Stripped out lug nuts> SOAB

[pfhWJ]

Well to start I took my jeep in to get the tires rotated about 2 weeks ago. And Im sure they put the lugs back on with the impact and over torqued the f'ers. I order a 2 inch lift for it and need to get the tires off to install. I took my 18" cheater bar and that still wouldnt do it. Added two feet to that and final started breaking them loose. Just my luck started to strip one. the two methods I know to get stripped lugs off.
-Pound one size smaller of a socket onto the lug
-Use an air chisel and try to turn it that way
Any other ideas

 

[Burl]

Take it back to the shop that did it, if they're a reputable place, they should fix it.

 

[lynnbilodeau]

Take it back to the morons who did that, and tell them it is their problem. Any "professional" who uses an impact without a torque stick is an idiot. Some of the old timers can get pretty darn close without sticks, but that is not the norm.

Are you saying you are stripping the hex off the outside? I mean, as opposed to stripping the threads?

As far as removing them, you are much more likely to get them off with impact, whether it is a gun or a hammer and impact driver, than with steady pressure.

 

[lynnbilodeau]

Burl beat me by 1 min.

 

[chickenhauler]

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=641889&group_ID=675681&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

After AeroKroil and the Mini Inductor both failed for me.

I've used a 3' cheater pipe with them, and they took it out. First time I ever thought I was going to break my 1/2" Snap On ratchet.

 

[teal95]

This is one of the cases where an impact is worth the cost. If you have air an air impact aren't too expensive. If you don't have an air compressor HF has plug in electric. Your next step up in cost is cheap cordless and then comes the expensive cordless (Milwaukee, Snap-On, etc). Depending on how much you spend the air can be very powerful. I haven't ever dealt with a plug in so I can't comment on those. I also have a cheap cordless that will take lugs off it they are torqued correctly but not if they have been overdriven. I recently purchased a Milwaukee M18 to get some wheels off in the JY and it was well worth it. Instead of $75 each for wheels I paid $75 for the 3 that were left on the car.

steve

 

[Majordisorder]

I always try to watch what the tire guys are doing and questioned the manager one time why the tech was starting my lug nuts with the impact wrench and he replied "he's good and rarely cross threads any". When they put the torque wrench to the lugs, have you ever seen them actually turn the nut any further to bring it to torque?

 

[Bondo]

Well to start I took my jeep in to get the tires rotated about 2 weeks ago. And Im sure they put the lugs back on with the impact and over torqued the f'ers. I order a 2 inch lift for it and need to get the tires off to install. I took my 18" cheater bar and that still wouldnt do it. Added two feet to that and final started breaking them loose. Just my luck started to strip one. the two methods I know to get stripped lugs off.
-Pound one size smaller of a socket onto the lug
-Use an air chisel and try to turn it that way
Any other ideas

Ayuh,.... Are ya usin' a 6-pt socket, of the Right size,..??

 

[NHBandit]

If you rounded off a lugnut you were either using the wrong size socket, a 12 point, or a badly worn loose fitting socket, or had a partially rounded lug nut to begin with. I can't imagine rounding one off using the proper socket. Snapping studs, yes. Even snapping the square stud off your breaker bar, but in 40 years I've never rounded off a lugnut using the correct 6 point impact socket. Do you have a 1/2" impact gun at your disposal ? If you haven't got a compressor there are some decent electric impact guns out there. If not it's time to go back to the shop that over tightened them and let them deal with it. Then make sure you have proper tools before you attempt it again.

 

[LandR]

Ensure that the lug that is starting to strip is the actual but and not a thin metal cover. Lots of Rogers have these. It appears to be a standard lug but but the metal distorts if lugs are over tightened. You need to tear away this thin metal to get to the solid lug underneath.

Where are you located? There must be someone on this board with an air gun within 15 minutes of you

 

[mustangmccance]

use one of these.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Easy-Off-Lo...al-Universal-Remover-Socket-Set-/281232173980

and by the way once the lug nut is rounded off don't use an impact wrench. it will just strip it worse in my experience. use one of these easy offs. pound it on with 3 pound hammer and use steady pressure. if that won't get it off you will likely have to go with the air chisel

 

[mikec35]

Call the place and ask them if they will take it off for you. If so go back and let them replace it and then go home and finish what you were doing. If they won't help Sears has a set that will work. $50, item 47392.

 

[dankicksass]

Stock Jeep lugnuts are made really poorly, time to replace all 23. Really all Chryslers and Fords have problems with swollen nuts.

 

[kluckfab]

***** been there, I had strip some on a focus. I banged on a size smaller socket and that worked.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

 

[Scott H in Wheaton]

Are the threads stripped or is the nut rounded off?

