sunysb83

iTrader: (4)

i just got a set of 2k3 se wheels for my max, i was putting them on, and switched the rears, then when it came to changing the front, the lug nuts would not budge. i can't seem to loosen it at all, its on very tight, i try jumping on the lug wrench and everything, but none of the nuts on the front of my car would not loosen or come off, so after a while of fustration i had to put back my stock wheels on the rear. any suggestions on how i can loosen them? i don't think they were this tight before because i was able to take the wheels off back then. only thing i can think of how it got so tight is that i took it to a mechanic last month to get my front pads changed.

one more question, how do i bring these rims back to its original shine? the rims look dirty, but when i clean and scrub it nothing would come off and it looks the same, like the dirt is part of the wheels, looks kinda dullish, but dirty is best way i can describe this. is there a way i can clean this or bring it back to its original shiny look? these are the 2k3 se alloy rims

any help would be appreciated, thanks

Bman

Take it to a shop (or better yet the same fool who did your brakes) and get them to use the same impact wrench they used to zip on your lug nuts with 1000000000000000 ft-lbs of torque to loosen it. Inspect the studs and nuts to make sure they're not stripped or damaged. Then either tell them to hand tighten them back on or tell them to back the heck off and do it yourself so you can take your car back home. I passionately HATE it when lazy or cut-rate mechanics do this sort of thing for exactly the kind of thing you are going through.

If washing doesn't clean up the wheels (even with a wheel cleaner?) try a paint pre-wax cleaner or scratch remover to shine them back up. Don't use a wheel/chrome/mag polish unless it says it's safe for painted wheels. Sometimes if wheels haven't been cleaned regularly, the brake dust bakes itself into the finish, and is stuck there semi-permanently, making it hard enough to remove that you usually have to polish it out because cleaners don't work anymore.

Good luck.

Mizeree_X

iTrader: (9)

I don't know what the 4th gen tire wrench looks like, but if its like the 3rd gen one you can just buy a 1.5ft length of pipe to slip over it to give yourself more torque. That usually does the trick. Or invest in a breaker bar, they are like $15 at autozone.

sunysb83

iTrader: (4)

thanks for help, what wheel cleaner, wax, and polisher do you guys recommend?