Tire rotation tools.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,719
Likes: 8
Tire rotation tools.
I am thinking of doing a tire rotation. I have a jack, and jack stands. I am thinking I will need a torque wrench and a breaker bar and a (deep ? ) socket.
The last time I tried to help someone with a flat we could not get the lugs loose with the small wrench provided. Any suggestions on which torque wrench ? It will not be used much, just for sparkplugs etc.
Thanks-
The last time I tried to help someone with a flat we could not get the lugs loose with the small wrench provided. Any suggestions on which torque wrench ? It will not be used much, just for sparkplugs etc.
Thanks-
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,491
Likes: 806
From: West coast CA
I am thinking of doing a tire rotation. I have a jack, and jack stands. I am thinking I will need a torque wrench and a breaker bar and a (deep ? ) socket.
The last time I tried to help someone with a flat we could not get the lugs loose with the small wrench provided. Any suggestions on which torque wrench ? It will not be used much, just for sparkplugs etc.
Thanks-
The last time I tried to help someone with a flat we could not get the lugs loose with the small wrench provided. Any suggestions on which torque wrench ? It will not be used much, just for sparkplugs etc.
Thanks-
There is no one-size-fits-all torque wrench. Lug nuts are 100 lb-ft. Spark plugs are 11 lb-ft. That's almost an order of magnitude. You need two different wrenches. You don't want to be operating at the extreme edge of the wrench's range, and you don't want a 2-foot handle for spark plugs.
CDI and Precision Instruments are good torque wrench brands.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,719
Likes: 8
For manual wrenching on lug nuts, nothing beats a long-handle flex-head 1/2" ratchet. Fits in tight spots and saves your back. A stubby extension or a deep socket 19mm keeps your knuckles clear of the bodywork.
There is no one-size-fits-all torque wrench. Lug nuts are 100 lb-ft. Spark plugs are 11 lb-ft. That's almost an order of magnitude. You need two different wrenches. You don't want to be operating at the extreme edge of the wrench's range, and you don't want a 2-foot handle for spark plugs.
CDI and Precision Instruments are good torque wrench brands.
There is no one-size-fits-all torque wrench. Lug nuts are 100 lb-ft. Spark plugs are 11 lb-ft. That's almost an order of magnitude. You need two different wrenches. You don't want to be operating at the extreme edge of the wrench's range, and you don't want a 2-foot handle for spark plugs.
CDI and Precision Instruments are good torque wrench brands.
Last edited by pgp; Jul 1, 2025 at 07:38 PM.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,719
Likes: 8
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 10,394
Likes: 189
From: North of Canada
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,366
Likes: 3,257
From: Hartford WI
I am thinking of doing a tire rotation. I have a jack, and jack stands. I am thinking I will need a torque wrench and a breaker bar and a (deep ? ) socket.
The last time I tried to help someone with a flat we could not get the lugs loose with the small wrench provided. Any suggestions on which torque wrench ? It will not be used much, just for sparkplugs etc.
Thanks-
The last time I tried to help someone with a flat we could not get the lugs loose with the small wrench provided. Any suggestions on which torque wrench ? It will not be used much, just for sparkplugs etc.
Thanks-
Moderator
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 15,195
Likes: 4,190
From: Northern Illinois
2023 Corvette of the Year Winner - Modified
2022 C7 of the Year Winner - Modified
St. Jude Donor '18 thru '25
Car Care is mainly detailing, each year may have a specific way to remove wheel. My Z tires are specific to each location, cannot rotate. Personally, I use gojacks while car supported on quickjack.. then I have 3 stainless 15" long studs I machined to slide wheel off without hitting carbon rotors. You can get a cheaper set of anodized lug nut sockets at Harbor Freight that have nylon around outside. I would not use an impact unless just to get it on or off quicker to save time, always manually torque and break free with breaker bar. Do not use anti-seize on threads, f's up torque. CDI are decent I have one of these. Accurate
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,366
Likes: 3,257
From: Hartford WI
I do that to prevent it seizing up. Yes, with the anti-seize, it is now exerting more clamping force but you can compensate for the increase by a 25% reduction. Instead of 100 ft/lbs, I set torque to 75 ft/lbs which takes care of the wet torque vs dry torque.
Moderator
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 15,195
Likes: 4,190
From: Northern Illinois
2023 Corvette of the Year Winner - Modified
2022 C7 of the Year Winner - Modified
St. Jude Donor '18 thru '25
So easy to over torque and stretch a wheel stud, I myself would not be comfortable with calculating the reduction. When swapping tires when tracking I need specs to be specs I used to use ant seize years ago, but stopped that practice because of the problems it may incur. It really messed up some crappier trucks back in the day.. learned I stretched the wheel studs and broke a few.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,366
Likes: 3,257
From: Hartford WI
So easy to over torque and stretch a wheel stud, I myself would not be comfortable with calculating the reduction. When swapping tires when tracking I need specs to be specs I used to use ant seize years ago, but stopped that practice because of the problems it may incur. It really messed up some crappier trucks back in the day.. learned I stretched the wheel studs and broke a few.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,719
Likes: 8
Go to a parts house and rent one of their torque wrenches. Too many people don't use them so it isn't going to be a high use item. I gave away a bunch of tools I bought for the C4 that became a bunch of "One Off" items that I didn't use anymore. They just sat on the shelf gathering dust.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,366
Likes: 3,257
From: Hartford WI
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,366
Likes: 3,257
From: Hartford WI
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 1,355
Likes: 635
From: St. Louis
Harbor Freight 1/2" ICON torque wrench has been tested to be as good as a $700 Snap On torque wrench. I have owned the Icon for about 5 years and it is great.
Also - just my opinion, but rotating tires on a Corvette is pretty much a complete waste of time. Because you cannot swap front to rear, all the advantages of rotating tires are lost. Swapping left to right does next to nothing.
Also my opinion, lubing stud threads or using anti-seize is the way to go. I have been using white lithium grease on studs for 40 years. Never broke a stud again. And I go ahead and torque to the standard spec. There is plenty of safety margin built into the studs so you are not going to stretch or break them just because they are lubed.
Also - just my opinion, but rotating tires on a Corvette is pretty much a complete waste of time. Because you cannot swap front to rear, all the advantages of rotating tires are lost. Swapping left to right does next to nothing.
Also my opinion, lubing stud threads or using anti-seize is the way to go. I have been using white lithium grease on studs for 40 years. Never broke a stud again. And I go ahead and torque to the standard spec. There is plenty of safety margin built into the studs so you are not going to stretch or break them just because they are lubed.
Last edited by RacerRik; Jul 4, 2025 at 12:04 AM.