Lugnut will not come off (stripped)...need advice

[b5aholic]

Hey guys,

So my brother was driving the car yesterday, he got a flat and tried to change the tire for the spare. He got all the lugnuts out except for 1. He gave it a good kick and the tool stripped the nut...

I showed up and there is 1 lugnut left but it is completely stripped...

I took a smaller socket and hammered it onto the lugnut, used a breaker bar and tried to get it off but it would not budge. I really forced it and I cracked my socket...never seen that before.

Long story short, stripped lugnut, can't get it off, any ideas?

Thanks

[b6_quattro]

i would drill the head off so you can take the wheel off and the spray it with pb blaster or wd40 then drill another hole for an easy out.

[Corrado_Guy]

A few winters ago I couldn't find my key for my lock nuts with snow falling on my back so I drilled a hole in the centre of the lock nut and used my Hazel 8mm triple square to get it off. I just hammered that socket in there and low and behold it got it off. I didn't have anything else that would work at hand but this may give you an idea of what else to use. If there is enough room around the nut you may also be able to get one of those sockets designed for stripped bolts on it as well. If not that you may be able to use a high quality easy out on it.

[b5aholic]

I wanted to avoid drilling because I have been known to drill a little crooked and I don't feel like tapping a new hole in my knuckle lol. I'm gonna try heating it, banging a socket on, then bang on my ratchet to simulate an impact tool, if not use a breaker bar but I'll apply the force closer down this time because I think I used too much torque last time. Plan B will be to drill it out.

[Harddrive]

I've had this happen on one of my wheels and it was more than one lug nut that was stuck hard. I broke two wheel wrenches trying to get those suckers out. In the end i drove it to the mechanics. After trying unsucessfully with thier own wrenches, they brought out a blunt punch and a BFH, placed the punch against each nut and gave each a hard whack with the BFH. Then they used a wrench with a breaker bar and the lugs twisted out easy. I was scared they had damaged the threads with those whacks. They changed the lugs though cos the threads were badly rusted. This was two years ago, and no problems till date.

[SoddyMatt1]

Some autoparts stores sell locking lug removal kits. its fairly simple to use and all you need is the impact, hammer, and the socket set. Ive used them on stripped lugnuts before.

[audienthusiest]

in case you dont have enough suggestions already.. just drill the head off (so you can slip the wheel off) (as stated above i no) then grind two flat sides on the bolt and twist (blast with pb if necessary)

[clouds_aflame]

I've been here. The previous owner of my car had some real terrible aftermarket security lugs on, and not only was the key stripped, 2 of the lugs were also. As a previous post suggested, and you seem to have tried, we hammered on an industrial strength socket, and then stood/jumped on a breaker bar to get them out. On one, we had to go a size smaller on the socket because it was stripped to badly. It was PITA to get on, but once we got some leverage they came out fine. Hope this works out for you, and you don't have to pay a garage to do it!

[SIMPLXA4]

Hey guys,

So my brother was driving the car yesterday, he got a flat and tried to change the tire for the spare. He got all the lugnuts out except for 1. He gave it a good kick and the tool stripped the nut...

I showed up and there is 1 lugnut left but it is completely stripped...

I took a smaller socket and hammered it onto the lugnut, used a breaker bar and tried to get it off but it would not budge. I really forced it and I cracked my socket...never seen that before.

Long story short, stripped lugnut, can't get it off, any ideas?

Thanks

Try hamering another socket on there, it needs to be a 12 point socket a chrome one from sears works just fine. Then once the socket is on the stripped socket hit it with a impact and it should come off. A breaker bar wont work I've tried that and just doesnt. This should work for you I've gotten many stripped lug nuts off this way. But just make sure its a 12 point socket not a 6 point one

[turbo_bootin]

Use this. http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...2&blockType=G2

Worked like a charm for me.

[Brrr]

Use this. http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...2&blockType=G2

Worked like a charm for me.

Sorry to resurrect an old thread! I've got the locking lug out, but can't get the lug out of the removal socket. I've broken 3 pair of channel locks and had no success with vice grips or a bench vise. Neither can grip the lug tight enough to remove the removal socket (it's a threaded removal socket with reverse threads). Any ideas? Thanks!

[99a4turbo]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread! I've got the locking lug out, but can't get the lug out of the removal socket. I've broken 3 pair of channel locks and had no success with vice grips or a bench vise. Neither can grip the lug tight enough to remove the removal socket (it's a threaded removal socket with reverse threads). Any ideas? Thanks!

hold the socket in a vise and put a punch in the ratchet end and knock it through to the other side.

[Vierings]

hold the socket in a vise and put a punch in the ratchet end and knock it through to the other side.

This, or replace the socket.

[SIMPLXA4]

Heating the socket as well will work. But its going to take some effort to get the stripped lug nut out of the socket. Might be easier to replace it.

[Brrr]

hold the socket in a vise and put a punch in the ratchet end and knock it through to the other side.

This, or replace the socket.

Thanks guys. I'll give it a shot but I'd hate to throw away $17 (Princess Auto special!) I've got 3 more to do. I had a b*tch of a time with the first one and finally got it to spin a bit so I stopped and tried two others. By the third one I noticed LOTS of metal shavings in the key and figured that the lugs were stripped. Guessing that the fourth one is just as bad. Yes I'm using an air gun.

Heating the socket as well will work. But its going to take some effort to get the stripped lug nut out of the socket. Might be easier to replace it.

Thanks. Will give it a shot. Now I gotta go out and get a torch. Or I could just let the dealer do it. I've got a service appointment in a couple weeks but it goes against every grain in my cheap bones to pay to have someone change over to my winters!

[SIMPLXA4]

So you haven't gotten the stripped lug nuts off the car? Or you have? Gotten them off. How many stripped lug nuts do you have?

[Brrr]

So you haven't gotten the stripped lug nuts off the car? Or you have? Gotten them off. How many stripped lug nuts do you have?

Yeah, I have one locking lug nut off the car. It's stuck in the removal socket. I have 3 more to take off. Don't really want to buy 3 more removal sockets at $17 a piece. I've got a service app't in a couple weeks so I'll call them to find out how much they charge for this kind of service.

[Brrr]

Update:

My dealer said they'd take a look but made no promises. My local independent tire guy said he'd do it for $25 with an extractor, not cut, and has a 95% success rate. I'm going with him first.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'm still going to try to remove the stuck lug in the socket. First by applying heat and trying again. If that doesn't work, the advice from manufacturer is to re-install it to remove the socket! I'm going to try to find a short bolt, stick it in the vise, and tighten the lug nut 'til tight and see if it turns!