How do you take off a seized lug nut on an alloy rim the lug nut is counter sunk in the wheel?

Answer 1

Answer: Apply lots of thin oil and let it work it's way into the joint to loosen any rust. Put the rest of the nuts back on and tighten them, then lower the car to let the weight of the car keep the wheel from turning. Then apply lots of force. Use an impact wrench or Uncle Louie's Wrestling arm. If you apply enough force, one of three things will happen. The nut will break loose, the nut will strip on the outside, or the stud will start to turn in the hole.

If the nut is stripped on the outside, tighten all the other nuts to make sure the wheel is being held firmly against the hub to minimize the load on the stripped nut, then -

1) Try using needle nose visegrips to grip the nut very tightly. Turn the pliers using a wrench (OK, this probably won't get you anywhere, but it's the easiest place to start).

2) Try pounding on a cheap (garage sale) socket that is slightly smaller than the nut. This might trash the socket, so don't use a nice one.

3) Use a commercially available "nut remover", if you feel like the job is worth the cost of the tool. Basically it's a socket with lots of "bite" to grip stripped nuts. A "nut splitter" won't work since your nut is recessed.

4) Use an air chisel to GENTLY cut the nut in half - you will have to replace both the stud and the nut since both will be destroyed.

5) Use a dremel to cut the nut in half. This will take a long time, but is a good bet if you want to avoid damaging the wheel.

If the nut and stud are turning in the hole together you could -

1) Tack weld the back of the stud to the hub, remove the nut and cut the weld to replace the stud (and possibly the hub, since the stud has probably trashed the hole it was meant to fit into).

2) Use the air chisel as mentioned above, to remove the nut from the loose stud, but be careful - it would be easy to damage the wheel if you slip.

3) Drill down the center of the stud and thread a 3" long bolt into the hole and cut the head (only the head) off the bolt. Then place a deep socket onto the nut, over the bolt shank. Hold the bolt with a pair of locking pliers and turn the socket with another pair of pliers.

4) Drill down the center of the stud as above, and keep enlarging the hole until only the nut is left.

5) Lower the jack SLIGHTLY to allow some weight of the car to rest on the wheel, causing the stud to jam cross-ways in the hole. ONLY do this if you have very good control of the jack, and have jack stands in place in case the stud snaps.

6) Use a dremel tool to cut the nut in half (slow and tedious, but will work when all else fails).

7) If you have access to the back side of the stud, drill in the center of the "head" of the stud about 3.8" deep. Then keep enlarging the hole until the head falls off.

You will have to assess the situation yourself and decide which method you think you can be successful with. Consider your own skills, the tools you have available, the risk of damaging the alloy wheel. Don't ever use a cutting torch! You will melt the wheel, warp the rotor, and trash the whole assembly. Good luck.

All of the above rubbish takes hours and still doesn't work, I Googled, "locking wheel nut remover" found a guy in Reading and he has a tool he made and it took 10 minutes to remove the four.