How to choose a wheelbrace for a car: rating of the 5 best wheelwrenches for trucks and cars
Content
Wrenches work in difficult conditions: during field repairs, they get dirt, water, oil, exhaust gases. In addition, the tool constantly experiences large mechanical loads. Hence the requirement for the material: fixtures must be solid, durable, wear-resistant, resistant to corrosion.
In the motorist's repair kit, you can find a jack, compressor, screwdrivers, heads, measuring instruments. A permanent residence permit in the trunk received the necessary balloon key for the car on the road. From the factory, cars come with this mechanism, but it is usually a one-time use. Therefore, drivers are looking for a good wheel change tool.
What wheels are used
The device is a metal pin with heads of different sizes at the end. The parameters of the tool depend on the dimensions of the wheel mount.
Balloon wrench standard
The tire is attached to the hub with bolts or nuts with studs. Fasteners in factories are tightened with different forces, measured in Nm (Newton meters). A reasonable tightening torque is usually 90-120 Nm: that is, an ordinary person, applying force to the tool, will unscrew the fixing nut or bolt of a punctured wheel without any problems.
Freight
The operating conditions for trucks and cars are very different. Dump trucks, tractors, trucks are designed for off-road driving on gravel, stone, sand. Wheels of a special design and large diameters - R17-R23 - help to overcome such a coating, and even in slush and snow.
Truck tires are designed for heavy loads, high tire pressure, and therefore have a high degree of strength. Large heavy-duty fasteners are tightened to 250 Nm. Therefore, when replacing tires, a special tool is used - a rotary balloon wrench for trucks. A mechanical wrench (meat grinder) helps, using normal efforts, to break stuck nuts without damaging the studs.
Passenger cars
The landing size of the wheels of passenger cars is 13-17 inches, minivans and SUVs - up to R23. Tires designed for a soft comfortable ride are lighter, the pressure in them is lower, the tightening torque is up to 120 Nm.
Souring and corrosion of bolts is familiar to drivers of small cars, sedans, station wagons. However, wheel wrenches for passenger cars use simple designs, often with a socket or box tool.
Types of balloon keys
Devices with identical functions have a variety of design solutions.
Balloon key for car
There are the following balloons:
- L-shaped. The geometric shapes of the instrument correspond to the capital letter "G" of the Russian alphabet, or the English "L". The rod is bent at 90°, the horizontal arm (axial elbow) is longer than the vertical one. At the end of the first part, a head of the proper size is put on. The length of the knees is balanced: the horizontal knee is not so small that the driver touches the wheel with his hand; the vertical part is not so long that the worker touches the asphalt while unscrewing the nuts.
- Cross. Two pins are fastened at a right angle, so a cross-shaped balloon wrench for a car is better, as it has 4 arms and allows you to work with two hands. At three ends of the fixture, heads of common sizes are used: from 17 to 23 mm. Attached to the fourth arm is a half-inch square that can be fitted with any detachable head. Cross wrenches are folding, with an articulated central joint.
- Collars. The tool looks like a handle with a seat for different heads.
- Telescopic. The key resembles a "ge-shaped", but it has heads on both knees (usually of adjacent sizes), and one arm is retractable. The tool is convenient to use in hard-to-reach places.
- Multifunctional. These are ordinary ring and socket wrenches.
- Dynamometric. The universal tool not only securely tightens fasteners, but also shows the tightening torque. The dynamometer is much more expensive than other devices.
dimensions
Tools, as well as fasteners, are manufactured in accordance with GOST 25605-83.
Standard sizes of balloons in the table:
Standard sizes of canisters
Materials
Wrenches work in difficult conditions: during field repairs, they get dirt, water, oil, exhaust gases. In addition, the tool constantly experiences large mechanical loads. Hence the requirement for the material: fixtures must be solid, durable, wear-resistant, resistant to corrosion.
Alloyed tool steel meets these requirements. Balonniki are made of grade 40X, where the alloying element is chromium.
The best performance is shown by chrome-vanadium steel marked 40HF and 40HFA, as well as an alloy alloyed with molybdenum. Outside fixtures are often coated with zinc to prevent corrosion of the keys.
