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How the heck do you get a stripped out lug nut off?

9K views 27 replies 17 participants last post by  superswamper 
#1 ·
I am replacing two of the wheel studs on the front of my truck, because they stripped out. I got all the lug nuts off except one. It is stripped out pretty severely. It just spins on the stud. I can't get the wheel off and can't seem to get the nut off either. Any ideas?
 
#3 ·
That wont work nick becuase the is still a lug nut and a wheel on it. Is the lug turning also? If not the try turning the nut and pulling on the wheel at the same time. If that dont work then I have no idea.
 
#5 ·
It won't come off even if somebody pulls on the wheel while you turn the lug nut? With enough pressure to bring it back off, it will move, it just isn't jumping threads because there is no force behind it.

I have had a popping noise for the last couple of days on my rear axle, and I thought it was the center cap on the driver's side. WRONG. I just finally looked since I got off work early and saw that like 5 of the 8 lug nuts were almost totally off the wheel! Luckily I found it before I left work so I could tighten them down but they all, front and rear, had backed off some. The wheels were used but the lug nuts were new. Everything is okay but man that was scary. So make sure you get this thing fixed before you end up losing a wheel when going down the road.
 
#6 ·
danny, you should remember that you need to recheck lug nuts on aluminum rims after 500 miles. they will back off some. as for getting the stripped stud to stay still, do like danny said and put some pressure on it by pulling the tire out. otherwise put a set of pliers on the stud if you can. :bigthumb:
 
#7 ·
The only problem is I don't have any help. I can't get to the lug nut with a hammer either or I would have just broken it off.

Keep the ideas coming though.

Of all the luck it just started raining. I might just take a can of gas and some matches and do it right.
 
#9 ·
On 2004-07-11 14:52, NickM wrote:
what kinda lug wrench do ya have? If its a X, just put in on and push it side ways.

Or try and get a hold of it with a pair of vice grips and pull while your turn.

Already tried that. Not working. The tire is still on there so I can't get enough movement to break it. I might try to pull on the tire with my legs and turn the x-wrench with my hands to see if that works.... After it stops raining. :fu:
 
#10 ·
Brett, that's the thing, I haven't even put 500 miles on these new axles yet! Only like 300 at the most. Oh well, at least I caught it before it got bad.

Bigger, you can still do that all yourself. Use one hand to pull on the tire (lift it off the ground) and the other to spin the lug nut, or get a ratcheting strap and find a post that is perpendicular to the tire and ratchet that thing until it has pressure on it. You can do this yourself. If not, find somebody to turn the wrench while you pull on the tire... anybody can do that.
 
#11 ·
Is it tight against the wheel?

Anyway to cut the stuf if there is room between the lug and wheel??

If not I'm not too sure. torches and cut it :hack:
 
#12 ·
:withstupid:

Use a dremel or rotozip with a cutting wheel -- I'm sure you know someone with one of those tools. That would make it a one man job; just make sure you wear eye protection. :bigthumb:
 
#13 ·
take a bar or something and put it on a 4x4 piece of wood and bind that tire up. you can sit on that and then take the lug nut off. :bigthumb:
 
#14 ·
ifthe stud itself is turning in the hub, then the hub is most likely ruined anyway. The stud is hardened steel and cuts into the hub when you press it into the flange. if its spinning,t he ub is most likely to big if a hole now to accept a new stud and cut new grooves when intalling.
 
#16 ·
The stud is not turning in the hub. The nut is just turning on the stud (round and round). I can't get to it with a torch, dremel or anything else because the rotor and wheel are on there.

It stopped raining so I will go try it again.
 
#17 ·
Try using a torch. You just have to be careful with your aiming and the nut will come off with no damage to the wheel :bigthumb:
 
#18 ·
fawk a torch. too easy to really mess up your rim. i still think the constant pressure outward is the best way. get an impact and it will pull it off no matter what. :bigthumb:
 
#19 ·
I got it off by pulling on the tire in every different angle while backing the nut off.

Thanks for all the help everyone!
 
#20 ·
TOLD YA SO, TOLD YA SO!!! :silly:
 
#25 ·
another sugestion if u really had to u could just pull ur axel right out then u have access to the back of the hub and u could grind off the stud had the same problem but with a front wheel. i got aluminum rims with stock lug nuts and i always find myself tightning and even loseing lugs but im just going to get some black steelies anyways. well glad u got it off!
 
#26 ·
On 2004-07-12 13:58, 69dodgy_style wrote:
another sugestion if u really had to u could just pull ur axel right out then u have access to the back of the hub and u could grind off the stud had the same problem but with a front wheel. i got aluminum rims with stock lug nuts and i always find myself tightning and even loseing lugs but im just going to get some black steelies anyways. well glad u got it off!

this is how i had to do it on a friends truck a while back. pulling on the wheel didnt change a thing. this was a 2wd ranger and fortunately there was no center cap so we were able to pull the hub off the spindle. then just drilled out the stud from the back side.
 
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