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Old 12-04-2019, 02:20 PM   #41
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Quote:
Originally Posted by santacruzer View Post
Fortunately, help was a radio call away, a friend had one of those four-way wrenches and I had the tire changed shortly after dark.
I always keep one of those in the back of the truck. Especially useful when towing a variety of boat, utility, camping trailers with different size lugs...or to help someone in need.
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Old 12-04-2019, 03:42 PM   #42
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Was on a muddy dirt road while hunting a couple of years ago, and got a flat on my 2009 Tacoma. First one I ever had on this truck. Labored a little getting the full size spare out from under, got the truck jacked up, and then found that the provided lug wrench (factory issued) was too small for the lug nuts.
...
Toyota dealer couldn't explain it, claimed they must have been "aftermarket" nuts on my wheels, but they were OEM.
Toyota has traditionally used a different style of nut with alloy wheels than with steel wheels. It's unlikely, but possible, that those two styles of nuts for the Tacoma have different hex sizes, and the that truck was supplied with a wrench of the wrong size.

It's also possible that the original dealer installed aftermarket wheels and nuts to "enhance" the truck - some dealers like to do that.

Regardless of the reason for this wrench and nut mismatch, it's a lesson to check out stuff like this with a new vehicle, instead of getting a surprise at a bad time. I've heard of a lot people finding out what they have - or don't have - for a spare when they need it, instead of on a convenient Saturday in their driveway.
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Old 12-04-2019, 09:37 PM   #43
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When I bought my first aframe in 2007, the dealer (in Redding, CA) insisted I follow him to the hardware store in town and used his discount to buy that four way wrench. it's been in my trailer toolkit since. It's a fold-down, so very easy to store. Knock wood, I've never had to use it.
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Old 12-04-2019, 10:15 PM   #44
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Something to be said for those old 4 way wheel wrenches, they're bullet proof.

I carry a ratcheting torque wrench for checking the wheel nuts. Today I used it to put the spare tire on and it failed, just spins round and round. Maybe I can fix it but if this had happened on the road I'd have been a little unhappy.

I did have one of those 4 way wrenches at one time, I'll have to look around for it.

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Old 12-04-2019, 10:35 PM   #45
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Originally Posted by Ron in BC View Post
Something to be said for those old 4 way wheel wrenches, they're bullet proof.

I have one. Make sure when you need to use it, you can rotate it. I have a box on the rear and the wrench hit the box. No way I could remove the spare without removing the box first.
I now have a breaker bar and torque wrench with a 6" extension.


And the box can be quickly and easily removed.
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Old 12-05-2019, 12:04 PM   #46
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Another thing to prepare for is that jack the factory gives you. My Silverado came with one so crappy I would never use it to jack up to replace a tire unless on my concrete garage floor, and then be sure to add extra floor stands or wheel blocks, and never get under there. You can see how easily it could slip off the axle if you were on the roadside someplace.
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Old 12-05-2019, 12:55 PM   #47
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Toyota has traditionally used a different style of nut with alloy wheels than with steel wheels. It's unlikely, but possible, that those two styles of nuts for the Tacoma have different hex sizes, and the that truck was supplied with a wrench of the wrong size.
After a few minutes of research, it appears that Tacomas use M12 studs and nuts, and so the same 21 mm hex as every other Toyota in the last few decades, for all nuts used with all Tacoma wheels.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P View Post
It's also possible that the original dealer installed aftermarket wheels and nuts to "enhance" the truck - some dealers like to do that.
That's still possible, especially since some companies sell nuts which fit the Tacoma's studs and wheels, but have inappropriate hex sizes such as 13/16" or even 3/4".

From discussions in other forums, I see another possibility: bad chrome-capped nuts. While chrome nuts should have chrome plating on a steel nut, some wheel nuts - including some supplied by Toyota on the Tacoma - are a steel nut with a separate chromed steel cap permanently installed on top of the nut. I've had these, but not on a Toyota, and I'm disappointed that Toyota would use them. These things often swell with time due to corrosion under the cap, so the correct wrench no longer fits. Tacoma wrenches are allegedly a bit oversize - presumably to accommodate the expected swelling - so they might not fit a good nut very well, but might still not fit a swelled nut. It is possible that the supplied wrench fit the nuts when they were new, but no longer does - the fix is new and better nuts.
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Old 12-05-2019, 02:46 PM   #48
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Originally Posted by MyronL View Post
Another thing to prepare for is that jack the factory gives you. My Silverado came with one so crappy I would never use it to jack up to replace a tire unless on my concrete garage floor, and then be sure to add extra floor stands or wheel blocks, and never get under there. You can see how easily it could slip off the axle if you were on the roadside someplace.
Myron we never got a jack from the factory?Pat
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Old 12-05-2019, 02:48 PM   #49
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Myron we never got a jack from the factory?Pat
Oh my mistake yup there is a jack for the truck thought you were meaning Escape yup pretty sketchy ! Pat
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Old 12-05-2019, 03:03 PM   #50
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Originally Posted by MyronL View Post
Another thing to prepare for is that jack the factory gives you. My Silverado came with one so crappy I would never use it to jack up to replace a tire unless on my concrete garage floor, and then be sure to add extra floor stands or wheel blocks, and never get under there. You can see how easily it could slip off the axle if you were on the roadside someplace.
Is there room to slide the jack over underneath the lower u-bolt plate where it is flat and more stable and get it off the round axle tube?
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Old 12-05-2019, 04:11 PM   #51
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brian B-P View Post
After a few minutes of research, it appears that Tacomas use M12 studs and nuts, and so the same 21 mm hex as every other Toyota in the last few decades, for all nuts used with all Tacoma wheels.


