Impact wrench damaging steel wheels

[rob00000]

Ok, I spent quite a long time reading all the posts I could here on tire rotations. I assumed surely someone has addressed this common problem here before. I even googled it reading a lot of posts at other forums, etc. I can't find a single post discussing this issue anywhere. I'm shocked.

Here goes: Whenever I bring my Rav4 or have brought any car to have the tires rotated or mounted at a tire shop or dealership the impact wrench leaves ugly concentric marks or rings around the lug nut area. I know why it's occuring. The socket on the impact wrench as it spins is leaving these marks. Yesterday, I had my tires rotated etc. at the dealership and of course, I ended up with those ugly rings on my steel wheels around my lug nuts again. I used some touch up paint on my steel wheels that did do a pretty good job of filling in those marks & hiding the damage.

Here's my question. Is there any way short of me rotating my tires myself from now on to prevent this from happening to my steel wheels? I wouldn't even care if my Rav4 was old & rather beat up. However, it's the first really nice vehicle I've ever owned & I take pride in it. It's a 2010 with only 13K on it. I think I'm going to have to start rotating the tires myself which I have no problem doing if that's what I have to do because I don't think there's any way to avoid this from happening. It's a common issue at tire shops & now my dealership.

Any suggestions or feedback? Thanks.

[Dr. Dyno]

Have you ever brought it to their attention? And insisted on no damage unless they are willing to replace the rims?

[RickB]

Thank you for your service to our country.

[arries289]

The easiest way is to request that they remove and install the lugs manually (breaker bar). They should be willing to do it at no additional cost to you. I make this request all the time because I've had many issues with cross-threading studs and over torqued nuts over the years.

[JuneBug]

Yes, arries is right, ask them to use a breaker bar and to torque the lug nuts to 76 ft/lbs manually as well.

Another option would be to get some lug nuts with a shoulder that would keep the socket away from the rim.

[Shep426]

There a plastic covered wheel lug impact sockets that will prevent this as the covering goes right over the end of the socket.

[rob00000]

Thanks for all of your suggestions.

[rob00000]

Originally Posted by RickB

Thank you for your service to our country.

Thanks Rick....

[blackdograv]

The mags on my subaru are destroyed from morons in the local garage and the tire shop. I should have been anal compulsive right when it started happening but I wasn't. Circular marks everywhere around every lug on every wheel. Discouraging because the clear coat is destroyed and they are corroding. I'm determined to never let the gorillas destroy the new wheels on my rav... which means I'll be doing my own.

[pico]

I had the same issue with my custom car, and finally cut a heavy rod to the length required to fill the space in the black socket I use on the air wrench. I think it might be properly humbling to hand the same setup to your mechanic. "Here, please use this."

James' idea of using rimmed fasteners is probably the best idea. I'll look for some today.