 90lb. setting. Did you purchase online or from one of the "Home" stores? Thanks......:smile:

 

I'm not sure I would trust an impact air wrench with torque settings.
I have one and still use a torque wrench.

 

From April through October, I change my wheels almost once a week, for autocross. I now use a portable impact wrench. I purchased a Milwaukee 18volt 1/2" impact wrench. I only use it spin the lugs on and then use a torque wrench to make sure that I have torqued the lugs to 90lbs. I ordered mine online, as none local "home" stores didnot carry it and any place else was too expensive. I searched the net and the going price w/shipping was just around $300. It saves me time both at home and at the autocross events when changing the wheels. The model I purchased was 9072-22.

As for the lugs welding themselves, a little shot of WD40 on the threads has worked wonders for me. It is just part of the process now.

Good Luck

 

I use an impact wrench with 'torque sticks', which are essentially long, springy sockets that 'give' elastically at a preset torque. I use them to prevent overtightening mostly, following up with a torque wrench for the final values. While the torque sticks do get you in the ballpark with torque figures, they are not as consistent as a followup with an actual torque measuring wrench.

 

>> and the lugs seem to weld temselves on. <<

Years ago my mechanic / neighbor loaned me an aerosol can of some "anti seize" stuff for the lug nuts on some junker I was trying to keep running.

The sprayed on stuff looked like diluted copper paint. It worked just fine for lug nuts which weren't removed for years at a time.

The down side is that the spray was also a great paint remover!

 

I've had one of these for the last two years:

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=46701

I bought it for $129.99 on sale. I use it in conjunction with torque sticks. It's nice being able to loosen lug nuts from full torque with this thing when you're changing wheels/tires at an autox.

 

Lubromoly makes a anti-seize product that you should use. Brown squeeze tube, found at most auto parts store. As noted above, it is copper in color, and is wonderful for lugs, spark plugs, around the inner hub on the wheel to keep it from sticking.

 

When you use anti seize be sure to use the torque value for a lubricated bolt, not a dry bolt. I have not been able to find that value for MINI wheels. On one of my other cars it was 75 pounds if dry and 50 pounds if lubed. If you have a lubricant on the bolts when you tighten them, you may over tighten the bolts.

I use a torque stick with my air gun. In checking it with the torque wrench, I find that my 75 pound torque stick, seems to set the nuts tighter than my 100 pound torque wrench can read.

I tend to spin them on with the stick, then use the torque wrench to finish the job.

The torque stick does work, as I can not get the nuts off with it, and have to use a regular socket to remove them.

John

 

I stopped using the copper colored anit-seize lub after I had one of the lug bolts act as if it had been cross threaded. I had to breakout the ole tap & die set and ream out the lug holes and rethread the bolts. I seemed as though the anti-seize lub gummed up the threads.

Just remember ymmv. :smile:

 

I have torque sticks at my shop but I always use a a very nice mac tool torque wrench to check the settings after I use the torque sticks. If you are using torque sticks you need to make sure you calibrate your impact gun correctly. My mac tool gun has to be set at level 3 in order to provide the correct amount of impact to avoid under or over torqueing the lugs.