I'm Big Bertha's Towing from Coeburn, Virginia in Wise County. Recently dispatched by USAC to change a flat on subject vehicle. I always like to demonstrate to the customer the use of their own supplied jack system in the event they are stranded without roadside assistance emergency support. Located the jack package under the jump seat on the passenger side of the King Cab. Put the jack in place and and gave it a couple of turns just to set it. Popped the plastic lug nut cover and started to loosen the lug nuts. The lug nut tool supplied with the vehicle would not break the nut. In fact it would not stay on the nut without slipping off. Positioned myself squarely on the lug nut and firmly tried to loosen. The socket end of the lug nut tool split open and that was the end of the lug nut tool. I carefully looked at the instrument and it appeared that the walls of this lug nut tool were much too thin for the application. In addition, the lug nuts were not high enough to find a secure seat within the lug nut tool socket. Back to square one, I pulled my "T" bar lug nut wrench and handily broke the nuts from their seat. Then went ahead and jacked the vehicle, removed the lug nuts and pulled the tire off and changed without further incident. My question is why would Ford make a tool that is obviously not designed to do the job? Thank you...Thomas

 

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I'll bite

to save money. what do you drive?

 

I have used the supplied tool to loosen the lugs with no problems. Rotated the tires so I had to loosen and tighten all four tires.

 

2004 Lincoln Aviator. Great vehicle but have not had a flat yet. I believe the tool was defective and possibly had a void in its construction. The socket end broke and opened so easily and the metal actually resembled casted pot metal. Thomas

 

Used my tire iron(lug nut tool?) to rotate, install new tires, remove to install leveling kit and never had a problem. Maybe his tire iron happen to be a very rare, I'm sure, defective one.

 

In doing that it is obvious we used a different tool. The tool in the supplied kit rolled off the nut easily and was not snug to the feel. As mentioned in another post just now, the socket split open handily and it appears the tool had a defective casting on the socket end. The lug nut heigh is insufficient I think. You must have strong grip. These nuts were air driven on I'm sure and took a "T" lug bar to overcome the problem. Maybe just a fluke. The socket did not fit snug on the lug nut either. It seemed larger which probably explains why it tended to roll off the nut. I still contend the angle of the lug bar is not satisfactory. Not that Ford would knowingly manufacture a piece of material that is defective! It is Ford's vendors and suppliers that manage to get away with this I think. Is that jack kit made in the United States?Thank you for your reply. Thomas

 

To my untrained eye and believe me I'm not trying to corner the market on Lug Nut knowledge, but the walls of the socket end were 1/16th" and appeared slightly less at the corners. It did not take a great deal of effort to open it up. I'm sure it was a defective cast. Thanks.