Just the tip

"CalzoneGolem" (calzonegolem) 08/15/2016 at 11:16 • Filed to: Top gear top tip

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So I keep a tire iron like this in each car, and I spray paint the end that fits a different color. That makes it easy to find.

CB > CalzoneGolem 08/15/2016 at 11:17

2

That’s a pretty good idea, actually. Nice.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > CalzoneGolem 08/15/2016 at 11:19

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So many times have I spun one of these around and tried every hole without any of them fitting. The correct one ends up having some rust in there so it doesn’t fit until the second try. A marking of some sort sounds like a great idea.

CalzoneGolem > CB 08/15/2016 at 11:20

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I find it helpful every time I use my tire iron.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > CalzoneGolem 08/15/2016 at 11:22

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CalzoneGolem > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 08/15/2016 at 11:22

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So many times have I spun one of these around and tried every hole without any of them fitting.

( °  °)

CalzoneGolem > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. 08/15/2016 at 11:23

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Embrace the truth and it shall set you free.

$kaycog > CalzoneGolem 08/15/2016 at 11:24

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Seriously............excellent idea!

MonkeePuzzle > CalzoneGolem 08/15/2016 at 11:25

1

crossposted from lifehacker? :P

legit good tip (pun intended)

Urambo Tauro > CalzoneGolem 08/15/2016 at 11:25

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I did that too! I used the same color scheme that I used for my sockets . I’ll probably do the handles of my wrenches next.

Ash78, voting early and often > CalzoneGolem 08/15/2016 at 11:27

2

I just use electrical tape around the neck. One for the wife's car and one for mine. Same effect...so simple and obvious, yet it took me years to finally do it.

MonkeePuzzle > CalzoneGolem 08/15/2016 at 11:27

1

CalzoneGolem > Ash78, voting early and often 08/15/2016 at 11:29

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That’s probably a bit easier but less fun.

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. 08/15/2016 at 11:30

1

The best part is when you have two T-handles and only one of them has an end big enough for Series lugs. Er, that totally happened to a guy I know who isn’t me or anything.

CalzoneGolem > Urambo Tauro 08/15/2016 at 11:30

0

That’s amazing!

CalzoneGolem > MonkeePuzzle 08/15/2016 at 11:31

4

You can tell it didn’t come from lifehacker because it is actually helpful.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 08/15/2016 at 11:32

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Asking for a friend...

Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection > CalzoneGolem 08/15/2016 at 11:33

1

The first time I tried to use the 4-way lug wrench on Meepster I dropped it and scuffed the shit out of the end. So the scuffed end fits for now.

CalzoneGolem > $kaycog 08/15/2016 at 11:33

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CalzoneGolem > Steve is equipped with Electronic Fool Injection 08/15/2016 at 11:34

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If it works it works haha.

CalzoneGolem > MonkeePuzzle 08/15/2016 at 11:35

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Urambo Tauro > CalzoneGolem 08/15/2016 at 11:39

1

The paint does chip away, particularly on the ones that get used the most, but there’s still enough color to identify each one at-a-glance. That’s the important thing.

McMike > CalzoneGolem 08/15/2016 at 11:40

1

I put a band of tape around around the end needed for each car.

Love speed wrenches....

Except on the Mini. Wheels are so small that the wrench won’t spin - especially with a flat.

I had to change a flat once, and pulled out the jack/wrench. I could not jack the car up high enough so the wrench would spin. The bottom lugs took FOREVER, as I only had about 10-20* of rotation.

CalzoneGolem > McMike 08/15/2016 at 11:56

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That sounds infuriating.

The Lurktastic Opponaught > CalzoneGolem 08/15/2016 at 11:59

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...and only for a minute.

CalzoneGolem > The Lurktastic Opponaught 08/15/2016 at 12:00

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There it is.

McMike > CalzoneGolem 08/15/2016 at 12:12

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It was. Getting that bottom lug off felt like this.

Dave the car guy , still here > CalzoneGolem 08/15/2016 at 12:46

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I had one I used for two family cars with different size lug nuts. I painted the two ends I often used to match the car and SUV colors. Easy because I already had rattle-cans of touch-up paint for each.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > CalzoneGolem 08/15/2016 at 12:51

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Guess I gotta remember to try and lube it up first before trying any holes.

CalzoneGolem > Dave the car guy , still here 08/15/2016 at 12:59

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Perfect! That’s next level shit.

Dave the car guy , still here > CalzoneGolem 08/15/2016 at 14:02

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I’d had already painted it with a old can of Buick engine blue and then it got one socket sprayed red and another silver without masking the ends for a clean line. That made it very ugly and ugly tools don’t grow legs as quickly.

JRapp: now as good as new again > CalzoneGolem 08/15/2016 at 14:24

1

I scrape the paint off the inside and a bit from the outside too. I do it slowly over several years. Not intentionally though.

CalzoneGolem > Dave the car guy , still here 08/15/2016 at 14:40

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That sounds glorious to behold.

CalzoneGolem > JRapp: now as good as new again 08/15/2016 at 14:41

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The ol’ patina approach ... I like it!