Wheel Gun

A wheel gun is a specialized high-powered impact wrench used by pit crews in motorsport to quickly remove and tighten wheel nuts during tire changes.

Think of a wheel gun as a supercharged version of the impact wrench your mechanic uses at the tire shop, but built for extreme speed and precision. While a regular impact wrench might take several seconds to remove lug nuts from your car, a wheel gun can do the same job in under a second.

During a pit stop, each wheel has its own dedicated crew member who operates the wheel gun. When a race car pulls into the pits, these operators use their wheel guns to rapidly spin off the wheel nuts, allowing other crew members to remove the old tires and install fresh ones. The wheel gun operator then quickly tightens the nuts to secure the new wheel.

The power behind these tools is impressive. Racing wheel guns can spin at speeds up to 15,000 RPM and generate over 3,000 foot-pounds of torque - that's roughly ten times more powerful than a typical home drill. They're usually powered by compressed air, though some teams use specialized systems with nitrogen or other gases for maximum performance.

Modern wheel guns are engineering marvels made from lightweight materials like titanium, carbon fiber, and aerospace-grade aluminum. Many feature magnets in their sockets to hold the wheel nuts in place, preventing them from falling during the frantic pace of a pit stop. Some advanced models even include electronic controls and computer systems for enhanced precision.

The cost reflects their specialized nature - a Formula 1 wheel gun can cost between $20,000 and $30,000 when fully equipped. Companies like Italy's Paoli manufacture these precision tools for top racing series including Formula 1, IndyCar, and NASCAR.

Success with wheel guns requires perfect timing and coordination with the entire pit crew, as even a fraction of a second can mean the difference between winning and losing a race.