Worn Lug Nuts

Hi, I've got this problem with a pair of lug nuts. One on each front wheel.

Was looking today to replace all four tires with the old ones so's I can donate this car this week. Unfortunately I got halfway since my X-wrench couldn't catch on to each of these two nuts. Trying an more would only make it worse I'd imagine.

What's the solution if any? I can't drive the car to a mech or anyplace else since that's why I'm donating it. Car don't work. :-)

Or am I stuck forking over the front tires as well?

Mind you, as long as I've owned the car the only folks who've ever touched these wheels and sold me the latest new ones was this one shop. Now I'll know what else to look out for after handing over my car for a mere tire job of any kind.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

Irwin makes a rounded nut socket to take off stuff like that. You could get it at a auto parts store.

 

Awesome! Just looked it up and found something like this:
Irwin Bolt Grip Nut Remover

There are plenty of auto shops near me. Thanks very much for the direction. Very much appreciated!

 

You might try a large pair of vise grips and a hammer, or even a nut cracker ( automotive - not the Christmas soldier ).

Since it's being donated in nonworking condition, I would try everything including a cold chisel or a dremel tool with a cutoff wheel. The receivers wont care if there is one nut missing.

 

Thanks Goldstar, yeah, kinda lost sight of the idea that all that matters is getting them wheels back since they'll take the car in any condition. They sure cost enough.

Thanks for the help as well.

 

I had this happen on an old tractor I had. I WD-40'd it, then used a pipe wrench and a metal pole for leverage. Worked great!

 

Well, I'm still stuck with the same problem. I came to realise something I shoulda known all along. What I thought were hubcaps were the full wheels inside the tires which themselves were expensive as well. What made everything worse was this protruding cone coming out of the center of the wheels and which get in the way of using any sort of vise, wrench or anything that doesn't have an extension.

Soooooo, I'm stuck. The bolts are even worse now and I even took a cold chisel to it but....?

Any ideas whether a knowledgeable mech with a blowtorch could do the job? Is this crazy? I don't know what else to do.

Oh yeah, I'd purchased the Irwin Bolt Grips but they didn't fit. I'm still looking for the expansion set with the bigger bolt grips here in NYC. :-(

 

Are the wheels aluminum or mags? You may not have the nut locked to the stud, but the wheel nut locked to the wheel.

Sometimes if the wheel nuts are over tightened, the wheel expanded in warm weather and the nut locks up. If this is the case, you may be able to dry ice the wheel around the wheel and shrink it enough to the get the nuts off.

Hope this helps,

Bob

 

Are these what you have?
http://www.irwin.com/irwin/consumer/...rwinProd100512

 

Bob, I'm not sure which one's they might be. They're 'American Racing' Wheels (possibly custom made)and to be honest, the entire tire + wheel is lighter than my old wheels despite being so big. Would it say so on the interior of the wheel? The two I've gotten off are in my newer car's trunk. Note: I purchased the car a few years ago with these wheels already installed and then got brand new tire replacements last year.

Thanks for the insight, but I really do have to post an image of them so's to show what I mean by that protuding tube being in the way. You folks might get a kick out of my tires.

At this point the nuts are almost completed rounded and so as far as I can see getting that special bolt grip I'd mentioned would be the only way to get them off....That is, after I've considered what you've mentioned. Thanks again for the suggestion.

 

Yup. At least it was part of the set which I purchased and then returned to the store. I'd found out how there's an expansion set with the bigger sizes. My nuts (no pun intended) are 19mm.

Darn, I'd looked for Irwin's site and couldn't find it. Now I know what stores normally carry their products. Thanks for the link pal.