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Lug nuts are seized up..

13K views 39 replies 24 participants last post by  Jerry Bransford 
#1 ·
I am sure this situation has been brought up before on many occasions.. But I purchased a lift with new tires and wheels. I went to pull my driver side rear off and I couldn't get them son of a guns to break free for nothing. I was cranking on them so hard they would start to warp/strip. I even took them to a tire shop and they couldn't get them to break free.. We tried impacts, air tools, breaker bars, smaller sockets and nothing worked. Anyone have any other ideas how to get them off? I am on stock wheels and I am sure they are the stock crappy Chrysler lug nuts.
 
#14 ·
A torch may very well ruin the wheel...

Go back to just twisting them off.... if you can't do it w a 4' bar, get a longer bar....

I could snap em off w a 2' bar....

Try a different shop w more experienced techs.... there is no reason they shouldn't have been able to handle it...

Break old lugs and install new ones.... quick easy job
 
#17 ·
Step one... spray the heck out of them with Kroil, Liquid Wrench, or Break-Free penetrants which are good in those situations. Give it time to work into the threads. No, not WD-40.

If that doesn't work, step two would be to heat the lug nuts until they are darned near cherry red and then they should unscrew rather easily.

I've had seized bolts over the years where I resorted to welding a nut or bolt onto the fastener that was seized. Invariably, after the intense heat of the welding processing, the fastener would then unscrew so easily I wondered if I had welded onto the wrong nut or bolt lol.
 
#22 ·
Update on progress.. Went to Autozone they had some fancy socket with threads inside (supposedly made for this situation). i thought I would give it a shot.. put it on there and started with the impact, it didn't work so I got the breaker bar out with a heavy duty ratchet and a small extension. I was cranking on it and the darn extension snapped :atomic: and got lodged into the socket which is in turn stuck to the lug nut.. :rant: lol I finally gave up, went to another tire shop and they are not thrilled about it, but said they will take care of it Monday morning. Positive- At least no one can steal me wheel :lmao:
 
#25 ·
I used a small dab of axle grease

I used a small dab of axle grease with a toothbrush before I put on my McGard locking lug nuts , so I'll be sure to get them off when I need to . Come to think about it , I ought to do that on all my lug nuts next time around . :bop:
 
#27 ·
Whenever I had frozen lug nuts (back when I was a tech), I just put a 3/4" impact on them and snapped them off. Some of the newer 1/2" guns are strong enough to do it, too.

I also use oil on the studs, always (but I do live in the salt belt, where it's more important). Just keep that oil in mind when torqueing them, so that you don't overtorque.
 
#30 ·
You guys using antiseize or grease on your lugs remember that the recommended torque values are for for dry threads, not lubricated. Make sure that you adjust the torque applied for a lubricated stud. I am not sure but I believe that a lubricated stud takes 10-30 % less torque value. Don't torque a lubricated stud to 110 ft lbs.
 
#31 ·
I am not sure but I believe that a lubricated stud takes 10-30 % less torque value. Don't torque a lubricated stud to 110 ft lbs.
It's 10% less. I always use grease or antisieze up here in MA
 
#34 ·
The same as others have said. PB blast etc.

I had the same issue when I took off the stock rubi wheels, the shitty lugs were the hollow ones. Lucky for me I was doing the project with my brother who is a mechanic, but we tried everything... Hammering on star sockets etc, everything just stripped, eventually just drilled the stud and replaced it. Word of advice on replacing the stud, granted it this was on a rubi with rear disk, but take the brakes off, punch out the drilled out stud, then with a new one, get an oversized nut to act as a spacer, and use an impact with an old lug nut to draw it through... remember to toss that lug nut you just used to draw it.

Tight is tight, too tights broke.
 
#36 ·
I have had this problem a few times. I use a 3/4 deep well impact socket. If it doesn't fit tap it on with a hammer. Then a 1/2 breaker bar and a 4ft pipe as a cheater bar. If that isn't enough get a longer pipe. You might need a 8ft pipe. You can try stepping on the end of pipe using all your weight. It will break free one way or another.
 
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