Removing a stuck lug nut

[brody8877]

I was caught in a bit of an ordeal today. I was able to get 3/5 of my lug removed (I am missing one lug nut and stud, thats how I got the car- pretty fucking ghetto), but the last one wouldn't budge! I used an impact gun (no good), turned up the crank on the impact gun (still no good). So I put the lugs back in, set the car back on the ground and manually loosen the lug with a breaker bar. I guess I ended up stripping the splines on the stud. The lug nut just freely spin with the stud. I tried wedging the wheel around to push the lug nut out while I tried to ratchet it out. But that didn't work. Miraculously there was nut splitter in the trunk (I guess the previous owner left it there), but I couldn't use it because of the wheels (stock SE wheels) were sitting flush with lug nuts, can't wedge in the nut splitter. So I am stuck...



I am about to resort to drilling out the lug nut and stud, since I need to replace one of the stud anyways.


Anyone have any idea before I start drilling it out?

[WangonwWarrior]

take all the lugs off then get an impact on about 120psi then have a friend or prybar pull on the wheel and it will strip its way off. good luck

[ericcastro]

drill that fucker out, lol

or drill through the side of the nut, then pry it off the stud enough to pull it off.

Your on the right track though.
Usually they will break the stud first, so much easier that way.

I always have a couple extra studs with me at the track.
shit happens with old cars.

Keep us posted.
But it sounds like you got it all figured out, its just a pain in the ass ;)

[roboticnissan]

drill it out bro trust me. all the ghetto ideas like wedging things to stop it from spinnning are just going to frustrate you. drilling works everytime just get some oldschool drill bits

[dsastr_clan]

somthing like that happened to me, it was a bitch! make sure that u stripped the lugnut and not the wheel stud inside the hub

[brody8877]

Well as of now I'm not going to take out the lug nut yet. I don't want to ride on 3 lug nuts (It's fucking dangerous), I order some NISMO 50mm extended stud for fronts and rear with new open end lug nuts, as soon as they come in I will start working on it again. I'll probably try the pry bar and impact first, If that doesn't work...Imma DRILLED THA MUTHA FUCKA OUT!

dsastr_clan - the lug nut prolly cross threaded the stud meaning it is already stripped. As I tried to use a breaker bar, it ended up stripping the spline. So the lug nut and the stud just spins together.

[jspaeth]

Dremmel tool for the win. Cut it right off, no problem.

[Yeap]

I have used deep socket bit that is just a bit smaller then the lugnut size. Then sledge hammer it on. Attach a torque wrench to the socket and tear it off. I have had to do this to secuirty lugs that have no key to them.

[Chrischeezer]

yep, thats a tough one.. ive seen this unfold many ways..

-wedges and prybars in the wheel. (requires tons pressure) saw a car fall off a lift doing this.
-drill the stud (sucks)
-cut the wheel apart (last resort)

[army240]

I'd say just cut it. If it's totally easy to turn, even drilling it will make it turn. If you've got access to the center of the hub, remove it. It's going to do a better job.

Frank

[[email protected]]

ive been through this exact situation...you are gonna have to replace your hub since its stripped..trust me!! get a 30mm and remove the bolt that holds the hub then youll be able to pull your wheel off with the brake rotor and hub lol.. once your wheel is off youll be able to see the studs on the back if possible weld the stud to keep it from spinning then remove the lugnut...if thats not possible then drill the back of the stud holding the lugnut to keep it from spinning...drill with a 1/4 inch then 1/2 inch...goodluck

[tr4c3]

Cut it if you can get to it. Studs are cheap. I had a similar issue with a 300zx I was grabbing parts from in a junkyard. A few of the rear studs were spinning in the hub and we couldn't get the wheels off. Used a socket, like a 6" extension, and just stepped on them until they broke. Very ghetto, and I'm sure the studs were in worse condition on this car, but it took a whole 2 minutes to do. Problem solved lol.

[brody8877]

wedging it with a prybar failed...currently im drilling it out, I spent the last hour and half only getting 1/2 or little thru.

[tr4c3]

Why not just cut it? Get a sawzall and cut as much as you can. If you can't get it to cut all the way through, you take an extension and socket and place it on. Then place foot at end of extension. Apply force and the stud breaks no problem. We've done this numerous times at junkyards dealing with spinning studs.

[brody8877]

Why not just cut it? Get a sawzall and cut as much as you can. If you can't get it to cut all the way through, you take an extension and socket and place it on. Then place foot at end of extension. Apply force and the stud breaks no problem. We've done this numerous times at junkyards dealing with spinning studs.

Like I kept on stating, I would cut the lug and stud, but the wheels where the lug socket is deep, I can't cut it without cutting the wheel. Also I dont have enough play to put a socket over the lug and stud to break it. The wheels are preventing me from doing that.

[NewYorkCoupe]

Shoot penetrating oil on it a couple times a day and then try agian.

[inertia89240]

I had this priblem on my 89 s13. And I had to drill it out, it took about 20 mins worth of accurate drilling. Accurate I mean by not getting the rim cuz when you drill it, you cant just go straight through it, you have to do it as numerous angles. Then when you drill it, try to wiggle your rim off then it should pop off. This is all I had to do cuz the lug nut was stuck on the actual lug and didnt want to spin unless the lug stud spun with it.

[sirfallsalot243]

I had this happen to me. I was able to get between the wheel and hub though, I had about 1/16" of gap in there, which I used to finagle a hack saw blade into. Put my hands through the spokes of the wheel, taped up each end of the blade, and started sawing. In a mere 3 1/2 hours, my wheel was removed.

What a fucking bitch. I managed to take the caliper completely off without removing the wheel. Dont ever do that. haha

[g6civcx]

One thing I had to do was weld something onto the stuck nut/bolt. Then you have something to grab and turn.

That wouldn't help you because it sounds like your stud is already stripped.

I would say drill everything out and then redo all your studs properly.

Good luck.