136:
39:
225:
293:. Lug wrenches are much less expensive because they lack the ability to measure or limit the force used. Installing a wheel with a lug wrench thus requires a bit of rough guessing about proper tightness. Excessive force can strip threads or make the nuts very difficult to remove. Also, uneven torque between the various lug nuts, or excessive torque, can lead to warping of the
282:
328:
Rarely, and more often with large trucks and lorries, insufficient force can lead to the nuts coming undone while in use. Because of this, it is best to use a torque wrench or similar tool to finally tighten the wheel lug nuts to the proper torque specification as soon as possible after using a lug
315:
nuts. In this context "finger tight" is tight enough to reach the point where free play is taken up and proper tightening is about to begin, say, the tightening force using the lug wrench/wheel brace like a screwdriver. This should be repeated twice, to ensure the wheel is properly centered and
320:
nuts (as often the first nut that is tightened will be slightly loose after completing the set for the first time), then the wheel should be lowered to the ground and the criss-cross tightening pattern repeated to modest
329:
wrench to affix a wheel. At the very least, the lug nuts should be checked for tightness after 50–100 km/miles when things have been subject to some vibration and thermal cycling.
308:
should properly be used only for removing lug nuts, not for tightening them, although in practice this rule is often ignored for convenience's sake, even by professional mechanics.
332:
This tool also has a secondary usage: it can be used to remove vehicles that are stuck in the snow by breaking up ice so it can be easily shovelled away from the drive wheels.
311:
When re-fitting a wheel, the nuts (or bolts) should be tightened in a criss-cross pattern (to even out the forces) and initially should only be tightened "finger tight" on
807:
817:
420:
782:
268:
122:
235:
375:
60:
103:
75:
56:
250:
553:
246:
82:
49:
822:
180:
Lug wrenches may be L-shaped, or X-shaped. The form commonly found in car trunks is an L-shaped metal rod with a
738:
413:
787:
777:
772:
89:
812:
802:
325:(say few fingers force on the lug wrench/wheel brace arm), and then finally repeated to full hand force.
195:, is made in the shape of a cross with different sized sockets on each of the four ends. Other names are
792:
71:
832:
827:
797:
498:
406:
27:
558:
463:
658:
184:
on the bent end and a prying tip on the other end. The prying tip is mainly intended to remove
859:
753:
369:
350:
628:
678:
513:
96:
854:
728:
668:
653:
638:
583:
848:
743:
718:
703:
633:
603:
578:
573:
548:
533:
528:
305:
297:
290:
181:
154:
395:: Bolt-Science's example and explanation of using a criss-cross tightening sequence.
723:
698:
693:
673:
618:
508:
483:
473:
468:
135:
392:
688:
683:
643:
493:
478:
301:
38:
713:
708:
613:
608:
568:
538:
162:
16:
Type of socket wrench used to loosen and tighten lug nuts on automobile wheels
733:
598:
523:
450:
429:
149:
20:
748:
440:
663:
563:
518:
488:
445:
185:
158:
281:
758:
648:
593:
543:
322:
253:. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed.
623:
503:
294:
280:
165:
134:
168:. In the United Kingdom and Australia, it is commonly known as a
402:
351:"Stuck in the Snow? Here's How You Get Out (And How You Don't)"
218:
32:
398:
188:
or wheel covers that may be covering a wheel's lug nuts.
289:
Ideally, the nuts (or bolts) should be tightened with a
242:
63:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
26:"Wheel brace" redirects here. For the drill, see
414:
8:
421:
407:
399:
269:Learn how and when to remove this message
123:Learn how and when to remove this message
191:Another common type, sometimes called a
341:
367:
7:
61:adding citations to reliable sources
349:Williams, Evan (3 February 2022).
14:
223:
37:
393:Appropriate Tightening Sequence
147:, also colloquially known as a
48:needs additional citations for
1:
300:if the car is equipped with
153:, is the name for a type of
249:the claims made and adding
157:used to loosen and tighten
876:
374:: CS1 maint: url-status (
25:
18:
767:
459:
436:
808:Machine and metalworking
739:Tongue-and-groove pliers
19:Not to be confused with
818:Measuring and alignment
286:
140:
139:Spider-type lug wrench
284:
197:four way wheel wrench
138:
783:Cutting and abrasive
57:improve this article
304:. For this reason,
28:Wheel brace (drill)
464:Adjustable spanner
287:
234:possibly contains
141:
842:
841:
754:Upholstery hammer
279:
278:
271:
236:original research
133:
