I broke a wheel stud today....

[Patrick H.]

Re: I broke a wheel stud today....

Thank you, Terry. But what I don't understand is how you take a metal socket, put a torque on it and somehow it limits the torque? Does the torque limiting socket twist or what to limit the torque? No matter how it works, I need one.

And, how do you find one?

I use a torque wrench for my 5 of my cars (well, 3 cars, 1 minivan and a truck...) but I'd like one for my C6.

Patrick

[Gary C.]

Re: I broke a wheel stud today....

link to Snapon tool catalog listing
http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/tools...e=snapon-store

[Terry M.]

Re: I broke a wheel stud today....

If you look at the row of sticks the ones with the smaller diameter apply less torque -- that is they flex sooner and transmit less torque from the gun to the socket. And they do wear out, and break after a lot of use. The sticks are to be used with an impact gun, not hand tools.

All that said, I don't own them and prefer to use a torque wrench. Shops use them because it is much faster to use the torque sticks than a torque wrench. And Tire Rack, at their HQ in South Bend, uses NO air powered impact guns. Hand wrenches (1/2-inch breaker bar) or a 4-way wrench to loosen the nuts, and a battery powered wrench to take the nuts off the stud. Nuts are installed by fingers for a few turns and then with the same battery powered nut driver, and tightened with a torque wrench. They do more tire work in a day than most of us will do in a year, and I think they know what they are doing. When I got a tour of their shop and warehouse I was impressed with the equipment and care they took with their work.

[Patrick H.]

Re: I broke a wheel stud today....

Thanks for the update Terry.

Mayeb I'll just look for some lined thinwall sockets instead and keep using my torque wrench.

Patrick

[Terry M.]

Re: I broke a wheel stud today....

Easy to find, and inexpensive. I had a set with me at the regional. I re-torqued the new wheels after I washed the car.

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&key...l_6m8o38owkf_b

[Patrick H.]

Re: I broke a wheel stud today....

Easy to find, and inexpensive. I had a set with me at the regional. I re-torqued the new wheels after I washed the car.

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&key...l_6m8o38owkf_b

Thanks Terry!

What size for a C6 wheel nut?

[Joe L.]

Re: I broke a wheel stud today....

Thank you, Terry. But what I don't understand is how you take a metal socket, put a torque on it and somehow it limits the torque? Does the torque limiting socket twist or what to limit the torque? No matter how it works, I need one.

Gary-----

Yes, the socket "twists" and that limits the amount of torque that is applied to the nut. The point at which the "twist" occurs is proportional to the OD of the stem of the torque stick. You will not notice any twist, though.

The best way for most folks to torque wheel lug nuts is with a torque wrench. However, if one wishes to use an impact tool for this, then the torque sticks MUST be used. The use of an impact tool with a torque stick is fully approved by GM. So, that should provide some degree of confidence that the torque sticks do work.

[Terry M.]

Re: I broke a wheel stud today....

Just like all GM passenger cars -- 3/4-inch or 19 mm.

[Patrick H.]

Re: I broke a wheel stud today....

Just like all GM passenger cars -- 3/4-inch or 19 mm.

Thanks.
Nice to know that some things don't change.

Patrick

[Rob A.]

Re: I broke a wheel stud today....

Duke's idea of the anti-sieze compound is excellent. I use the original lug wrench to put the nuts on. Using normal arm strength(not standing on it or anything like that) the nuts will never be tightened too much to remove by design of the length of the handle.