- Length: 18 inches
I'd been carrying a cheap, chrome-plated parts store wrench that I'd been given as a gift in my car for years... then I bought a used BMW that had apparently had its lug bolts tightened by a "mechanic" who used an industrial impact wrench to install them. My old 4-way bent like a cheap pretzel once I really put some muscle into it. I had to use a cheater pipe even on my 24" long, 3/4" drive breaker bar to get them off. (NB: I do not condone or recommend the use of cheater pipes on anything.) Bought this wrench at my local "good" parts store to replace my old bent 4-way and it actually appears identical to the two old SAE 4-ways that I inherited from my grandfather other than the hex sizes, so I hope that it is still the same quality and will serve me for many years to come. Only drawback is that it is rather large so in a small car like mine it probably isn't practical to carry with you (I may invest in a folding lug wrench, or just buy another breaker bar to carry in the trunk) but for seasonal tire changes and rotations, unless you have air tools, nothing beats a good 4-way that you can spin in the palm of your hand for quick changes. The lug sizes aren't stamped into the metal is really my only complaint; write them on with a Sharpie or stamp them in yourself if you have a set of number stamps. Or if you are only going to use this on one car put a stripe of electrical tape around the correct socket so you don't inadvertently try the wrong one and mar your wheels.
Oh, and please use a torque wrench to tighten your lug bolts/nuts! If you're not an "advanced" DIY or pro, one of the cheap bendy-beam ones will do fine (and actually don't require the same periodic calibration as do the clicky type,) no need to go more expensive. Most people tighten their lugs way too tight, even many pros, and this can cause vibrations in more "sensitive" cars (German cars, sports cars, etc.)
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