132:
125:
107:
867:
629:Pencil sharpener
423:
416:
409:
400:
380:
379:
373:
365:
363:
361:
346:
274:
267:
263:
260:
254:
251:inline citations
227:
226:
219:
128:
121:
117:
114:
108:
106:
65:
41:
33:
875:
874:
870:
869:
868:
866:
865:
864:
845:
844:
843:
838:
837:
763:
679:Punch down tool
659:Plumber's snake
455:
432:
427:
389:
384:
383:
366:
359:
357:
348:
347:
343:
338:
306:impact wrenches
275:
264:
258:
255:
240:
228:
224:
217:
178:
129:
118:
112:
109:
66:
64:
54:
42:
31:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
873:
871:
863:
862:
857:
847:
846:
840:
839:
836:
835:
830:
825:
820:
815:
810:
805:
800:
795:
790:
785:
780:
775:
773:Types of tools
769:
768:
765:
764:
762:
761:
756:
751:
746:
741:
736:
731:
729:Tactical light
726:
721:
716:
711:
706:
701:
696:
691:
686:
681:
676:
671:
669:Podger spanner
666:
661:
656:
654:Plumber wrench
651:
646:
641:
636:
631:
626:
621:
616:
611:
606:
601:
596:
591:
586:
584:Locking pliers
581:
576:
571:
566:
561:
556:
551:
546:
541:
536:
531:
526:
521:
516:
511:
506:
501:
496:
491:
486:
481:
476:
471:
466:
460:
457:
456:
454:
453:
448:
443:
437:
434:
433:
428:
426:
425:
418:
411:
403:
397:
396:
388:
387:External links
385:
382:
381:
340:
339:
337:
334:
316:restrained by
277:
276:
231:
229:
222:
216:
213:
177:
174:
131:
130:
45:
43:
36:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
872:
861:
858:
856:
853:
852:
850:
834:
831:
829:
826:
824:
821:
819:
816:
814:
811:
809:
806:
804:
801:
799:
796:
794:
791:
789:
786:
784:
781:
779:
776:
774:
771:
770:
766:
760:
757:
755:
752:
750:
747:
745:
744:Torque wrench
742:
740:
737:
735:
732:
730:
727:
725:
722:
720:
719:Stitching awl
717:
715:
712:
710:
707:
705:
704:Socket wrench
702:
700:
697:
695:
692:
690:
687:
685:
682:
680:
677:
675:
672:
670:
667:
665:
662:
660:
657:
655:
652:
650:
647:
645:
642:
640:
637:
635:
634:Persian drill
632:
630:
627:
625:
622:
620:
617:
615:
612:
610:
607:
605:
604:Monkey wrench
602:
600:
597:
595:
592:
590:
587:
585:
582:
580:
577:
575:
574:Impact driver
572:
570:
567:
565:
562:
560:
557:
555:
552:
550:
549:Hammer tacker
547:
545:
542:
540:
537:
535:
534:Glass breaker
532:
530:
527:
525:
522:
520:
517:
515:
512:
510:
507:
505:
502:
500:
497:
495:
492:
490:
487:
485:
482:
480:
477:
475:
472:
470:
469:Antique tools
467:
465:
462:
461:
458:
452:
449:
447:
444:
442:
439:
438:
435:
431:
424:
419:
417:
412:
410:
405:
404:
401:
394:
391:
390:
386:
377:
371:
356:
352:
345:
342:
335:
333:
330:
326:
324:
319:
314:
309:
307:
303:
299:
296:
292:
291:torque wrench
283:
273:
270:
262:
252:
248:
244:
238:
237:
232:This section
230:
221:
220:
214:
212:
210:
206:
202:
198:
194:
193:spider wrench
189:
187:
183:
182:socket wrench
175:
173:
171:
167:
164:
160:
156:
155:socket wrench
152:
151:
146:
137:
127:
124:
116:
105:
102:
98:
95:
91:
88:
84:
81:
77:
74: –
73:
69:
68:Find sources:
62:
58:
52:
51:
46:This article
44:
40:
35:
34:
29:
22:
724:Strap wrench
699:Slide hammer
694:Sledgehammer
619:Paint roller
588:
504:Caulking gun
474:Basin wrench
358:. Retrieved
354:
344:
331:
327:
317:
312:
310:
288:
285:A lug wrench
265:
256:
233:
208:
204:
200:
196:
192:
190:
179:
169:
148:
144:
142:
119:
110:
100:
93:
86:
79:
72:"Lug wrench"
67:
55:Please help
50:verification
47:
833:Woodworking
689:Screwdriver
684:Scratch awl
644:Pipe wrench
494:Breaker bar
479:Block plane
360:2 September
355:Gear Junkie
302:disc brakes
170:wheel brace
849:Categories
714:Staple gun
709:Spike maul
624:Paintbrush
614:Nut driver
609:Multi-tool
589:Lug wrench
569:Hole punch
539:Grease gun
430:Hand tools
336:References
259:April 2021
243:improve it
163:automobile
145:lug wrench
113:April 2021
83:newspapers
734:Tire iron
599:Mitre box
524:Fish tape
499:Cat's paw
451:Workbench
247:verifying
215:Technique
150:tire iron
21:tire iron
860:Wrenches
788:Forestry
778:Cleaning
749:Tweezers
559:Headlamp
441:Sawhorse
370:cite web
186:hub caps
159:lug nuts
813:Masonry
803:Kitchen
664:Plunger
639:Pincers
564:Hex key
519:Crowbar
514:Crimper
489:Bradawl
446:Toolbox
241:Please
201:spanner
97:scholar
823:Mining
793:Garden
759:Wrench
649:Pliers
594:Mallet
544:Hammer
529:Gimlet
323:torque
166:wheels
99:
92:
85:
78:
70:
855:Tires
828:Power
674:Punch
509:Clamp
484:Brace
298:rotor
295:brake
209:cross
207:, or
205:brace
176:Forms
104:JSTOR
90:books
798:Hand
579:Jack
554:Hawk
376:link
362:2024
76:news
318:all
313:all
245:by
161:on
59:by
851::
372:}}
368:{{
353:.
211:.
203:,
199:,
172:.
143:A
422:e
415:t
408:v
378:)
364:.
272:)
266:(
261:)
257:(
239:.
126:)
120:(
115:)
111:(
101:·
94:·
87:·
80:·
53:.
30:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.