That's still possible, especially since some companies sell nuts which fit the Tacoma's studs and wheels, but have inappropriate hex sizes such as 13/16" or even 3/4".

From discussions in other forums, I see another possibility: bad chrome-capped nuts. While chrome nuts should have chrome plating on a steel nut, some wheel nuts - including some supplied by Toyota on the Tacoma - are a steel nut with a separate chromed steel cap permanently installed on top of the nut. I've had these, but not on a Toyota, and I'm disappointed that Toyota would use them. These things often swell with time due to corrosion under the cap, so the correct wrench no longer fits. Tacoma wrenches are allegedly a bit oversize - presumably to accommodate the expected swelling - so they might not fit a good nut very well, but might still not fit a swelled nut. It is possible that the supplied wrench fit the nuts when they were new, but no longer does - the fix is new and better nuts.
Thes were the alloy wheels from Toyota. The nuts were definitely not swelled chrome over steel, though. Of course, I wasn't smart enough to save one, just had Toyota put on the correct ones, so I'll likely never know, but it was a lesson learned! First thing I did after that was check my Tundra, that was OK.
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Old 12-05-2019, 05:03 PM   #52
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Talking Yikes

This happened to me some years ago. I had just purchased a new set of Firestone tires for my Cherokee. I didn't pay the extra for road hazard because I had never had a problem.
My son was driving the car a few weeks/days? later. He hit a piece of steel lying on the road, about 3/4x2x6inches with the front tire. That caused the steel to jump up and go directly into the rear tire. It was still in the tire when they replaced it for another $75.
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Old 12-05-2019, 05:26 PM   #53
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Many, many years ago when I drove semi trucks OTR I had a rabbit make a fatal mistake and as he hit he must have jumped and he took out my crossover fuel line between the saddle tanks.
It's no fun at 2 AM on a gravel parking lot drenched in diesel fuel working on a fuel line. I always carried a shortened broom handle whittled down. Stuck in a fuel line it's the perfect emergency plug.
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Old 12-05-2019, 05:32 PM   #54
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I remember purchasing new Dunlops on my 1974 Firebird. Bought the road hazard and alignment package. Well I had to take the car in every 6 months for them to rotate the wheels. After the third time I notice my wheel lugs were getting rough and the hole in the wheel getting larger. I complained that my wheels were to be removed manually and no power air wrenches, They said I did not have to bring it in but once a year thereafter...
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Old 12-05-2019, 08:45 PM   #55
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Originally Posted by MyronL View Post
Another thing to prepare for is that jack the factory gives you. My Silverado came with one so crappy I would never use it to jack up to replace a tire unless on my concrete garage floor, and then be sure to add extra floor stands or wheel blocks, and never get under there. You can see how easily it could slip off the axle if you were on the roadside someplace.
First, you should never get under a vehicle supported by just a portable jack, no matter how good the jack is or where it is placed. Service lifts are not just jacks; if you are using an ordinary jack of any type to work under the car, you need stands.

Quote:
Originally Posted by rubicon327 View Post
Is there room to slide the jack over underneath the lower u-bolt plate where it is flat and more stable and get it off the round axle tube?
That makes sense to me, but the 2014 GMC Sierra manual (I didn't have an actual Silverado manual, but a Sierra is a Silverado with a different badge) says to put the jack where Myron has placed it. The position varies between the 1500 and heavier variants, but in all cases it is under the axle tube, not any of the brackets.
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Old 12-06-2019, 07:44 AM   #56
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Its not just metal objects on the side of the road you have to watch out for. Driving back from our lake place last year in a line of of about 6-8 cars, I was about in the middle on a 2 way highway saw some road kill on side of road with some vultures having lunch. Right when I got up to them they decided to fly off, boy the damage a vulture can do to your windshield at 55 miles an hour. Was really glad we were not towing the camper.

Enjoy the journey.

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Old 12-06-2019, 07:47 AM   #57
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The position varies between the 1500 and heavier variants, but in all cases it is under the axle tube, not any of the brackets.
If that's the case they should provide a (removable?) attachment to the top of the jack that cups the axle.
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Old 12-06-2019, 08:30 AM   #58
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Unhappy

Years ago I was mistakenly pulled over by the local burger flipper/cop who quickly figured out he was wrong and told me I was free to go. Not free, as I discovered a very flat tire on the rear passenger side of my truck as a result of being over onto a roadside trash pit. Went to my friends tire shop and was told I was the proud owner of a 8" pushrod that went through my sidewall entering at the tread and sticking out at the rim. He put that one on display in his showroom. $160.00 replacement.
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Old 12-06-2019, 11:12 PM   #59
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If that's the case they should provide a (removable?) attachment to the top of the jack that cups the axle.
Ideally, yes. It would need to be removable, because when the same jack is used at the front of the truck it lifts the frame, not a tube. A custom saddle adapter that slides over the top of the jack might be feasible, but I doubt many owners would be interested in building one.

My vehicles with jacks have the usual top which fits around the rocker seam, so it is secure.
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Old 12-07-2019, 05:43 AM   #60
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If that's the case they should provide a (removable?) attachment to the top of the jack that cups the axle.
You can buy such a thing, but being included would be nice.

https://safejacks.com/collections/bo...or-bottle-jack
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