Not trying to address the very best tool for removing lug nuts/bolts, but I use successfully exactly what you reccommend - a long Sears 1/2 inch breaker bar with a 19mm impact socket, the latter because they are a bit tougher.

I do not allow tire stores to mount my wheels to the vehicle unless I am right there to ensure proper torque is applied at the moment. Even then at first opportunity I back the nut off and re-tighten with a torque wrench. This practice was adopted after a bad experience of having a flat after wheel installation by a tire shop. In a rural area, I ran over a piece of drain tile used in a culvert under the road. It wrecked the tire. The lugnuts came off with considerable effort - but they did come off - all but one. And that one was simply not going to come off. Over time I scrounged some tools from some people in the area ( did lots of walking and door knocking) and then spent a lot of time grinding the lug nut off. That is when I learned about the hardened ring on the back of the nut. It took a great deal of time and effort to cut through that ring. The rest of the metal in the nut was relatively easy, but that ring .....good grief!!! Once the nut was off, the rest was easy.

Now-a-days, I also use just a tiny bit of anti-seize on those lugs.

Regards,

John Rodgers 88 GL Driver

Dennis Haynes wrote:

>4-way lug wrenches are not the best tool for removing lugs. Go to Sears >and get the long 1/2" drive breaker bar and a 19mm impact socket. This >will remove all but the most stubborn lugs, VW lugs tend to corrode into >place after a short time. > >Dennis > >-----Original Message----- >From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf >Of Wil Haslup >Sent: Friday, July 08, 2005 10:02 PM >To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM >Subject: lug nut torque? > >Do Vanagon lugs require being tighter than any other car lugs? > >Reason I ask is I recently had a front brake job done by a non-VW >specialist in their shop. > >Subsequently I had to work on the stabilizer link bushings. That repair >got done but in trying to take off the wheel I found I couldn't budge >the lugs with a four way lug wrench. > >I had to use a long length of pipe I keep in my carport for a breaking >bar. With the pipe over an end of the four way I applied pressure to >the pipe... took it to nearly 30 degrees from starting position and >ultimately left the four way slightly bent but I got 'em all off. > >I plan on loosening the other lugs with the bar before I have a flat and >find I can't get the wheel off. > >After tightening them by hand with the four way I've driven a bit and >things seem fine. > >Since the vanagon lugs aren't actually nuts but bolts I'm wondering if >there is some difference in how tight they should be? > >I can't find a torque spec for them. > >Was this just the result of a mechanic with an air ratchet and no >thought for the poor owner? > > >-- > >Wil > > >-- http://www.charmfx.com/ > >"I xeroxed my watch. Now I have time to spare." >-- Steven Wright > > > >