Changing flat tire, lug nut removal?

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Doubeleive

Wes
Supporting Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2017
Posts
26,196
Reaction score
39,260
Location
Stockton, Ca.
if I go anywhere out of town I just carry a plug kit with me and a compressor of one form or another and if it is anything that can be remedied quickly with a plug I am good to go and get it patched later, that's just insurance.
picked up a good sized screw about 2 years ago 3 hours out of town but there was a tire shop a fairly short distance away so I just got it patched
 

TXbarney

TYF Newbie
Joined
Aug 26, 2023
Posts
12
Reaction score
16
Had a similar situation on my grandaughters Tahoe..... she has nothing but what came with the car. Using the factory supplied tools and jack we found a metal tube that would fit over the lug wrench and was able the finally break all 6 loose. On the way back from getting it plugged, stopped at Harbor Freight and purchased a big "X" type tire tool.
The side story.... her golf cart (with custom wheels) had one tire that would always leak down so we wanted to take it in and get it fixed at the same time. The lug nuts were something like 11/16 and the only thing we could find was a 3/8 drive socket. Had to use a 3" extension because of the offset.... broke the female end of the extension. Found a 6" extension, twisted off the male end of that extension. Found another 3" extension and finally successful in removing the 4 lugs
 

Rocket Man

Mark
Supporting Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2014
Posts
26,004
Reaction score
50,862
Location
Oregon
AAA works for me, haven’t had a flat in years though. Nice jab @gooffeyguy but you don’t bother me. They’re at my truck in 20-30 minutes here, glad I don’t live where it’s so crowded that you have to wait so long. The left side of the country seems to get better service, out here in the wild wild west lol. I do carry a 1/2” breaker bar, socket, jack compressor and tire plug kit so if needed I could plug most holes and remove a wheel if needed. There’s a place under the second row to keep a breaker bar.
 

Rocket Man

Mark
Supporting Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2014
Posts
26,004
Reaction score
50,862
Location
Oregon
Just in case you folks don’t realize it, spare tires are becoming a thing of the past. I believe about 1/3 of new cars don’t have them, or jacks. It might be part of the reason why it’s taking longer to get roadside assistance in your areas- nobody has a spare anymore.
 

Rocket Man

Mark
Supporting Member
Joined
Dec 25, 2014
Posts
26,004
Reaction score
50,862
Location
Oregon
AAA includes road hazard insurance for your tires. They reimbursed me for a new tire when I got a nail in the sidewall on a road trip.
I forgot about that. For what I pay them, I’ll never go without. Their service has always paid for itself every year. I locked my keys in the truck once last year, one lockout service paid for the year of AAA. Then I had a starter failure and that service call was a joke mostly because I requested a jump unknowingly due to them going to an app instead of having you call them. Now I know how to use it. I needed a tow so I got the first guy who was there to jump start me right away but I told him I needed a tow home so I had to wait again. The guy who towed it home was one of the best I’ve ever dealt with. At least around here, AAA only uses the best service contractors and tow trucks. The trucks are always pretty new, always clean, drivers are clean and decent.
 

arkie

TYF Newbie
Joined
May 11, 2016
Posts
24
Reaction score
13
Why worry about it, get a AAA membership. They're everywhere and will be there within minutes with dozens of sized spare tires, one sure to fit your vehicle. Let them do the work


:cool:
I've AAA for years and the couple of times I had to call, it has been minutes. 90 - 120 Minutes.
 

Larryjb

Full Access Member
Joined
Jul 21, 2016
Posts
1,159
Reaction score
1,087
All my previous cars have been 100 ft lbs, I know the spec for the Tahoe is 140 ft lbs. Perhaps I should be torquing them higher, but in light of the fact I might have to break them free with the supplied wrench, I torque them to just 100 ft lbs. I have never had an issue with them coming loose, nor have I had any drivability issues.

I suspect the 140 ft-lb spec is to make sure they don't loosen.
 

Bill Barnes

Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2016
Posts
66
Reaction score
82
Location
Catlett, VA
Why worry about it, get a AAA membership. They're everywhere and will be there within minutes with dozens of sized spare tires, one sure to fit your vehicle. Let them do the work


:cool:
Where do you live? I live in the suburbs of Washington DC, and in the 10 years I was a member of AAA, the three times I called them, they never got there in less than three hours. I can change my own flat, but I can't tow my own vehicle. I won't ever be a member again.
 

Bill Barnes

Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2016
Posts
66
Reaction score
82
Location
Catlett, VA
^^^^ LOL I was taken back too!! We just renewed reluctantly! I have waited 3-4 hours for AAA!!! I'd never waste my time waiting unless I was really stuck...anything I can muster will be done avoiding that wait. Mainly keep it for the wife in case i am out of town.
Check with your auto insurance company. Most provide roadside assistance insurance coverage for a much lower rate than AAA, and you can call them for help. They will find a local tow company and tell you what the response time will be. I pay $10 a year to State Farm, and they handle the rest. The only time I had to call, the truck was there in 15 minutes, and the tow was paid for. My tip to the driver was more than the annual coverage.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
132,298
Posts
1,865,570
Members
96,884
Latest member
nscherr1
Top