Lug nut Wrench

keiths

Member
Contributor
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2003 MSP
I was going to rotate my tires the other day so I went to the trunk to get the lug nut wrench and I couldn't find it. I decided to look in the manual because they tend to hide important things like that and it said it was in a little bag. I found the bag under my spare tire and it had 2 tools in it. One was kind of like this huge screw type thing and the other was this flat piece of metal. The flat pieces of metal definitely isn't the wrench and neither is the screw type thing.

So did I not get a wrench with my car or it some else and I can't find it. If I didn't get it, what can I do to get another one?
 
Dealer. They're cheap. I take it you bought the car used? If you bought it new, the dealer should give you one for free.
 
just get a snap on socket set off ebay... the crappy stock wrench is a piece anyways. plus then you have tools to help in the inevitable (sp?) modding of you MSP
 
AZDriftR said:
just get a snap on socket set off ebay... the crappy stock wrench is a piece anyways. plus then you have tools to help in the inevitable (sp?) modding of you MSP


Can you give me a link for what you mean? I search for SNAP ON socket set and found stuff from $5 to like $160. What's a good price for one?
 
you get what you pay for. craftsman tools are a good compromise for a shadetree mechanic
 
My lug wrench:
Craftsman breaker bar (1/2" drive)
Craftsman 3" extension
Craftsman 21 mm 6 pt socket

Of course, when tightening lug nuts use a torque wrench.
My torque wrench is also a Craftsman.
 
keiths said:
...it had 2 tools in it. One was kind of like this huge screw type thing and the other was this flat piece of metal. The flat pieces of metal definitely isn't the wrench and neither is the screw type thing.

Ummmm, what do you mean by "huge screw type thing"? Do you mean it looks like a huge screw driver? If so that IS your lug wrench. The lug wrench just has a socket type thing on 1 end and the other end has what looks like the end of a screw driver.
 
^^^well i'm sure he isn't an idiot and knows what a lug wrench looks like. lol! i don't think you could have it in your hand and not know it. especially if you even know what it is called. mine is under the carpet in the trunk held down with these little plastic clips. but i would agree with the others in saying you should get something different. and i'm not so sure that it's absolutely necessary to torque down your lug nuts. it's probably a good idea but if it was necessary then we would all get torque wrenchs with our cars. just make sure that when you put the nuts back on you alternate the tightening. tighten one and then tighten the one across from it and so on. makes certain you get them all evenly tight. just becareful not to chip the finish on your wheels. i've had 2 replaced cuz dick at the dealership got trigger happy with an impact wrench.
 
^^Never over-estimate the smarts of some people.(rei) The stock lug wrench is so cheap and bad that I could see somebody just calling it a "screw type thing". Plus I don't know any other piece of the stock jack that looks like a "screw type thing" other than the jack itself. My lug wrench (and every lug wrench of every protege I've ever owned) was in the little bag under the spare tire, exactly where he's looking. The thing that was clamped down under the carpet was the tool to raise and lower the jack.
 
pb4ugoout said:
^^and i'm not so sure that it's absolutely necessary to torque down your lug nuts. it's probably a good idea but if it was necessary then we would all get torque wrenchs with our cars. just make sure that when you put the nuts back on you alternate the tightening. tighten one and then tighten the one across from it and so on. makes certain you get them all evenly tight. just becareful not to chip the finish on your wheels. i've had 2 replaced cuz dick at the dealership got trigger happy with an impact wrench.

It may not be absolutely necessary but overtightening the lug nuts can result in warped rotors. Additionally, the FSM specifies a torque setting for the lug nuts. Since so much mechanical work on the car requires the use of a torque wrench, it's a tool worth having anyway.

02 DX Millenium Red
 
warped rotors huh....maybe thats my my rotors went into meltdown mode. although i've never taken off or put on my own wheels. maybe i should look into getting one. and yea i've met some friggin' genius' in my time! lol
 
goldstar said:
My lug wrench:
Craftsman breaker bar (1/2" drive)
Craftsman 3" extension
Craftsman 21 mm 6 pt socket

Of course, when tightening lug nuts use a torque wrench.
My torque wrench is also a Craftsman.
thats what I carry in my trunk :)
 
I'm guessing the screw type thing that he found is the longer bolt (similar to the one that is used to hold in the spare), the longer one is there to bolt in your full size wheel if you're using your spare... however, i don't think you'd want to use it with your msp rims, but is probably standard for regular proteges, especially those with steelies...

as others have said, get yourself a good breaker bar, 21mm socket and extension, and a decent torque wrench!
 
damn staright always keep a breaker bar and a socket set in the car. never know if you might need it.. and ya craftsman is a great company as well, or even Cobalt, or MAC Tools(my Auto x Sponsor :D).
 
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