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Comment by magicbuzz | Hacker News Reader

I thought that was Bloke 101. Actually, the hardest part is getting the lugnuts off. When your tyres were fitted, they likely used air tools to put the nuts back on. I’ve found you always need to ensure you can remove them with the spare hand tool later - otherwise you may end up with a flat somewhere and be unable to remove the wheel.

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Air tools should only be used for removal. Using an impact wrench for putting on nuts causes cross threaded and broken studs.

Some shops do it, but you shouldn't go to them.

Yep, I've sheared some tools trying to get them off. Being able to rent a car with air tools would be nice for DIY stuff. It would probably be too expensive insurance wise though.

This is where you put a length of pipe in the car. Much easier, even for women and girls.

All it takes is a couple feet to move the torque required into the lower end of human capability.

If a normal human cannot loosen the lug nuts with the provided wrench, they are on too tight and doing damage.

Agreed, in that the fasteners get stretched, fatigued, difficult to manipulate.

But it still happens. Having a means of greater torque gets past that failure condition and reduces the work burden.

And that's a net good. Older people, young, small, women with nails, guys who may not be very strong, someone hurt or sick all see a much improved task, well in bounds for them.

This is precisely why I brought all my kids up knowing these things. Same for anyone I've helped. I'll leave it with them and just go get another lever. cheap.

Better to be equipped to get this done than be stuck, merely understanding one should not be, but is anyway.

A small extension of this thinking means equipping the vehicle with common sense, useful tools. BMW does this from the factory. Most go unused, but its ultra cheap insurance. May actually end up applying to another vehicle. All good.

It really doesn't take much to equip a vehicle for trouble cases. Anyone who does is likely to get a nice return on that modest investment in skill and gear at some point in their lives. This is true even when their skills are somehow lacking, or they become physically unable somehow.

Getting help means people, and it often means tools. Having both is again, cheap insurance.

Talking about a damaged fastener on your way from the trouble incident is a great problem to have when compared to the side of a road.

No, it is bad because your brake calipers/drums get warped from too much torque.

The fastener problem is real too, but not nearly the potential safety hazard as the damage to the brakes.

Sure, it's bad. But the driver does not know that, may never know that, unless they actually do work on their fasteners. They are not likely to do that work, until they must, and that's on the side of the road.

And, given they must do that work, having the means to complete it makes all the sense in the world.

Nobody has to tighten anything that way. I've never shown, nor recommended people do. It's all about having the means to change a tire, should that need arise. And that means removing the fasteners.

So, I'll tell you what. I'll continue carrying a lever, and will continue to not be stuck somewhere ugly, and you do whatever you want.

Everyone can and should express concern when the job is done poorly.

Nobody should be stuck because it was done poorly, unless they want to be, and I for sure don't. Nor does anyone I know.

I agree that you should have the lever just in case. However if you ever need to use it you should fire the last shop that worked on your tires.

Damn right, unless one lacks strength.

I'm getting older. Can do it. Just don't want to. May not be able one day. There is that too.

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