Date:         Fri, 28 Feb 97 08:37:30 -0800
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         vince_pappalardo@om.cv.hp.com
Subject:      Re: My wheel nuts are frozen!!!

Item Subject: My wheel nuts are frozen!!!
     I had the same problem when I had to remove the rear tires for the 
     first time in order to do a brake job.  I tried liquid wrench, heat 
     from a propane torch, and a cross bar lug wrench with 2 foot cheater 
     bar.  None of that worked.  I posed the same question to the list that 
     you did.  The concessus was use at least a 5 foot long cheater bar 
     over a breaker bar and apply even steady pressure.  
       I did not want to buy a 5 foot section of pipe that would fit over 
     my breaker bar (would have cost me $25 bucks) and I did not want to 
     buy a new breaker bar.  So, I brought it down to the place that does 
     my tire work and I had them rotate the tires for $10.  I was able to 
     get the lug nuts off easy after that.  When I did the brake job, I 
     used anti seize on the lug nuts and torqued them down using a torque 
     wrench to the specified torque.  VW does not advise using any grease 
     or anti seize on the lug nuts but other list members have done so 
     without any problems.  supposedly, if you have your tires rotated 
     regularly and torque them down to the correct specs, you should not 
     have any problems.  I did not want to chance it so I used the anti 
     seize.
     
     Regards,
     
     Vince.
     
     
     ______________________________ Reply Separator 
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     Subject: My wheel nuts are frozen!!!
     Author:  Non-HP-vanagon (vanagon@lenti.med.umn.edu) at 
     HP-Corvallis,shargw1
     Date:    2/27/97 6:27 PM
     
     
     My 86 Westy (85000km) finnaly succumbed to it's very first flat tire 
     (on the rear where it gets all the heat). I thought this was going to 
     be a piece of cake to change...however after trying liquid wrench etc. 
     I've only been able to get one out of FIVE lugs undone. I've tried a 
     cross bar wrench etc. and no go. Does anyone have a suggestion...?