Automotive Hand Tools: Choosing Lug Wrenches and Oil Filter Wrenches
Automotive hand tools are wrenches and removal tools, such as lug wrenches and oil filter wrenches, shaped for vehicle jobs like tyre changes and oil service.
Automotive hand tools are wrenches and removal tools shaped for specific jobs on a vehicle, such as tyre changes and oil service. This category has two groups: lug wrenches, which remove and fit the lug nuts or bolts that hold the wheel to the hub, and oil filter wrenches, which grip an oil filter too tight to turn by hand around its body and turn it.
Types
| Type | Feature | When to choose |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-type lug wrench | Four sockets on four arms; turned with both hands | Vehicles with different lug sizes, loosening a seized nut |
| L-type (pipe) lug wrench | Single socket, L-shaped; the other end of the handle is a screwdriver tip | A compact single-size wrench to keep in the vehicle |
| Oil filter wrench | Grips filters within the diameter range in its name | When the filter diameter is within 75–100 mm |
| Chain oil filter wrench | The chain wraps around the filter body to grip it | Filters across the wider diameter range given in its name (60x140 mm) |
Selection criteria
- Lug size: The socket must match the hex size of the lug nut exactly. On passenger cars 17, 19 and 21 mm are the most common; confirm the size in the vehicle manual or from the wrench supplied with the vehicle.
- Where it is used: For a single-size wrench carried in the boot, the L type suits; for the garage or work on different vehicles, the four-size cross type. A cross wrench lets you apply balanced force with both hands.
- Filter diameter: Measure the outer diameter of the oil filter and choose the wrench for that diameter.
- Access: There must be room for the wrench to turn around the filter; check its position in the engine bay beforehand.
Common mistakes
- Tightening lug nuts by feel with a lug wrench: A lug wrench does not measure torque. Apply the vehicle manufacturer's tightening torque with a torque wrench; over-tightening strains the studs, under-tightening lets the wheel loosen.
- Tightening nuts in order around the wheel: Tighten them in a crosswise pattern and in several passes so the wheel seats evenly on the hub.
- Forcing the wrench with a pipe or your foot: The socket rounds off or the wrench bends. Make sure the socket sits fully on the nut.
- Tightening a new filter with the wrench: The wrench is for removal only; a new filter is tightened by hand as instructed on the filter.
Products in the catalog
The Automotive Hand Tools category has 6 active products, all from İzeltaş and sold per piece:
| Product | Size | Stock code |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-type lug wrench | 17, 19, 21 (13/16 in) and 22 mm | `1975091719` |
| L-type lug wrench with screwdriver tip | 17 mm | `1940090017` |
| L-type lug wrench with screwdriver tip | 19 mm | `1940090019` |
| L-type lug wrench with screwdriver tip | 21 mm | `1940090021` |
| Oil filter wrench | 75–100 mm | `6370260100` |
| Chain oil filter wrench | 60x140 mm | `637450140` |
For battery connections see Battery Jumper Clamps, and for other nuts and bolts on the vehicle see Wrench Sets.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find my vehicle's lug nut size?
Check the vehicle manual or read the socket size on the wrench supplied with the vehicle. If unsure, a cross-type wrench with 17, 19, 21 and 22 mm sockets covers the common sizes in one tool.
What is the difference between a lug wrench and a torque wrench?
A lug wrench removes and fits the nuts. A torque wrench applies the tightening torque specified by the manufacturer while measuring it; the final tightening is done with it.
Cross type or L type?
For one vehicle where space in the boot matters, choose an L type in your lug size; for several vehicles or a seized nut, choose the cross type.
What size oil filter wrench do I need?
It depends on the filter's outer diameter. Use the oil filter wrench for filters within 75–100 mm and the chain wrench (60x140 mm in its name) for a wider diameter range.