Replacement Wheel Brace

[640Newton]

Hello all,

Can anyone recommend a good quality wheel brace to replace the OE Land Rover brace provided with a 2008 RRS? I have broken the original one (trying to undo nuts tightened by the local tyre shops air-gun) but feel the LR one is poorly designed and if I replace it with the same item it is likely to fail again.

I have now started using a torque wrench to tighten my wheel nuts when I swap over my rims but the instructions for the torque wrench say not to use it as a lever wrench for undoing wheel nuts.

Any suggestions please?

Thanks.

[101RRS]

I agree - both the jack and wheel brace are not fit for purpose.

Garry

[jonesy63]

I use a torque wrench and trolley jack at home, and a bottle jack on the road. I didn't get any instructions with the torque wrench - and figure it can handle the same pressure in reverse as forward.

[640Newton]

Yes, I agree the trolley jack for home use makes life so much easier and enables me to change all 4 rims in about 30 minutes.

I hadn't thought about a bottle jack to carry in the boot. I think I'll investigate that one. Where do you store it? Does it fit under the floor tray in the boot?

[langy]

I find that a breaker bar about the length of my torque wrench and a 6 point impact socket (all in 1/2inch drive) are just about right for wheel nuts. Too long a breaker bar and you can over tighten, too short and you can't get them off. The 6 point socket seems to resist rounding unlike other versions.

EDIT: Available most everywhere- better quality and value at tool stores rather than supercheap etc

[640Newton]

What load rating does the bottle jack need to be? Can I get by with a 1850kg or would 4000kg be safer?

Also Langy, can you buy breaker bars from a normal auto shop like Autobarn or AutoOne or are they specialist tools?

[oldsalt]

I bought a breaker bar and 22mm socket from Repco - and I have a torque wrench for seating the nuts correctly, and store both on the floor behind my second row seating. Works for me.
cheers

[Mike_S]

If you get hold of one, then the bottle jack from a P38 can be made to fit in the polystyrene tray under the boot floor with a bit of cutting of the polystyrene. Try and get hold of an old kit out of the boot of a P38 if you can.

[outasight]

+ 1 vote for breaker bar & flat sided deep socket(same as impact sockets which like a lot of sockets can be cheaper in a small set!).

[33chinacars]

4-6 tonne bottle jack. 3/4 " drive breaker bar 2' long with suitable socket.
Don't undo nuts with torque wrench unless specialy designed to go both ways. Eventually torque wrench will, to put it simple, unwind looosing it ability to measure torque

Gary

[Geedublya]

I bought a breaker bar and 22mm socket from Repco - and I have a torque wrench for seating the nuts correctly, and store both on the floor behind my second row seating. Works for me.
cheers

Same here but the socket is a deep one.
I have a bottle jack (2 tonne) and a Hi-Lift Jack. I need a better bottle jack that can go higher (with a better rating). Hi Lift jack as I have ARB and Kaymar bars but the Jacking points are too close to the centre line and it tries to lift both wheels.

[ADMIRAL]

A lot easier on the back ( and other muscles ) using an impact wrench. Check out the Ryobi range (pale green colour ) at Bunnings. They have an 18volt impact wrench with lithium ion batteries. It torques at about 240nm ( tested and is about correct ), which is too much for wheel studs, so you do need to invest in a 1/2" drive torque bar. They can be purchased usually in 20nm increments. I went for a Kinchrome 110ftlb/150nm. Seems about right. Still a lot less than the average air powered impact wrench would impart. The tool is not workshop rated, but for the odd use, I figure it will outlast my back, and even the other half can use it to get a wheel off . Not even a prospect with a conventional wheel wrench.