Need to get tires rotated, suggestions? [in NorCal]

[mspohr]

I have to say I've never heard of impact wrenches destroying lug nuts. I've had tire shops rotate my tires for years and impact wrenches seem to be a universal tool for that. Nor have I ever seen lug nuts destroyed by them.

Unfortunately, I've had tire shops destroy most of the lug nuts on my Land Rover and Tesla (Model S). The OEM lug nuts on both these cars have a thin soft metal cover (not removable) on the actual lug nut. If a tire shop uses an impact wrench (and perhaps a socket that is oversized), it deforms the metal cover of the nut and makes it difficult/impossible to remove with normal tools. In some cases, I've had to cut the metal cover off to access the lug nut.
I've replaced all of the lug nuts on both cars with new nuts which don't have the cover.

 

[kindofblue]

Wow, whoda thunk? Thanks. I'll look into getting some standard lug nuts without that soft covering. Are the replacement lug nuts just standard 20mm nuts?

 

[mspohr]

Wow, whoda thunk? Thanks. I'll look into getting some standard lug nuts without that soft covering. Are the replacement lug nuts just standard 20mm nuts?

I bought these for my 2015 Tesla Model S:

(20pc.) Gorilla Lug Nuts, Factory Style Bulge, 14mm x 1.50, Chrome, 61148FS | eBay

These Gorilla lug nuts are new from manufacturer, ordered in bulk and separated into quantity listed. Factory Style Bulge: Extra Large 60 degree Conical Seat. Gorilla Factory Style Lugs and Locks are designed to match unique OEM lug nut styles and.

www.ebay.com

Check to make sure you get the right ones for your car.

 

[Cobe]

Actually, to my surprise (after doing most of my own car maintenance for the past 30 years), I have recently had two complete sets of lug nuts (two cars/40 nuts) destroyed by impact wrenches. Just to be clear, they were not the solid steel lugs, but the OEM lugs that are partial steel and have the decorative hollow chrome tops.

I suspect the tire shop used a socket size slightly larger than spec for these lugs and warped/swelled the lugs out of shape. I could not get a socket to fit or grab the lugs enough to remove them. I had to purchase an oversized 12-point socket and hammer it onto each lug to finally remove them. To my relief, no damage to the threads, and new solid steel lugs work great...lesson learned for me on all my future cars.

MY is being delivered this week. Does anyone know if the OEM lugs are solid steel?

 

[Mr. Big]

I have all the tools so I do it myself - but for 35 bucks I’d be tempted to let them do it.

 

[ngng]

Unfortunately, I've had tire shops destroy most of the lug nuts on my Land Rover and Tesla (Model S). The OEM lug nuts on both these cars have a thin soft metal cover (not removable) on the actual lug nut. If a tire shop uses an impact wrench (and perhaps a socket that is oversized), it deforms the metal cover of the nut and makes it difficult/impossible to remove with normal tools. In some cases, I've had to cut the metal cover off to access the lug nut.
I've replaced all of the lug nuts on both cars with new nuts which don't have the cover.

impact socket is 100% industry standard to remove a nut.

the cover you are describing is exactly that, a cosmetic cover. a competent shop will remove the cover. if you care, you can remove them yourself before having a shop do work on your car.

 

[mspohr]

The covers on my Tesla and Land Rover were crimped at the base and not removable. I had to use extreme violence (chisels, hammers, pliers) to remove them.

impact socket is 100% industry standard to remove a nut.

the cover you are describing is exactly that, a cosmetic cover. a competent shop will remove the cover. if you care, you can remove them yourself before having a shop do work on your car.

 

[ngng]

The covers on my Tesla and Land Rover were crimped at the base and not removable. I had to use extreme violence (chisels, hammers, pliers) to remove them.

If that's the case then the covers are one time use. I had to use pliers to remove mine as well, but they could have been reuses