Stuck Lug Nuts
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On The Tree
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 115
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From: Illinois
Stuck Lug Nuts The car in question is a 1999 Z28.
A week or two ago I put new rotors and pads on the rear brakes, tonight I was going to start the fronts, but I can't get my lug nuts off. On the passenger side I was able to use my impact to remove two of the five, but put the car back on the ground and had to loosen up two more lugs off by hitting a socket wrench with a hammer, and couldn't get the fifth loosed at all. On the driver side I hit all five with the impact, which had no effect, then used a hammer and socket on them, and still couldn't get them off. I'm about ready to call it quits for the night, but any ideas on how to get them off?
Thank you in advance.
A week or two ago I put new rotors and pads on the rear brakes, tonight I was going to start the fronts, but I can't get my lug nuts off. On the passenger side I was able to use my impact to remove two of the five, but put the car back on the ground and had to loosen up two more lugs off by hitting a socket wrench with a hammer, and couldn't get the fifth loosed at all. On the driver side I hit all five with the impact, which had no effect, then used a hammer and socket on them, and still couldn't get them off. I'm about ready to call it quits for the night, but any ideas on how to get them off?
Thank you in advance.
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 34,627
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From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
Do you have a 1/2" drive breaker bar? If so, do you also have a ~3 foot long pipe (something like the shaft of a conduit bender) that will slip over the breaker bar? This always works for me, unless the nut is stripped and the socket won't bite.
A GOOD quality breaker bar and socket with a pipe will do it. Then make sure you use a torque wrench to put them back on with. If they look at all stripped, or come of very hard all the way, then you may want to consider new studs and lugs. They may be compromised strength wise from over torquing.
Boing in Illinois, the salt may have corroded everything.
Boing in Illinois, the salt may have corroded everything.
I'm with the other guys here, breaker bar and a cheater pipe. Either the lug nut will come off, or the stud itself will. Last time mine were stuck I ended up twisting off two studs... Either way, you'll get your wheel off!
By the way, I live on the MS coast, so, salt gets into everywhere...
By the way, I live on the MS coast, so, salt gets into everywhere...
I'm with the other guys here, breaker bar and a cheater pipe. Either the lug nut will come off, or the stud itself will. Last time mine were stuck I ended up twisting off two studs... Either way, you'll get your wheel off!
By the way, I live on the MS coast, so, salt gets into everywhere...
By the way, I live on the MS coast, so, salt gets into everywhere...
FYI, torque spec on these cars is 95 to 100ft-lbs...
Forgot about that one. I don't remember how many we finally went through, but, that was definitely more than two twisted off lug nuts...
