2005 Camry,
I used the basic tools that came with the car to remove the lug nuts. I used a lot of leverage and still had to muster almost every ounce of my strength to get them off. I woke up with lower back pain.
Is there a better tool I can buy to make this easier?
Yes, an AAA card.
A 1/2 drive impact wrench is far easier. Battery or pneumatic.
I’ve found that a socket of the right size attached to a long breaker bar works just fine. You could also try a tire iron that has longer handles.
With a long enough lever you can move the Earth. Go to Harbor Freight and pick up a long handled breaker bar and a 21mm socket. The lugs will come off like butter.
A 4 way might be a cheap alternative, foot for downward pressure and hands for pulling up.
21mm will fit most tires right? How long do you suggest the breaker bar to be? I dont anything too crazy.
The simplest and least costly route is to measure the diameter of the handle of your lug wrench and then buy a steel pipe about 24" long that has a slightly larger inside diameter. It doesn’t take up much space in the trunk or tire well. Just slip it over the lug wrench handle to give you more leverage when removing the lug nuts. DO NOT use it to tighten the lug nuts though. You could damage the lugs themselves by over torquing them.
Mine are 3/4 inch. I just use a ratchet with a leverage pipe. The ones supplied with a car are junk.
How long is your leverage pipe? Do you use it for tightening as well?
Breaker bars are inexpensive and take up little room.
But, a AAA membership is well worth it. I decided on that after changing a tire in 95 degree heat on an interstate. Have used their services multiple times. They even towed my GFs car ten miles to my house.
No! A breaker bar will over torque the lug nuts.
This is the breaker bar I use. My corresponding 1/2 inch drive socket fits the lug nuts on both my 50 year old Ford truck and 30 year old Corolla.
Do you have that impact? If so, what are your thoughts on it? I’ve been curious about buying a cheapo to throw in my truck in case I end up with a flat or to be able to help someone else that has one.
90 foot pounds?
I bought one for the wife in case she gets a flat…
No problem removing lug nuts.
Tester
Who last tightened the lug nuts? It sounds to me like they were overtorqued.
Thanks for the reminder though. Just had tires put on and I always re-torque the nuts. Can’t imagine having to do that on the side of the road.
21mm should fit your car. 19, 21, and 22 will fit most passenger cars.
Buy a breaker bar that’s twice as long as the lug wrench you have in the car now.