Removing lug nuts/bolts from car wheels?

[fatlazyless]

Anti-seize compound, penetrating oil, WD-40 lubricant, white lithium grease, red n tacky grease ...... what works good for lubing the 20 or 24 lug bolts/nuts on your car. A common problem is the bolts cannot be removed when you get a flat tire somewhere out on the roads because they were tightened too tight, or you don't have the tools to get it done or something like that.

Anyone ever use the $9 can of fix-a-flat to make the tire drive-able and how did that work out?

For very rusted lug bolts that cannot be undone using PB-Blaster lube and a long breaker socket handle and rubber hammer to break it free ...... the next step is to heat up the outside of the lug nut flats with a propane torch for two minutes ...... and the heated steel will supposedly draw the lube oil into the threads. One time about 15-years ago I actually did that on a Chevrolet and it actually worked to unscrew the stuck lug nuts but PB-Blaster lube and a good long socket handle with a rubber mallet will usually do it without reverting to a propane torch.

Based on my experience it doesn't matter too much which lube you use of what's mentioned above. Just use something in a small amount on the threads.

I know that it says "Do Not Use on Lug Nuts/Bolts" on the directions for Permatex Anti-Seize but this actually gets used a lot by car mechanics especially in areas that use winter road salt.

Anti-seize vs. white lithium grease vs. penetrating oil on the threads ........ which is better ...... and does it make all that much difference with New Hampshire winter ice melt driving?

So what's the difference between changing your flat tire by yourself and some long story involving a $250 flat bed truck car removal and broken lug nuts with an impact wrench and all that bad stuff? Anyone got any flat tire, expensive repair stories from here in central N.H. they want to share?

So, all things considered like working in an unsafe spot next to a busy highway changing a flat tire, in the dark, or in cold temperature like winter, that nine dollar can of fix-a-flat could get your flat tire good enough to drive it to a tire repair. Have never used a can of fix-a-flat but is something to think about.

[ITD]

I keep something like this in my car, plus the correct socket. Works great.

https://www.harborfreight.com/20v-br...ger-70960.html

[fatlazyless]

This is a 2014 Scion xD, stick-shift manual with about 170-k miles, purchased for $5000 last Oct or Nov from Lake's Auto Sales & Detailing close to Home Depot, Tilton. This has got to be the #1 BEST TOYOTA EVER and with gas now at $4, it costs $40 to fill up a totally empty tank when the gas gauge starts to blink empty.

How much does it cost to fill up the tank on your car or pick-up ....... ha-ha-ha .... ? Betcha a big pick-up is now over one hundred dollars ...... ha-ha-ha ....! A 2014 Scion xD has a 11.1-gal gas tank. A 2026 Ford F150 will have either a 23, 30, or 36-gal gas tank, depending. A 2026 Chevy Tahoe has a 24-gal gas tank. A 2026 Subaru Forester has a 16.6 gal gas tank.

No way would a battery powered impact wrench ever turn the 20 lugs on this. What it took with a major effort was a 1/2" x 15 1/2" breaker handle, exact correct socket, heavy rubber mallet, and PB Blaster catalyst oil spray. For $12.82 Walmart has a 15 1/2" x 1/2" Hyper Tough long handle that works excellent with a rubber mallet and way more effective than a 4-way tire wrench on stuck lugs. Beating it with a heavy mallet and PB Blaster penetrant is what gets the lug unscrewed without breaking it.

Had a propane torch that was not needed because beating on the long handle with the mallet about ten times started it to turn x 20-lugs ....... a major effort.

And, using a pneumatic wrench ........ what's used everyday by car repair ...... can pretty easily destroy the lug bolts.

[retired]

AAA will change my flat for me.

[fatlazyless]

Other people who have AAA N.H. have told me that it took four hours for AAA N.H. to get to their flat tire in central N.H.

Am thinking a ten dollar can of fix-a-flat will seal up the leak and then you attach an air pump and air it up to 36-psi.

Best bet; a small dab Red 'n Tacky grease on each lug, redone once/year, and install the spare you self.

[John Mercier]

If your tire only needs a patch and you use Fix-A-Flat; you are on your own.

Brand new tire is going to be purchased.

[fatlazyless]

Ok, so I asked Google "If I use fix-a-flat on a tire, can the flat still be repaired properly?" and Google AI replied "Yes, there's nothing to keep the tire repairer from cleaning out the fix-a-flat material and patching the tire. Just inform the tire repair in advance that it has fix-a-flat repair."

Is this really the case or what? Needing to replace one tire usually gets parlayed into replacing all four tires with a Subaru all-wheel drive?

[John Mercier]

It would be a lot of work and not something that most would undertake.
And with the cost of labor...

[fatlazyless]

Seems that cleaning the hardened fix-a-flat material from a car tire is a do-it-myself type of effort.

Remove the car tire from the rim using a 2-lb mason's hammer, and a 3' crowbar.

Scrape out and clean the hardened fix-a-flat material from inside tire.

Bring tire and rim to car repair to get it plugged and reinstalled on rim.

Considering that one tire installed now costs me about $145 (110 & 35-install) and four new tires cost $580, this is one way to save money and keep rolling on the fix-a-flat tire.

Is this really doable? It seems that one flat tire repaired with fix-a-flat can end up with having to replace all four tires on an all-wheel drive car which is very common, today.

Which local tire repair; Valvoline-Laconia, Tire Warehouse-Laconia, VIP-Laconia, Sanborn's Auto Repair, Mike's Quality Car Care, Meineke-Laconia, Wilson Tire-Plymouth , Walmart-Plymouth, Kevin LaPoint Automotive-Holderness, Currier & Sons-Holderness, Lovering Volvo-Meredith....... who will clean out the fix-a-flat material for no extra charge and fix the flat and install the tire for the standard $25-35 tire installation ....... who-who-who? ...... betcha at least one of these will clean out the fix-a-flat like it's no big deal and is a standard repair routine there ...... who ?

With a tire mounting machine, cleaning out the fix-a-flat is probably very easy-peasy and only takes three minutes using a paint scraper.