How To Loosen Stuck Tire Bolts
Tire bolts are designed to fasten the wheel to the car which means that you need to remove them anytime you want to replace a tire, clean the brakes thoroughly, or do any other drivetrain-related work. Tire bolts ought to be properly tightened whenever you put them back on, but the issue here is that sometimes they are too stubborn to loosen up.
How To Unscrew Tire Bolts?
If you are unable to loosen tightly screwed tire bolts by hand, you can always try the trusted foot technique or you can use a so-called breaker/cheater bar. You should also apply some WD-40 or penetrating oil to make the bolting surface more slippery which should ease off some tension.
If this does not help you, you should also try applying constant heat directly onto the bolts via an acetylene torch or alternatively just use a candle and a lighter. If all of the aforementioned techniques are unable to loosen the bolts, you should visit a tire shop as they should be able to do it with special equipment.
Ways To Loosen Tire Bolts
- The foot technique
- Breaker/cheater bar
- Applying WD-40
- Applying Penetrating oil
- Heat
- Professional equipment
The Foot Technique
The first thing that comes to mind is to try and loosen the bolts simply by twisting the wrench by hand. However, this only exerts a small amount of force onto the bolts and the chances of loosening up the bolts this way are minimal because most functioning tire bolts are screwed in tightly.
As such, be sure to place the wrench at a 10 o’clock position and slowly push down with your foot to apply extra force. The secret here is that you should do it slowly and gradually, and don’t ever try and stand on the wrench as this can destroy your bolts or wear them down quickly.
Breaker/Cheater Bar
A breaker/cheater bar is designed to create more distance between the bolts and the location where the force is being applied. By essentially extending the wrench, you are able to apply more torque with the same amount of force and thus loosen the bolts a lot more easily.
The best thing you can do is buy a longer wrench, but you can also try and manufacture one yourself. Either way, you need to keep in mind that you should always apply force gradually. If you are unable to loosen them, don’t try stepping onto the bar.
Applying WD-40
WD-40 is the most famous household lubricant on the planet which means that finding one should not be too big of an issue. However, WD-40 is not only being used as a lubricant because it can also be used to clean your wheels.
Spray the WD-40 directly onto the bolts and wait for a few minutes before the WD-40 formula reaches the bolt threads as this should enable you to loosen the bolts a lot easier. If they still don’t budge, use WD-40 with the aforementioned foot technique, but remember to do it incrementally.
Penetrating Oil
WD-40 is technically just a lubricant which means that it should lubricate the area and make the bolts easier to unscrew. However, WD-40 is not going to help you against severe rust so you are better off looking for a penetrating oil mixture that is specifically designed for lubricating areas that have been impacted by corrosion.
Even though tire bolts are screwed in tightly, they can always be penetrated by water. If this happens, chances are that the threads themselves will corrode with the bolt screwed in. This will create rust bonds that first need to be removed if you want to loosen the bolts.
Heat
If all of the aforementioned techniques fail, you should try to apply heat directly onto the bolts. As these bolts are made out of metal that tends to contract and expand when in contact with fire, direct heat should help slacken the clamping force and thus loosen the bolts more easily.
You can do this by using an acetylene torch or just with a lighter and a candle. Either way, be sure to remove all WD-40 or penetrating oil residue as this can result in a fire. Also, always be extra careful not to apply any heat onto the tire as this can cause a blowout.
Professional Equipment
If everything else fails, you should take your car to a professional tire shop. It’s never a good idea to apply too much force onto the bolts as that can strip them and make them even more difficult to remove. Even so, sometimes you simply will not be able to remove the bolts without professional assistance.
Most tire shops use either electrical or air-powered impact wrenches which are designed with the correct amount of torque in mind. This means that these should not strip down the outer surface of the bolts while also applying enough force to loosen them.
Why Are My Tire Bolts So Difficult To Remove?
There are a few common reasons why you are unable to loosen your tire bolts which include bolts that have been screwed in too tightly, rust bonds, or because your bolts are worn out. The most common one is overtightening as most people are unaware that automakers list the exact torque one should apply while tightening the bolts.
As such, be sure to go through your owner’s manual to proactively solve these issues. Secondly, rust bonds are the second most common reason why a tire bolt will not budge. As water penetrates the surface between the bolt and its threads, it creates water spots that ultimately lead to corrosion, especially if the bolt is old and unprotected.
Finally, a bolt is not made to last forever. Applying constant force onto the bolt can wear it out prematurely which means that you will eventually have to replace it.
What Should I Not Do While Loosening Tire Bolts?
Loosening tire bolts is rather easy, yet it’s always a good idea to keep in mind what you should not do in order to make the process as easy as possible. First and foremost, park your car on level ground and away from traffic. Always engage your parking brake, no matter where you park the car.
If you want to replace your tires/wheels, or you simply want to remove the tire to reach some inner car components, be sure to loosen the bolts while the car is still on the ground. This is a vital step to the process because the weight of the car creates enough resistance for you to loosen the bolts a lot easier.
While attempting to loosen the bolts, always apply force gradually. The key to success is to apply enough force for the bolts to loosen, but not too much in order to avoid stripping them. This means that you should never stand on the wrench, or even worse try and jump on it.
If you are using an electric or an air-powered impact wrench, always be sure to align the threads fully before you apply any force as this can destroy your lugs in no time.
Can I Loosen Tire Bolts With A Hammer?
It is indeed possible to loosen tire bolts with a hammer, but only if you do it carefully and slowly. First, you should try and find a rubbery hammer as a rubber hammer is not going to destroy your bolts. If you are unable to find one, you can do this with a normal hammer, but be sure to be extra careful.
The most important part of this process is to use relatively light, consecutive blows as opposed to just whacking the wrench like Thor. Penetrating oil or WD-40 mixes well with slow consecutive hammer blows which means that while slowly hitting the wrench, you should also apply a lubricant between blows.
Why Do My Tire Bolts Keep Coming Loose?
The reason why tire bolts keep coming loose is that the clamping force holding them in is not adequately strong. This can be down to swift temperature changes, not enough torque, dirty threads, or even fractured threads.
This issue usually happens to those who overtighten their bolts constantly as every time you overtighten them, you stretch the studs more and more. If you then try and tighten them with the correct torque applied, chances are that they will eventually come loose because you have constantly been tightening them to a more severe degree.
Conclusion
There are a few different ways how one can loosen a stubborn tire bolt. You should start by gradually applying force onto the wrench with your foot. If this does not help, you should then use a breaker/cheater bar which enables you to apply more torque with the same amount of force applied simply by increasing the distance between your hands and the bolts.
You can always mix these with some lubricant, and the best ones out there are the WD-40 or special automotive grade penetrating oil. You can also apply heat directly onto the bolts which should help you even further. If everything we mentioned failed, you should take your car to a tire shop and be done with it.