I need to take my front tires off so I pulled out my twin tank compressor and my ratchet gun. I started to try to get them to come off but nothing happens. I am trying to take them off counter clock wise (loosy lefty). It just keeps snaping and snaping but the nut will just not budge...What is going on here?

 

I'd just use a lug wrench, for some reason tire shops seem to have an impact wrench that is stronger than any other pneumatic wrench on the planet, I've had stripped studs, or broken lug wrenches trying to take lug nuts off after having my vehicle serviced by a tire shop. The impact wrench you've got in your garage most likely isn't strong enough to break the nuts loose. For extra brute strength put a bottle jack under the lug wrench.

 

Your twin tank compressor does not have the pressure needed to get the nuts loose, according to GM Service Information the nuts are to be torqued to 103lbs/ft. or 140nM...

 

Sometimes a shot of penetrating fluid can be helpful also. Like WD40 or something similar.

 

Its not the tank that is the problem, the gun only handles up to 90 psi max so its definatly not my tank. My gun is 230lbs/ft and it still didnt get it off. I think I just need to invest into a gun that does about 600lbs/ft. Anyways I pulled out the traditional lug wrench and with a little bit of might and a little screaming like a little girl I managed it get it off! What I found was my a-arms pretty badly rusted. I want to sand it all down and use this rubber sealer paint I bought for car frames on it. It should seal it up real nice and protect it. I would love to find a nice wire wheel for my grinder but they dont make them anymore for some reason...

 

I vote for a tire iron or breaker bar as well. I never use my gun to loosen the lugs, just to remove them the rest of the way. Same as how I don't use my gun to tighten them, just get them snug so I can use the torque wrench.

Once you get them off, lube up those threads with some antisieze so it doesn't happen again.

 

In this case ANTI-sieze is not recomended by the factory or even any wheel manufacturer. Need friction to hold nuts tight.

 

Never had a problem EVER. Antisieze has been used on EVERY one of my vehicles and will continue to be used. With the salt that is used on the roads around here, I wouldn't be able to remove my tires after 1 winter without it.

Without some form of lubrication, you won't get accurate torque on the lugs...

 

To be honest I dont torque my lugs...I just tighten them till they are real snug...

 

Ah yes, the German principle of geudentite. LOL I know it well, but never on my rims...