 

[JakeKohl]

I always try to watch what the tire guys are doing and questioned the manager one time why the tech was starting my lug nuts with the impact wrench and he replied "he's good and rarely cross threads any". When they put the torque wrench to the lugs, have you ever seen them actually turn the nut any further to bring it to torque?

Oh, I still get angry thinking back about this one...my wife's VW Jetta wagon...always been serviced at a Goodyear center for tires and oil (when I finally decided paying someone $20 for an oil change was cheaper than doing it myself). Anyway, she hits some boards with nails while I was building the garage and punctures the side wall of a tire. After not being able to loosen the studs with a four way, I broke a socket with my impact trying to get the first wheel studs off (granted, it wasn't a great socket...but still...). I mean, seriously, it has 15 inch alloy wheels. I should be able to get these off with a 3/8" ratchet. So I quickly aired up the tire and shot off to the goodyear place to get them to take it off. They tell me it will be four hours before they can get to it. I explained my situation again to the punk behind the counter and pleaded with them to just knock the lugs loose - I'll change the tire and get the spare on (meanwhile, it's leaking down). I finally get to a manager and I'm pretty pissed off. They get the car in and knock the studs loose. The initial punk behind the counter comes out to the shop and grabs one of the wheel studs (car has the bolt studs instead of studs and lugs) and brings it to me in the parking lot. It has a tiny bit of surface rust on it where it sits inside the wheel. He points out that they couldn't have done this because I have a corrosion problem. I looked him in the eye and pointed out that that is nothing from a rust standpoint and isn't even the part that engages the hub. He literally stuck the stud in my face and said "sir, do you know what rust is!?". It's the only time in my life that I was no longer in control of what came out of my mouth. I unloaded on him in that parking lot. I went through my background of engineering degrees, my internship with a gas pipeline company (as a corrosion technician no less), the fact that I've managed three automotive centers while paying my way through college, lived in Cleveland, OH and "NOT ONLY DO I KNOW WHAT M'F'IN RUST IS, I KNOW THE CHEMICAL REACTION THAT CREATES IT, WHAT IT DOES, WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE, HOW TO STOP IT, HOW TO START IT, HOW IT AFFECTS MATERIALS AND THAT'S NOT WHY THAT M'F'IN STUD WOULDN'T COME OFF MY M'F'N CAR YOU STUPID....". Ok, whew...breath. That was five years ago and I still can't believe that happened. And, oh yeah, when the manager finally came out to the parking lot, he explained to me why they couldn't have over torqued them - they have a procedure. I spent probably $1800 a year in that store between my vehicles and my trailers and told him that all he had to do was knock the studs loose on that car and he probably would have retained my business...but he had to get stupid and act like people are impossible of making a mistake or not adhering to, or understanding the minor nuances involved with any given "procedure"...bye. Never went back. Man, I still get mad thinking about that.

Sorry...back to the topic...carry on

 

[pfhWJ]

Thanks for the tool help guys. Ill be honest here its half my fault their fault. Here's the whole story.
Starts out with me in my garage and I have a 30 gal air compressor but a pretty crappy impact that I need to replace it. So I reached for the HF Electric impact, that doesnt do it. WTF. Go grap my 18 craftsmans buster bar. Nothing. Then I look around the garage and cant find a pipe. Then I realize the craftsman handle on the motorcycle jack will work perfectly with my 12 twain buster bar. Sure enough I bust two loose. Third lug snap, broke the swivel head on that buster bar. pissed off now.
The good news is the shop where i take my jeep to its 1/4 mile away and Im friends with owner and have snow plowed for him in the past. I pull into the shop and ask the tech for the impact because I cant get the lugs off. He has it to me and I go to work. Their mac impact buzzed them right off. Tech told me turn it down to the lowest torque setting and you shouldnt have a problem getting them off once your home.
Get home and SOAB can barely break them loose. At this point ive found a piece of channel steal for the 18" cm buster bar. I get one side loose then move on to the other and sure enough strip one. I tighten everything back up and go over to the shop grab the impact and loosen one at a time then tighten them on by hand. I get the one I stripped at home off now problem. But end up stripping another while at the shop again. AND YES I USED 6pt sockets to get them off. Keep in mind these are the original lugs and have been on for 155K/exposed to salt every winter.Ordered a new set last night.
Now for some good news. Im 21 but am a ******** DIYer and do most of my services to my motorcycle car trailer small engines tractors myself. The owner knows that and offered to me to bring the jeep next saturday to work on it and put the lift on it. Im grateful for that, I get to learn more about cars and it wont cost me a penny.
Sorry this is sooooo fricken long but it worked out in the end.

 

[wrench409]

I wish all tire shops used TorqueStiks.


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[raiderhillbilly]

I just bought new tires and I brought the tire shop my wheels in the back of a van. I don't trust anyone.

