Changing your vehicle wheels may be one of the most irritating jobs you will face while owning a vehicle. Pull the nuts off, attach a new wheel restore the nuts- sounds so easy, but the one who does knows the “fun”! If one of the nuts is stuck, the day’s out. The same goes for every other machinery.
Lug wrenches have come to your rescue in this situation. They are the simplest of tools for this purpose, and yeah- they are lifesavers when you have a punctured tire in the middle of nowhere. You can easily use these wrenches to replace your tires.
But this can get very confusing as there are a lot of options in the market. That is why in this article we have selected 7 products of different attributes for you to choose from. If you are a newbie, then no worries, we have a detailed buying guide for you to get hold off the best lug wrenches in no time.
The Chosen Best Lug Wrenches
The markets are filled with so many products, it can get very confusing to see through what’s right & what’s wrong. The same goes for Lug Wrenches. There are a lot of products out there. We have clarified the pros & cons of some of the top wrenches here. So without further ado let’s see them.
1. Cartman 16” Universal Anti-Slip Cross Wrench
Why worth your money?
The Cartman Universal Cross wrenches are very well known for their versatile uses & with quality features. This wrench is chrome plated. So, you don’t have to worry about any rust at all. It provides extra protection in the center so that the wrench doesn’t break. The rubber grips on the handles further help in this cause so that you can safely operate the tool without worrying about sweaty hands.
The design of the wrench is very unique. The cross-shaped structure helps to operate with better leverage with lesser effort. The wrench is made of 16-inch solid steel. You don’t need to worry about its breaking. You can use it for standard 16” inch lugs. The 19mm, 21mm & 22mm lugs can easily be loosened or tightened with the help of this tool. You can rest assured that it won’t damage any of your bolts.
You can use it as a personal tool or even as a professional tool for your shop. It will provide you with quality service. People using trucks, SUVs, vans & light vehicles can pack one in their vehicles in case of loosening nuts without any worry.
Cons
The size of the Cartman is rather small than every other wrench. As a result, you will have to put in more leverage in order to work well.
2. Powerbuilt 940559 20” Universal Lug Wrench
Why worth your money?
If you are going to handle various sizes of lugs, then the Powerbuilt 940559 may just be the perfect thing you want. The wrench is chrome plated with a polished carbon steel finishing. So you need not worry about any corrosion or rust on the wrench. It won’t bend or break that easily because of its fine structure.
It has a massive variety in the lug sizes. It can be used for 17mm, 19mm, 21mm & even 22mm nuts. The 14-inch universal lug will serve you great as the cross-shaped structure will help you do your work more easily. You can easily use it in your day to day lives.
The Powerbuilt 940559 is an impressive tool that will not only be of personal use but also professional too. Its multi-variety design will certainly be of use if you have it in your car in case of any emergency. Its lifetime guarantee will help you be relieved in that case.
Cons
The arms of the wrench are a bit thin & have no rubber protection or grip. The consequence will be the steel arms hurting your hands a bit.
3. GTE Tools – LugStrong 26” Universal Compact Lug Wrench Set
Why worth your money?
This 4-way lug wrench with a cross-shaped design is one of the most premium wrenches in this list. The GTE Tools is not like every other telescopic wrench, it is providing you with extra power or push to easily perform your operations with the wrench. It has a rigid steel construction with an anti-slip grip allowing users to easily hold it.
The wrench will fit the common lug sizes like 17mm, 19mm & 21mm. But the best part of the wrench would have to be its universal adapter. It will allow users to easily fit any other sockets needing to use. It also collapses able. You can unscrew the central section of the wrench so that you can store it anywhere you like saving a lot of space.
The GTE Tools is a very long wrench with a length of 26 inches. Users can easily be benefited from this extra-long length as it will provide extra leverage while working. It has a POWER MODE feature that allows the wrench to apply 200% more torque than a normal wrench. This beast of a wrench also comes with a lifetime guarantee.
Cons
This is a rather larger sized tool. So you will need to get used to it if you don’t have any experience & strength to use it.
4. EPAuto Telescoping Lug Wrench
Why worth your money?
EPAuto has really up their game with this lug wrench. This simple piece of wrench also comes with a telescopic handle allowing you to easily handle it. It is made from hardened treated Chromium Vanadium Steel alloy. So you hardly have to worry about the durability of the hardware. You can use it for extreme use.
