The EASY way to use a 4-way tire iron / lug wrench!

[480sparky]

If you carry one of these in your truck:.....

... and use it like this:......

...... you're using it the HARD way.



Here's the EASY way:

Next time you find a scrap (preferably treated) 2x6 at least 24" long, drill some staggered 1¾ - 2" holes in half of it. So when you need to change a tire by the side of the road, you won't be popping a vein in your forehead trying to loosen the lug nuts.

If the lowest hole isn't low enough for the lug nuts on the bottom portion of the tire, just rotate the 2x6 180° to get the holes closer to the ground.

Just make sure the 2x6 is 3-4" longer than the highest lug nut you plan on using it on, and the holes are large enough for the largest end of the iron / wrench.

Cheap & easy to make. You will thank me later.

 

[tirediron]

Clever!

 

[Peeb]

For the win!

 

[table1349]

Wait, you mean not everyone knows this. I thought this was common knowledge. Good thing you posted it Sparky. Well Done.

 

[weepete]

Nice! Normally I've got a large valve key about thst can handily act as a big leaver. before we had thst though, we just used to jump on them. Gotta be a bit careful you dont strip the nut though!

 

[jcdeboever]

Leverage

 

[petrochemist]

Leverage

Yes a length of metal pipe can work wonders but be careful not to use it for doing the nuts up it might encourage you to over-tighten them.

 

[tirediron]

Wait, you mean not everyone knows this. I thought this was common knowledge. Good thing you posted it Sparky. Well Done.

I didn't know anyone actually used those things; I thought they were just something to show off mechanical engineers sick sense of humour!

 

[table1349]

Wait, you mean not everyone knows this. I thought this was common knowledge. Good thing you posted it Sparky. Well Done.

I didn't know anyone actually used those things; I thought they were just something to show off mechanical engineers sick sense of humour!

Nope they are very useful. We had one that was 5 feet tall that we kept in the bed of the pickup truck. Tractor's, as if you didn't know, have lots of big ole lug nuts and the wheels can be pretty tall. They are a real pain in the butt to loosen when your 20 miles from town in a field. We always had a standard automotive 4 way and a larger truck/tractor 25" 4 way in the truck as well. I won't tell you how I learned to keep those in the truck. Let's just say it wasn't a pretty picture.

For home I often would use a jack stand the same was. Multiple positions and always had a pair handy.