This might sound crazy, but one of the first things that I like to do with a new vehicle is get to know where everything is for changing flats, battery, bulbs, etc. Two things that I am not exactly thrilled with (be it small things now) are the lug nuts and the lug wrench. The lug nuts look pretty fragile and the lug wrench looks like a mini-wrench for kids.

So...where can I get a good, solid set of lug nuts and a real wrench that will offer some leverage? All in all this is a minor thing until I'm stopped on the road in the middle of the night in the rain having to change a tire. Then it's a BIG thing. I question the durability of the stock OEM lug-nuts because they look like they can be rounded off pretty easy with any slips of that flimsy lug-wrench.

Any aftermarket vendord that I should consider?

 

At least you have a spare

 

Yeah, tell me about it:-) I drove around for two years in a ZO6 without one. I was always on pins and needles about that.

 

you should have a extension for lug wrench.

 

Good call, Viet. That is what was missing from the kit. That makes sense. Luckily I have a makeshift extension what will work until I get something else. I really like those Gorilla Wrenches. I need to see if they make these in the 17mm. I know this is a trivial matter in the grand scheme of things, but I'm always the one getting called out to help family members with flat tires.

 

by the way... usually people changing out flat..and find out their spare tire have no air in it...

make sure its air up every few months or so...

oil change guys always forget to air up the spare...or they don't care..

 

And you are ok with the jack?

 

e55 and e63 have flat spare that you need to blow up

 

E55 does not have a spare tire. You learn that very fast when you hit a pothole @ 70

 

I've got a full size spare in my trunk.

 

Either the 03's didn't come with one or you got screwed.

 

I think 03 and 04's don't come with any since they came wit runflats( i think). The rest of us get deflated donuts and electric inflators. Same for cls55

 

Oops wrong quote, but no spare or runflats. The extra tire I have is no were near small enough to keep in the trunk at all times

 

Standing on the freeway in the rain trying to use that crappy MB tinfoil jack which will probably kill you first before another car hits you is why they invented the free MB Assist service.

And then there's AAA.

 

Or Chrysler Warranty

 

Or amex gold or platinum card (as well as some visa and MC)

OP - get a good torque wrench and definitely a new jack!

 

I've got a full-sized spare that collapses when empty and comes with it's one pump... This is stock...

 

My '04 didn't come with one... So I put amps in the bare well instead... Soon to be redone with a rear res. and a meth lab.

I guess that's why AAA is in business

 

when i had my 04 no spare either!!! went to a junk yard and bought an extra front rim. however that was pointless as it didnt fit flush in the spare area (however its been a few years and i dont remember 100%), used to take it with me on long trips!

 

and a good black wall socket and wrap in old towel and keep that in the trunk.
The Jack... well pray for 100K car it will support the car for 10 minutes at a time.

I remember seeing someone selling an Air bag that you put under the car plug into lighter and it was your jack. It's will store flat in the trunk when deflated.

 

Good points about the OEM jack...I will look for another choice to store back there. It is pretty frail looking.

Torque wrench already in there as of this AM:-)

 

Lycan,

You can order a Gorilla Wrench and torque wrench from Tirerack.

 

04s had compact spare and compressor. My TPMS works great and has notified me way before any another means, of a loss of air pressure. The sooner you know about a small leak the better. It is faster to add air and continue than to change the tire. Always best to avoid having to change a tire under adverse conditions. The newer cars don't have the read out in psi just pass/fail

 

It is a collapsable spare. There is no air in it. They provide you a pump to fill it.

 

have an 04 - came with the car...