MaxGR97

I am in the process of jacking my car up to take the wheel off, and i have the jack in the jack stand (inbetween the two indents like the jacks instructions say) and i have jacked it up so it looks like a raised car, but the wheels not off the ground yet. How high do i have to jack it up before the wheel gets off the ground. AND when it gets high, i hear a noise like a paintball guns CO2 shooting, is that my strut, and is that bad or normal? NEED HELP QUICK

DAVE Sz

iTrader: (2)

You have to get it high enough for the wheel to get off the ground. I don't really get this question. Is the jack not going any higher? I mean the POS jack we get with the car goes high enough to get the wheels off the ground. Did you just get tired and come here to ask instead of just raising the car? The popping sound is normal since one side of the car is at different angles than the other. People are lazy around here.

MaxGR97

Sorry, im only 15 and dont have much experience. I was just worried because of the noise. The wheel gap is like 7 inches, and i was wondering why it wasnt up yet, sorry i just wanted to be safe, didnt know if a strut was blown so next time ill just take chances.

DAVE Sz

iTrader: (2)

7"? You still got some turning to do.

MaxGR97

OK i got the tire off, and now im having LOTS of trouble getting the lugnuts to even bulge. I used the wrench thats by the spare in the trunk, but the fckin nuts wont bulge. How strong do you have to be geeezz. Any suggestions on how to make this easier?

s0ber

iTrader: (7)

step on it, should work.. =) Be careful you dont rip out the stud while you do that...

MaxGR97

Well folks, im not painting my caliper red, thats right, just one caliper, i ran out of the paint b/c my engine cover and other random stuff got painted. So i just finished the 4th coat and there is just a LITTLE bit left, so i need to get more soon. Thanks for your help, i got the tire of simply, not its just if i can get it as tight as it was before when i put it back on. Thanks everyone

MaxedOutOfCash

15? you driving already?

s0ber

iTrader: (7)

Hey, I was driving when I was 15 =)



I painted my caliper red yesterday, what type of paint are you using?

DAVE Sz

iTrader: (2)

One quick tip for the next time you want to remove your wheels. You loosen the lug nuts BEFORE you raise the car, common sense man.

MrEous

iTrader: (11)

lol...I cringed when he asked how to break the lugs loose while it was up in the air.

DAVE Sz

iTrader: (2)

Yeah, I catually did that yesterday. Raised the car so the wheels was maybe an inch off the ground and started to get the lugs off. The wheels are just spinning so I stuck a hammer between the wheel and the concrete and it worked like a dream. You have improvise in those situations. But make sure you try different things before you ask here or you will get torn to shreds.

SkoorbMax

How are you driving at 15?

Anyway, generally you loosen them before lifting it off the ground, though the hammer can be used if you're too lazy to put it down again.

in regards to how to get the damn lugs off, in my experience the tire iron that comes with the tire changing kit is generally inadequate. Shops that do tire changes love to crank those bastards on, and in such cases you will need a breaker bar ($15 which is just a very long bar. It hooks into a socket, and you can turn the lugs).

Alternatively, for $2 get some steel piping from home depot and use it to fit around the end of the tire iron. This will give you a much longer handle, which will allow you to increase torque enough to get the lugs off. I killed a lug nut last time - not my fault though; the damn tire shop had stripped the threading.

MaxedOutOfCash

well, i hope it all works out for you...

and for you experienced guys, take it easy on the fellow .org member... he's 15 & not everyone has a father/brother/friend/neighbor that they can learn about fixing cars from....

mrnock

invest 20 bucks into a torque wrench and maybe a socket set at pep boys or something. longer arm of the tq allows you to break tight nuts easier

MaxGR97

When i got the tire off, i did have it on the ground, i just needed a huge pipe that i put around the wrench, and that gave me leverage. I dont have my liscense yet, i get it in august, so i only drive w/ parents. But we got this car early because its a stick and i had to learn how to drive it. But ya it all worked out fine, just needed that pipe... Thanks again

Brudaddy

iTrader: (2)

Just jack it up high enough to get the tire off, and you are good.

s0ber

iTrader: (7)

Glad to see the maxima tradition lives on =) Your one lucky kid.. I want a 5-spd.. pfft.

Jatan

iTrader: (3)

I was driving at 15 too with a permit You can only drive with someone over 21. I got my license like 4 months after I turned 16 (had to wait for blue slip)

aussie983

iTrader: (16)

start working out, that should solve the problem :P

96maxdaddy

As a mechanic this just kills me to see you do what you are doing. First, from the sounds of it, you are using the little jack thats in the back of the car. This is for EMERGENCIES ONLY, and I dont think this is one. What you want to do next time is go and get a half way decent floor jack and some jack stands. Also a repair manual will have all the info you need to safely lift your car.