frozen/rounded lug nut, what do I do?
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,535
From: VA
Ouch. I don't know what else to suggest other than the BFH. I've always had the stud break long before the nut ever got torn up much, but then I only use a 6-point socket on lug nuts.
Shops routinely over-torque lug nuts to the point where it destroys the threads.
Good luck!
Shops routinely over-torque lug nuts to the point where it destroys the threads.
Good luck!
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 376
Originally Posted by Baldy' post='823701' date='Jun 12 2006, 11:12 AM
Had a flat/ripped tire. One lug nut was rusted, rounded, and looked like someone had tried hitting it with a chisel. We tried hammering on a smaller socket, no go. We tried chipping away at it with a cold chisel, and cutting it off with a dremel. It's mangled beyond belief now, luckily we didn't mark up the wheel too bad (and any marks will be under the center cap, it's a vert wheel).
So how can I get this damn thing off? The whole assembly on that corner is almost removed, just have to get the tie rod out of the steering knuckle, and it'll be loose. I had to get the car towed home, it pissed me off.
Once I get the hub off of the car, can I get to the back of the lug bolt to cut it? Since the lug nut is tapered, even if I cut it off flush it wouldn't free it. I'm afraid to drill, for messing up the aluminum wheel.
When I bought the AE, the owner had lost the socket for the key lock nut
I ended up using an impact socket, hammered it with a 10lbs hammer (how you call those things?), and then used a breaker bar to unbolt the nut. Needless to say that the nut won't come off the socket, but at least I got the nut off
Just find a socket that *ALMOST* fit to the nut, here is the reason why the socket needs to be hamerred into the nut (the hardest part)
Thread Starter
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 5,425
From: Tallahassee, FL
Originally Posted by banzaitoyota' post='823905' date='Jun 13 2006, 10:15 AM
Buy some good drill bits and start drilling.
Your best bet is to remove the hub/knuckle/wheel and take it to a shop with a large mill and attack it with and endmill
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 376
Originally Posted by knonfs' post='823903' date='Jun 13 2006, 10:11 AM
When I bought the AE, the owner had lost the socket for the key lock nut
I ended up using an impact socket, hammered it with a 10lbs hammer (how you call those things?), and then used a breaker bar to unbolt the nut. Needless to say that the nut won't come off the socket, but at least I got the nut off
Just find a socket that *ALMOST* fit to the nut, here is the reason why the socket needs to be hamerred into the nut (the hardest part)
Damn , my bad for the useless post
I thought you were trying to remove the wheel
Thread Starter
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Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 5,425
From: Tallahassee, FL
Originally Posted by knonfs' post='823928' date='Jun 13 2006, 11:20 AM
Damn , my bad for the useless post
I thought you were trying to remove the wheel
I'd take a pic, but the car's out in my yard, and there's that whole tropical storm thing in my yard too.
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 376
Originally Posted by Baldy' post='823955' date='Jun 13 2006, 01:20 PM
I am! We tried hammering on a socket, but it was either already cracked, or we cracked it.
I'd take a pic, but the car's out in my yard, and there's that whole tropical storm thing in my yard too.
Was it an impact socket?? Regular sockets won't whistand the 10lbs hammer
Thread Starter
Super Moderator
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 5,425
From: Tallahassee, FL
Originally Posted by knonfs' post='823972' date='Jun 13 2006, 01:57 PM
Was it an impact socket?? Regular sockets won't whistand the 10lbs hammer