Time for an impact gun?

Stan · March 05, 2007, 05:39:08 PM

Thanks Tom: I have never used hub piloted wheels and what I have read on the BBS indicated that they were completely different from stud pilot and use different studs with just one different kind of nut. Now I wonder if it is possible to change the wheels on any bus. Does anyone know?

Tom Y · March 05, 2007, 07:17:51 PM

Stan, I changed all my studs. I will post a couple pictures to show what I have, Maybe tomorrow. I was happy when I started to measure. Tom

Tom Y · March 06, 2007, 01:22:07 PM

Stan, The wheels are completely different. The hub piliot center on the Hub. The stud piliot center on the stud. It may be hard to see but there is a raised area on my hub next to the drum which will center the wheel and the nuts hold it tight to the drum. Hope this makes sense. Tom Y

Tom Y · March 06, 2007, 01:25:41 PM

Stan, Sorry I missed the front. Tom Y

ol713 · March 06, 2007, 08:12:17 PM

Hi;
After reading all the replies, I have two more things to keep in mind.
First check if you are turning the nuts the right way. My MCI has
left hand threads on one side and right hand threads on the other
side. Look at the center of the wheel stud for a letter.
Second, when you get the nuts cracked loose, use anti-sieze
compound on the threads, then torque to specs. I use a cheater
bar and breaker bar and have no problems. Least I know I can change
a tire any where when needed.
Good luck, Merle

Stan · March 07, 2007, 05:25:32 AM

Tom Y: Thanks for the info. It got me curious, so I looked up specs on the two types of wheels. Bolt ring and bore are the same, so the major requirement is to have a hub that fits the bore along with new studs and nuts. On a stud pilot, the hub size is not important.

It is interesting to note that the Accuride web site says that stud pilot is "the industry standard" while most people shopping for aluminum wheels say that used hub pilot are easier to find.

oldmansax · March 07, 2007, 07:50:42 AM

Quote from: pvcces on March 04, 2007, 07:09:43 PM
I think those threads are supposed to be assembled dry.

Tom Caffrey

I don't know what the actual specs are but I used NeverSeize on every lug nut & stud on every truck I ever owned. I used a 1/2" impact to remove and install wheels. I never had any problems doing either or with wheels loosening after installation. I would not let tire dealers tighten lugs after installation because they would usually wring them off.

I might mention I did not come up with this on my own. I learned it from my uncle who was also in the trucking business. Between all of us, we put over 10,000,000 miles on trucks without problems.

doug mars · March 07, 2007, 03:48:46 PM

harbour freight is junk. northern toll has an impact called aircat very good impact the 3/4 drive has i think 1180 ft pounds of torque and the cost is 299.00

NJT5047 · March 07, 2007, 06:52:46 PM

FWIW, Alcoa's website offers two torque specs for alloy wheels...one with lube and one without. I don't know if neverseize is good or bad, but I use it on the stud threads...not the lugnut flange (hub piloted wheels). I check the wheels occasionally and have never had any loose or undertorqued lugnuts.
Alcoa has several pages of wheel attachment data on their website...I've got a link somewhere. If interested, I'll find it and post same.
JR

Buffalo SpaceShip · March 07, 2007, 08:09:43 PM

Quote from: doug mars on March 07, 2007, 03:48:46 PM
harbour freight is junk. northern toll has an impact called aircat very good impact the 3/4 drive has i think 1180 ft pounds of torque and the cost is 299.00

Junk or no, the $99 gun busted off the lugs "like buttah". For the outer nuts I used my plug-in compressor. For the inners, I used the bus air. FWIW, the bus' compressor runs rings around the old "Crapsman" oiless, obviously. The punk tank set up with a 5' run of 1/2" hose will drop from about 120psi to 90psi to bust off one. Only one outer nut needed more than one "wave" of air, but a few were stubborn and needed a few seconds to coax them to twist. The inners were a cakewalk... probably because they weren't exposed to the elements.

I also used the impact to tap off the outer axle nut this afternoon. Buttah! I'll post some nasty grease-filled drum info on a separate thread.

Seriously, the HF is cheap and inefficient. But I'm only going to do a few tires a year. And I'll spend the $200 on something else.

Lastly, here's a pic of my eldest "having a go with it". Actually, there's no way I'd let him do this single-handedly... but he did like to pull the trigger for me and watch them spin off. Fun!

Brian "Here's to cheap Chinese junk!" Brown

muddog16 · March 08, 2007, 03:25:56 AM

Brian I have the same impact from HB, and it works very well, the secret being volumn of air and no restrictions in the fitting if you use a 3/4" hose and 3/8" or 1/2 fittings your restricting the flow. My only problem is the trigger being unguarded, that can get you into trouble. If I keep it oiled, I can change all the wheels I need to for a long time. I'm sure those 700 or 400 dollar tools are the cats meow! I don't plan on working in Nascar anytime soon, or hossing that jack around the bus at high speed!

I do have a problem with bouncing on a cheater bar breaking lugnuts loose, that just waves a red flag, and warrants a trip with blue cross expenses!

Pat

http://prevostlemirage.blogspot.com/

Happycampersrus · March 08, 2007, 04:37:01 AM

"I do have a problem with bouncing on a cheater bar breaking lugnuts loose, that just waves a red flag, and warrants a trip with blue cross expenses!"

I personally watched a fellow loose 3 teeth to that idea.

niles500 · March 08, 2007, 10:00:32 AM

Happy - How many did he start with? - LOL

ulaff · March 08, 2007, 06:40:27 PM

I tried using the twin hammer impact gun that was rated @ 1500 from HF 1/2 inch hose 30 gal tank, and only managed to free up about half of my lugs

, next thing is a cut of wheel and air chisel after all i've got to replace the studs anyway

Buffalo SpaceShip · March 08, 2007, 07:44:54 PM

Quote from: ulaff on March 08, 2007, 06:40:27 PM
I tried using the twin hammer impact gun that was rated @ 1500 from HF 1/2 inch hose 30 gal tank, and only managed to free up about half of my lugs

I don't know if you tried this already: but a short hose fed by BIG fittings will help the cheap, inefficient HF guns reach their full potential. Simply going through a regulator on many compressors is too much restriction. My "punk" tank is 11 gallons, and I replaced the tap (there is no regulator on it) with 1/2" iron pipe going into 1/2" hose barbs, 5 feet of 1/2" hose... and made sure I had 120psi every time I pulled the trigger. 11 gallons won't give me much more than a few seconds... but it's hammerin' pretty good for a few seconds.

HTH,
Brian