Cordless Impact Drill for Wheel Lug Nuts

[shootist]

Another vote for the Milwaukee, class a wheels don't slow it down. They got it right on this one.

[eddieelk]

On my Class A, I use a breaker bar and a 2 ft piece of gas pipe extension. I also use a jack stand just prior to breaker bar, and use my 210 pounds of solid muscle to jump on the end of the pipe. You would be surprised how easy the lugs come loose. If I need more muscle, I have my wife jump on the bar, cause she is a lot more muscular than I am. Eddie Elk.

[ccook129]

https://www.milwaukeetool.com/Produc...-Tools/2867-20

[Our05Winneba]

As others have replied - no cordless drill will work. However, there are a few cordless impact wrenches which should help you - but they are pricey.
1> You need to know the torques for your size wheel lug. I drive a Class A with 22.5" rims, and the lug nuts should be tightened to 475 ft/lbs - which is really tight. I suspect though that if you have a Class C that you habe 19" wheels, with lug nut torques considerably less. Check you service manual for the correct torq

[radar]

1/2 inch Ryobi cordless impact drill. Works great.

[dbc647]

Originally Posted by RudeS1W

Greetings everyone,

Has anyone ever used a cordless drill to remove lug nuts on their Class C? Been wanting to buy one to keep in the camper incase of a blowout, but don't know what voltage size or reliable brand. I'm guessing a 1/2 inch would be the size to go with. Any feedback is much appreciated.

I use a Craftsman 19.2 1/2 inch drive impact wrench and it works fine till the battery gets low. Be sure you bring xtra batteries with a charger!

[Treker Vic]

Originally Posted by RudeS1W

Greetings everyone,

Has anyone ever used a cordless drill to remove lug nuts on their Class C? Been wanting to buy one to keep in the camper incase of a blowout, but don't know what voltage size or reliable brand. I'm guessing a 1/2 inch would be the size to go with. Any feedback is much appreciated.

A cordless drill or impact wrench may or may not loosen the lug nuts. When broke loose they will spin the nuts off.
A good lug wrench with an appropriate size extension is all that is needed.
If you haven't removed a wheel, I suggest you do a practice run.
Learn how do it in case you have to.

[Our05Winneba]

To continue . . .
2> Once you know the torques you are dealing with then you can ck the specs of various cordless impact wrenches to see if they can handle that.
3> Also as others have noted - it is not just a matter of being able to undo your lug nuts, but being to torque them back to the correct specs when re-installing them. To do that you will need the correct manual adjustable torque wrench. You will also need the correct size impact socket and a long extension in order to reach you rear wheel lug nuts which are likely very recessed in the deep wheel.

I bought a Milwaukee 18v cordless torque wrench (1/2" drive) that is just barely able to undo my lug nuts. But I only tried this once, and will likely never do it again, as I do not carry a spare and even if I remove the lug nuts the tire/wheel assy is so heavy that it is very unmanageable.

I have had great success with Milwaukee, and they do make a cordless impact wrench that should work for you. But again - pricey.

[Agesilaus]

Originally Posted by John.W

I have a 1/2" Dewalt 20v cordless. It hss 1,200 lbs breakaway torque. I use a 1/2" torque wrench to secure Lug nuts.

Ditto the 20V model, works great unless someone has over tightened the nuts. Then I use a Gorilla Bar to break them loose and the impact wrench from there.

This takes a lot of power and I would not expect the HF unit to work, or if it does then I would expect it to die soon.

[holzee]

LMAO. My Milwaukee impac 18 V will snap those lugs write-off on tightening and certainly would have a problem taking them off

Originally Posted by Busskipper

One you use a breaker bar to break the lug loose any will work.

If one works before you break the lug loose the IMHO the nut is not TIGHT.

JMHO,

[RSteele]

I started using a cordless drill years ago on a Thor fifth wheel that regularly blew tires. I got real good at changing tires in the summer, like a nascar pit crew. The side of the highway is not a place I want to be any longer than needed. Break the lug nuts loose with a breaker bar and a 4’ piece of 1 1/2” gas pipe and spin the nuts off with the drill. Spin the nuts back on the spare with the drill, Use torque wrench to tighten nuts at the end. When Dewalt started making the 20V 1200 ft lb impact wrench I bought it. It will remove the 450 to 500 ft lb lug nuts on my freightliner chassis. All my cordless tools are Dewalt so I just kept it the same so the batteries are interchangeable. If you own a different brand go with them if their impact wrench is up to the task. I don’t just use the impact for the coach either, I use it to rotate tires on my pick up and wherever else I can use it instead of a ratchet. I try to work smarter not harder whenever possible.

[rahick]

I use a 1/2" Milwaukee M18 FUEL Cordless High-Torque Impact Wrench with Friction Ring to take the lug nuts off my Monaco class A motorhome. It is rated at 1400 ft-lbs breakaway torque and 750 ft-lbs tightening. My 22.5" wheels are torqued to 550 ft-lbs. This impact should have no trouble taking your class C lug nuts off.






1998 Monaco Executive 40
2017 Malibu toad

[Stevemarshia]

I use an 18v Ryobi impact driver to take lug nuts on and take them off but you have to have a breaker bar to loosen them then take them off. When putting them back on start the nuts by hand then finish up with the impact driver. Then I use a torque wrench to do the final tightening. All half 1/2". It's faster with the impact driver.

[Ancabuild]

Originally Posted by GypsyR

I have a Milwaukee 2720 (like just mentioned above me) and it will take the lug nuts off a semi. I love that thing.

BUT....I bought it for work and that's where it stays most of the time. I have a tool bag and on weekends it might go home with me along with a few other tools. On an RV trip it will be with me too. Because I carry a spare.



Not for everybody though. IF you carry a spare I think what really makes sense for most folks is to simply carry big enough breakers and such to change the tire without batteries and stuff. It only makes sense for me to carry more because I already have such for other purposes.



Then again, if you are just a nut for tools, that's different. Another thing I like about the Milwaukee is all the other tools they have that are powered by the same battery system. That counts for a lot. My drill, impact, and chainsaw all use the same batteries. Also the charger does dual duty for the smaller 12 volt stuff so I bought a soldering iron and 1/4" impact. All good stuff. But if you like Rigid or Ryobi, Dewalt or whatever, better they all make good stuff. It doesn't make sense to pick and choose from each brand, they're all close enough that one tool brand should do what you want for about anything these days.

This Milwaukee quoted, will take the lugs off no problem. You need to watch it when re- installing the lug nuts this thing will over torque the lugs, put the tool on the number one setting and check with a torque wrench
I have several of their 18v tools, so I have lots of batteries that go straight to the charger when down so never a problem with discharged batteries.