How to pick up a key
The purchase of a mechanism should be approached responsibly. Tips from experienced drivers on how to choose a balloon key for a car:
- Proceed from practicality: if you intend to use the tool infrequently, and you have a passenger car with a small landing size of wheels, an L-shaped model is enough.
- For frequent use, take a telescopic tool.
- Cap heads buy high-quality, with thick walls.
- Refrain from one-off Chinese products.
- Wrenches with torque boosters are best tried on fasteners before buying to be sure of compatibility.
- Pay attention to the handle - it should be comfortable to use.
In vehicles with increased carrying capacity, carry two mechanisms: reinforced and simple.
Rating of the best balloon keys for a car
A variety of tool designs make it difficult to choose a product. Rely on the opinions of experts, user reviews, ratings that can be found on the Internet.
5th position - Airline AK-B-02
The wheel is installed with a special tool - a balloon wrench for a car. When removing, it turns out that this is not an easy task: from the constant exposure to moisture, oils, the fasteners firmly stick to the hole. This is due to the design features of bolts and nuts: a small air chamber is provided in the middle of the spiral thread. Water gets into it, forms rust, and makes it difficult to dismantle the wheel.
Airline AK-B-02
Airline AK-B-02 will come to the rescue. It is a cruciform design with a central articulation. Dimensions of goods of the Russian brand (LxWxH) - 360x360x30 mm, weight - 1,310 kg. Working with two hands, you can easily break the stuck nut. Head dimensions are standard: 17x19x21x23 mm, wall thickness - 2,5 mm.
The tool is made of high quality alloy steel, which ensures strength, reliability and long tool life.
The price of an inexpensive product is from 469 rubles.
4 position - AUTOVIRAZH
The second line in the ranking of the best tools is occupied by the AUTOVIRAZH telescopic design. The key is used in extreme situations when fasteners are difficult to reach. AUTOVIRAZH is used where other tools are powerless.
AUTOVIRAZH key
Keys are in demand due to the following properties:
- ease of use;
- performance quality;
- such high performance characteristics as strength, impact resistance, ability to resist corrosion.
The proposed size of hexagonal heads is 17x19 mm, length is 550 mm. The retractable shoulder is equipped with a rubberized handle for easy grip and against slippage of the worker's hand.
The angle between the horizontal and vertical parts is optimal 135°. Folded dimensions - 310x135x30 mm, weight - 900 g.
The price of the product is from 593 rubles.
3rd position - Vira 511043
Emergency road situations with a punctured wheel are easily resolved with Vira 511043 spray bottle. Hand tools are appropriate in the trunk of a car and a truck, as well as in a tire shop, as it is designed for intensive work. The necessary strength, rigidity, resistance to high mechanical loads are provided by the material of execution - high-quality chromium-alloyed steel grade 40X.
turn 511043
L-shaped key with a hexagon of adjacent dimensions 17x19 mm has dimensions (LxWxH) 427x137x30 mm and weight 1,04 kg. The advantage of the product is a retractable shoulder.
The price of a balloon key for a Vira 511043 car is from 758 rubles.
2nd position - Auto Case 34600
The compact ergonomic wrench combined with strength, shock resistance, corrosion resistance is highly demanded by drivers. The high technical characteristics of the AutoDelo 34600 fixture are provided with high-quality 40X alloy steel.
AutoDelo 34600
Popular hexagons 17x19x21x23 mm allow you to carry out assembly and dismantling work with car wheels, unscrew other fasteners of the same size. The length of the telescopic structure L=380-520 mm, weight - 1 kg.
The price of the product is from 1150 rubles.
1 position - Ombra A90043
The multi-tool is housed in a durable black ABS plastic case. Product dimensions Ombra A90043 - 498x85x60 mm, weight - 1,8 kg. The inertial type wrench is designed for free rotation of threaded elements.
Shade A90043
Parameters of end heads - 17x19x21x22 mm. The shock-resistant mechanism made of high-quality tool steel includes a 1/2″ DR driver and a handle extension. The collar is attached in the middle. High-speed service is provided due to the inertial properties of the tool.
The price of the Ombra A90043 folding professional fixture is from 2300 rubles.
