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This: https://www.harborfreight.com/3-ton-...ack-59136.html
And a good quality impact will make your life much easier. I prefer Milwaukee but any reputable 1/2 inch drive will do the trick. Also a good torque wrench, but enough dugga duggas usually does the trick.
This: https://www.harborfreight.com/3-ton-...ack-59136.html
And a good quality impact will make your life much easier. I prefer Milwaukee but any reputable 1/2 inch drive will do the trick. Also a good torque wrench, but enough dugga duggas usually does the trick.
Thanks for link to that jack. My 10 year old Pittsburgh jack from Harbor Freight that was around $100 is getting creaky and untrustworthy.
Lots of great advice on here. LOVE threads like this. Just adding a few bullet points of my own. I'm assuming you have a garage or other space. If you're switching wheels that often, you have GOT to get the following.
- Decent floor jack. Make sure it has an attachment so that it can lift higher vehicles. Mine has this tube like attachment on the vehicle side that rises about 6". Here's a random Link of what I'm talking about. I bought mine over 30 years ago from some Auto parts store that I can't remember. They last WAY longer than you can imagine. Buy something good - once.
- THEN you need something to fit the strangely proprietary Defender lift points (unless you have sliders). Original Link for more details.
- DEFINITELY get a smallish 5 gallon compressor and an air wrench. It will save you a TON of time. If you need ideas, post it here and you will get a flood of links. I have to tell you, swapping that often, you want a bit more speed. Here's one of the compressors that I have. While I have three (crazy!) different compressors, start with something like this. It won't do a LOT, but it will do most things for a while. Link. And the air wrench (Link) with correct ratchets (
).
- Ya GOT to get a large torque wrench. I hate when some garage monkey over torques (with the above air wrench) the wheels and I can never get them off. Putting them on goes faster than off and you really should torque them so you don't have to jump on the lug wrench when you need to take them off. Here's one (
Yeah, I know that this is a LOT to invest in. But every one of those tools is going to last you a life time and you will use almost every one of them in more projects than you can imagine. Start the investment. Heck, it's the holidays - put them onto your wish lists to your family ASAP!
Good luck and lots of other great advice on chalks and different tools. Post pics!
Last edited by GrouseK9; Dec 19, 2023 at 08:08 AM.
Wow.. I love this community. Thanks so much for all the info!
So the first wheel change happened and it went quite well. I used a Pittsburgh jack rated 3 tons and it works as expected. I might get an attachment as posted above by GrouseK9, the lift points are just strange and don't match anything for a clean contact.
Since my garage is short, I had the car in the lowest height and I had a door open, no probs.
I also used a T bar Lug nut wrench and I must admit it was much easier than expected. The whole process took about 30 minutes, with the rear mounted wheel being the most difficult as lifting the heavy wheel and aligning the holes is NOT easy.
One problem I ran into.. I also had jack stands for safety.. but there is no place to put them? I could not find any other safe points to place them, any tips on this.. or maybe not necessary?
Anyway, here she is with the new wheels, which will have the general every day tires, while the other set will be fitted with KO2s or similar.
Oops. Should have added this to your shopping list. Especially for mounting the spare if you are alone! I’m sure you can find another elsewhere, but PowerfulUK has certainly earned my biz.
Oops. Should have added this to your shopping list. Especially for mounting the spare if you are alone! I’m sure you can find another elsewhere, but PowerfulUK has certainly earned my biz.