The telescoping handle of the wrench extends to 19 inches to provide you with maximum leverage. This will allow to easily perform your operations with the wrench. It collapses to 13 inches for easy storage & will extend up to 19 inches. The handle of the wrench has a very comfortable & good grip.
A convenient carry bag will be provided with the wrench. So you don’t need to worry about storage & portability. The wrench can easily handle 17mm, 19mm, 21mm & 22mm nut or socket sizes. The telescopic design will give you great torque for an amazing value. It is highly recommended for those looking for one for their vehicles.
Cons:
The carry bag of the wrench should have been cloth material as in the winters the wrench can become very cold.
5. Performance Tool W7 4 Way Folding Lug Wrench
Why worth your money?
Performance Tool W7 is a mixture of functionality & user-friendliness. It is one of the best options available in the market in the market if you are considering to purchase a lug wrench. The durability of the product cannot be questioned as it constructed from heavy-duty forged steel.
The finishing is done chrome plated to resist any sort of rust. The best feature of the machine would be the foldable option that it provides.
The basic design of the wrench is a 4-way cross design. It is a hassle to store this type of structure as it wastes a lot of space. But the W7 has a folding option which allows it to fold in a straight fashion saving you a lot of space.
This wrench has an ideal ergonomic design with an anti-slip feature so that you can easily use it. It can be used for lug sizes of 11/16 inches, ¾ inches, 13/16 inches & 7/8 inches. The center of it is deep forged for better durability. If you wish to have this wrench, then it will not fail in durability that’s for sure.
Cons:
The item has a report of not having to fit the metric systems, only fitting the SAE common sizes.
6. Dorman 711-900 AutoGrade Lug Wrench
Why worth your money?
We have come to another telescopic wrench model, the Dorman 711-900. This may well be one of the lightest lug wrenches featured here. It only weighs 2 pounds. But the structure of the wrench is extremely rigid where it is made from high-quality motor grade steel.
The handle of the wrench will extend up to 21- inches, providing you with maximum leverage. It also has a very simple design to get you out of the tightest of nuts. It is also coated with a chrome finishing.
The socket sizes available for the wrench are 3/4 inches, 13/16 inches & 7/8 inches. There is also a 17mm metric sized socket. The wrench retracts to about 15 inches, so you don’t have to worry about it wasting the space of your car.
This double forged steel wrench also has a very good grip because of its rubber protection. Overall this a very ideal for using on both deep & shallow nuts. The elegant appeal & simple design will not only give you a premium look & but also give you the best performance.
Cons
The twist-lock of the wrench is less fancy than a detent ball. The unit is also a bit less durable. So don’t apply a lot of strength.
7. WORKPRO 14-Inch Universal Folding Lug Wrench
Why worth your money?
WORKPRO Universal Lug wrench is an amazing user-friendly tool that you would want to look at. Its construction is drop forged steel with a 4-way design. Chrome-plated finishing of the tool allows it to resist rust or corrosion. The structure is very dependable & gives a great amount of torque to work with.
The extraordinary feature of this tool would be the foldable design. Often 4 way crossed designs are very hard to keep storage. They waste a lot of space. But this foldable options allows the users to easily store the wrench. The available sizes are 17mm, 19mm, 21mm & 23mm in metric & 11/16″, 3/4″, 13/16″, 7/8″ in SAE.. This 14-inch versatile lug wrench will fit most lug nuts.
The WORKPRO is a universal lug wrench that allows it to be used for almost all cars, light trucks, SUVs, RVs, and vans. It is very simple to use & the foldable option makes it a very eligible contender if you are considering to purchase a lug wrench.
Cons
It is a bit smaller than your standard-sized lug wrenches, so you have to apply some extra muscle to finish your job.
Facts Before Buying the Best Lug Wrench
It’s worth checking the quality of the tools that care about the fitness of other ones. Lug wrenches are no exceptions and us, hence, put forward the informative buying guide you are about to witness in the following.
Construction
The construction of the lug wrench is very important. The material that it is built depends directly on the durability of the product. So it the most important fact to keep mind. Most Lug wrenches have a steel structure with a chrome-plated finishing. This will be enough to do all the chores. Always prefer a High-quality steel structure.