 

[NHBandit]

Just an added tip I learned concerning those cheesy Chrome lug nuts alot of factories use that are really just a thin Chrome cap over the actual nut. If the chrome starts to round off cut it off with a small sharp chisel and in the case of 3/4" nuts the actual nut underneath is almost exactly 18mm. Then replace them all with real Chrome plated acorn nuts.

 

[Buckgnarly]

Just an added tip I learned concerning those cheesy Chrome lug nuts alot of factories use that are really just a thin Chrome cap over the actual nut. If the chrome starts to round off cut it off with a small sharp chisel and in the case of 3/4" nuts the actual nut underneath is almost exactly 18mm. Then replace them all with real Chrome plated acorn nuts.

Post #10

It did shock the hell out of me when my Ranger lug nuts "fell apart" the first time! Damn covers look real!

 

[pfhWJ]

Just an added tip I learned concerning those cheesy Chrome lug nuts alot of factories use that are really just a thin Chrome cap over the actual nut. If the chrome starts to round off cut it off with a small sharp chisel and in the case of 3/4" nuts the actual nut underneath is almost exactly 18mm. Then replace them all with real Chrome plated acorn nuts.

I was used 19 and 18mm i lost about 3/4 of those chrome caps. learn and live

 

[edsauto]

The biggest problem is the rust that expands between the rotor hat on the inside, and the rust on the spindle. It gets even worse if you have aluminum wheels. The face flange on the inside of the rim corrodes and expands out to put more pressure on the lug nuts.

The best advice I can give is to grind the rotor hat rust down, remove the lug studs and remove all the rust from the spindle surface. Now use some marine grease and coat the two surfaces and now put the rotor back on.

Now flip the rim over and grind off all that corrosion and either paint the surface or grease it.

After all is said and done you will not have a issue getting the lug nuts off.

The rust jacking that goes on puts out some amazing pressure against the lug nuts.

Dan.........

 

[JakeKohl]

I wish all tire shops used TorqueStiks.

Torquestiks are not as good as just zipping the lug down with the impact and finishing it off with an actual torque wrench that tells you when you've reached the specified torque. Those torquestiks are just a piece of spring steel and the torque will still vary if you hit them on harder or softer settings on the impact wrench. I used to make my guys reference the manufacturer spec before finishing up the wheel. It was a pet peeve of mine when I was in the shop business. The manufacturer's tire tools are usually bad enough - not being able to get a lug nut off while you are on the side of the road is inexcusable.

 

[roscoe2000]

I have learned to always replace the factory lug nut and after leaving the tire shop to loosen and retorque the lug nut. The sooner the better, that way they can't pass the blame

 

[Buckgnarly]

Torquestiks are not as good as just zipping the lug down with the impact and finishing it off with an actual torque wrench that tells you when you've reached the specified torque. Those torquestiks are just a piece of spring steel and the torque will still vary if you hit them on harder or softer settings on the impact wrench. I used to make my guys reference the manufacturer spec before finishing up the wheel. It was a pet peeve of mine when I was in the shop business. The manufacturer's tire tools are usually bad enough - not being able to get a lug nut off while you are on the side of the road is inexcusable.

Most torque sticks specify that you set them with the same gun at the same setting and same PSI. Might not be easy in shop environment, but done right they are accurate.

 

[pfhWJ]

Torquestiks are not as good as just zipping the lug down with the impact and finishing it off with an actual torque wrench that tells you when you've reached the specified torque. Those torquestiks are just a piece of spring steel and the torque will still vary if you hit them on harder or softer settings on the impact wrench. I used to make my guys reference the manufacturer spec before finishing up the wheel. It was a pet peeve of mine when I was in the shop business. The manufacturer's tire tools are usually bad enough - not being able to get a lug nut off while you are on the side of the road is inexcusable.

I agree i dont think torquestiks arent that accurate. The jeep lug wrench i only 14 inches long. might as well scrap the thing.
Ive learned my lesson from this retorque when i get home.

 

[rodm1]

Anti-Seize is a must in the rust belt. It will save you much trouble if used.

 

[Scott H in Wheaton]

Are the threads stripped or is the nut rounded off?

If you destroyed the outside of the lug nuts, they are rounded off or rounded over.

If you destroyed the threads, they are stripped.

So did you really strip the threads and now need to replace the wheel studs?

 

[pfhWJ]

Sorry i wasnt clear. round one lug... I still think I can hammer a deep 17mm onto it..

 

[zkling]

http://buy1.snapon.com/catalog/item.asp?P65=&tool=all&item_ID=641889&group_ID=675681&store=snapon-store&dir=catalog

After AeroKroil and the Mini Inductor both failed for me.

I've used a 3' cheater pipe with them, and they took it out. First time I ever thought I was going to break my 1/2" Snap On ratchet.

Not a fan of breaker bars?