Instruction manual NutCracker PRO

PREVIEW TEXT General instructions

To eliminate any risk of scratching the paint of your wheels, always make sure your wheels are clean before using NutCracker.

Always put the centerlock socket supplied with your car on the centerlock nut FIRST. You will hear and feel a click when the socket is secured in place on the nut. Only then attach NutCracker to the socket.

Please make sure to align NutCracker's 3/4“ output shaft with the centerlock socket supplied with your car. Only one of the 4 sides of the socket accepts the ball detent on NutCracker's output shaft. You can twist NutCracker's shaft by hand to achieve the alignment.

Please make sure to attach NutCracker to the centerlock socket (which must come first - see above) with its ramp facing downwards or max +- 30 degrees from this direction.

Take extra caution when detaching your torque wrench from NutCracker and/or NutCracker from your centerlock socket and always hold NutCracker firmly at that point as it may otherwise fall and damage your wheel or hurt your feet.

Loosening / tightening of centerlock nut using NutCracker

You will need a torque wrench capable of 80-120 ft-lbs with 1/2“ output. It is highly recommended to also use an 18" (or more) ratchet with 1/2" output for loosening. Otherwise, you would need to readjust the set torque on your torque wrench every time you switch from loosening to tightening and visa versa (as loosening typically requires just a tad higher torque than tightening). A breaker bar with 1/2" head can be used, but having the ratcheting action on both loosening and tightening is highly recommended. Remember that with any torque multiplier, you exchange distance travelled for higher torque in a defined proportion (1:5 here).

Porsche stipulates the wheel you work on must be off the ground. Have ready a special anti-seize lube (Castrol Molub Alloy TA) as you would need to recoat the contact surfaces of the centerlock mechanism. You will also need either another person to hold the brake pedal or use a special (woodworker) clamp to depress the pedal (against the base of drivers seat).

Loosening is easy: simply use your ratchet/breaker bar as you would on a nut without NutCracker attached. When you feel the centerlock nut moves freely enough, you can detach NutCracker from the centerlock socket and finish unscrewing the centerlock nut with only your hand. At that point, your other hand should already hold your wheel in place as it may otherwise fall from the wheel hub. It's recommended to use a centerlock guide tool as soon as the nut is removed to make sure your wheel is removed without any risks to your rotors/calipers/feet.

Tightening: Hand-tighten the centerlock nut using the socket supplied with your car. Now you can attach NutCracker to the socket (keeping the guidelines above in mind) and then attach your 1/2" torque wrench set to approx. 90 ft-lbs to NutCracker's input shaft. Keep tightening until you get to the set torque. Now replace your torque wrench with your ratchet and take note of the relative position of the centerlock nut vs. the wheel (STOP mark on the nut provides good reference point). Start loosening the nut until you loosen the nut 1/6 turn to ¼ turn. Switch back to your torque wrench and re-tighten the nut to the set torque spec (89 ft lbs).

Setting up the correct offset

If your wheels have openings between the spokes with various depths, you should always choose such an opening which allows the reaction arm to land as close to the center of the wheel as possible. The goal is to direct the forces transferred by the reaction arm as close to the base of each wheel spoke as possible.

NutCracker's reaction arm is held in position with 30 mm nut and 30 mm screw, which runs through the reaction arm's rubber envelope. Using a 30 mm wrench and a ratchet with a 30 mm socket (not supplied with NutCracker) loosen the nut just enough for the whole reaction arm assembly to move freely up and down on NutCracker's ramp.

Attach your centerlock socket to the centerlock nut and then attach NutCracker to the socket. Find the correct wheel spoke opening (see above) and move the reaction arm assembly up and down to get it as close to the center of the wheel as possible. Note the position of the reaction arm assembly on the offset scale on the side of NutCracker's ramp. With NutCracker detached from the centerlock nut you can move the reaction arm assembly to the desired position and re-tighten using the 30 mm wrench and 30 mm socket on your ratchet.