Otherwise, low quality steel & other materials will just bend or break if you try to do heavy-duty tasks.
Arm Length
The arm length of the wrench is simple physics. If you consider the arm as a lever, the longer the lever is the easier it is for you to apply pressure with lesser effort. Suppose if you are using a 22-inch wrench than it will be easier to unscrew a tight nut than with a 16 inch one. If storage is not an issue for you then it is suggested to use a longer arm length wrench.
Arm size
Sometimes you will see some wrenches with thin arms. This can be a hassle as thinner arms will hurt your hands if you are applying a lot of effort. But if you are looking for a small s=wrench with less worry for storage then you can go for a thinner armed wrench.
Sockets
If you have a Cross-shaped 4-way wrench, then it is not of your concern. But if you are looking for any other design then you should always check for sockets. Because sockets & wrenches come in a set. The socket is the main tool that allows your wrench to fit the nut. Always look into the specification for the sockets unless you are looking in a cross-shaped wrench.
Socket Size
You have to make sure that your vehicle’s nut sizes match the socket sizes. There are a lot of verities in socket sizes. But always make sure that your wrench has 17mm, 21mm, 22mm & 23mm sockets. In inches, they are ¾ inches, 13/16 inches, 7/8 inches. These will cover most of the nuts in your vehicle.
Folding or Solid Design
This feature rather depends on your storage ability. Because a folding model will eventually be good for you if you are trying to save storage hassles. But you will not be able to apply the same pressure as a solid wrench does. On the other side, a solid wrench will just give you a storage worry.
Grip
This is also an auxiliary aspect. The grip is important because it will give you a solid grip while you are working. Most wrenches these days come with a rubber grip that allows you to hold firmly.
FAQ
Q: What is a Lug Wrench?
Ans: A lug wrench is a type of tool that allows you to loosen or tighten the nuts of your automobile wheels.
Q: How many types of Lug wrenches?
Ans: Mostly you will see two types of lug wrenches. One is the Cross-shaped lug wrench that has a 4-way design. The other is an L shaped or a telescopic wrench that allows users to perform an operation using a socket with the wrench. Now a day there are foldable designs too.
Q: Is it necessary for the Wrench to have a socket?
Ans: If you are buying a Cross-shaped wrench, then you need not to concern about sockets.
But if you are considering buying a telescopic wrench then you must look for sockets. Because without them you will not be able to do anything.
Q: How to use a Lug Wrench?
Ans: A lug wrench is very simple to use. At first, you must combine the socket to the wrench then just pull the wrench in the right direction to loosen or tighten the nut. It is helpful if you are covering the wrench arm with an old towel or something. Prevents your hand from being hurt from the pressure applied with the wrench.
Q: Where can I use a Lug Wrench?
Ans: You can use a lug wrench if you want to loosen or tighten the nuts. You can remove your vehicle’s hubcap. It can be used while attaching or removing wheels.
Q: What law does it work on?
Ans: The lug wrench works on the basis of a lever. We will all know the longer the lever the easier it is to lift. This also applies to the lug wrench. The longer the wrench handles the less effort is needed.
Also read – Best Wind Deflectors
Conclusion
The final choice may seem a next-level difficult task since rejecting the expert selected top lug wrenches from the above is not why they were meant when reviewed. Yet we have our supreme suggestions to provide.
We select the best one according to a lot of aspects. So, if we have a say in this then we will have to pick the EPAuto Telescoping Lug Wrench or GTE Tools Universal Compact Lug Wrench. But if you have a taste in the 4-way crossed shaped wrenches then our verdict would go to the Cartman Universal Anti-Slip Cross Wrench. Many also consider buying a foldable wrench as it saves a lot of space & is easy to carry. Then you look at the Universal Folding Lug Wrench.
So at the end of the day, you can see that we have sorted out the top picks only by our perspectives. The main job for you would be to ask yourself what are the criteria are that you are looking for. Look for the best tool that fulfills your needs wholly.
Hi, it’s Bucky Balls
CSE (Computer Science & Engineering) & MSC from Port City International University.
Working infield of WordPress, eCommerce Develop, SEO, Digital Marketing, Google AdSense an Affiliate Marketing Since 2010.
Online Certifications:
Bootstrap, JavaScript & PHP.
Google AdWords/Google Ads Display.
Google Analytics.
SEO.
Digital Sales.