InTheAir

I could use some help.

Getting reading for the suspension install and decided to get the car up on the jack stands tonight. Unfortunately, one lug nut is not cooperating.

Last summer I had my tires balanced. Unfortunately, it seems like the right rear lug nuts were overtorqued and in the process snapped off the top/hood of my locking lug nut. Therefore, all that is left is the shank (with the key section). I can still fit the lug key socket over what is left of the locking lug nut, but I can't get a good enough bite on it to loosen it. Everytime I apply pressure to it with the ratchet, the lug key socket slips off (there is only about 1/8" depth to the teeth, unlike the 3/4" or so depth of a typical lug nut).

I have tried retightening adjacent lug nuts to relieve some of the clamping pressure on the locking lug, but no help. I have sprayed some WD40 on it and let it sit for a while, but no luck.

Since it is on the rear, the lug is deeper within the stock 17" Cup wheels, so it's hard to keep the pivot axis of the socket in line, so the locking lug nut key again keeps slipping off.

ANY HELP? Do I need to invest in a decent impact wrench (which will help me keep the pivot axis aligned with the lug) to get this beast off??

Any other ideas?

<waiting patiently>

Don Plumley

PB Blaster is better than WD-40 at breaking stuck fastners. But if it was so overtorqued as to break the locking nut, this may not be much help.

Unless you have a burning desire to have an impact wrench (and man, they are great), I'd pop the wheels back on and head to a good wheel/tire place and have them break the nut loose.

Sooner

I had a stripped out lock about 2 mos ago. Took it to a tire shop, they hammered a regular socket on & had it off in 5 minutes, no charge! No damage to the wheel either.

I took the other locks off & replaced with standard lugs. The locks aren't worth having IMHO. Just be smart about where you park!

ceboyd

snap on makes a tool for removing it... I had www.snapon.com and do a search.. I know I posted it here before for someone else last year.. it saved my butt on my former VW on a locking lug that was crossthreaded... It ruins that lock but it gets it out!

Jack of Hearts

What a fiasco, Jeff. I feel your pain. You don't want to screw up the key socket so that you can't use it on your good lock nuts. I'm not sure an impact wrench would even help with that much damage to the nut. The problem is that there is not enough surface to take up the slack that exists normally in any socket. I would put the wheels back on first, just in case, then I would shim the key nut with tape or a thin piece of aluminum so it is very tight in the socket. You will need to apply quite a bit of pressure inward against the remaining piece of the nut, while trying again to break it loose. If you can do this with an old-school cross bar wrench that allows you to lever in two directions at the same time it may work. Honestly, I think you're gonna end up at a Porsche mechanic or a tire and wheel place with LOTS of Porsche experience. Good luck.

J o H

ps: you already added the new suspension parts to your sig? you are anxious to get going!

gordo993

Jeff,
Jack of Hearts raises some excellent points. I'd remove the other three locking lugs and order regular lug nuts (I don't know if you can order them individually or just as a set). THat way, if you destroy the key while getting that fourth one off, you aren't screwed three more times!

I plan on replacing all my lug nuts sometime soon - to get rid of the lockers, and to replace my chewed up ones.

Or, you could just cut that wheel in half, and that bad nut will just spin right off!!

viperbob

The 19mm one of these works. http://tinyurl.com/g939b

Sounds like if you did have an impact gun pushed on hard it would come off. If have had ones like that before.

Good luck..

InTheAir

Well, thanks guys and gal. The advice was heeded and I took it to a local tire place this morning. They used an impact gun to remove it--took about 1 minute from the time they pulled it in.

...Then.... the guy grabbed the torque wrench and torqued it back down to 96 ft/lbs (rolleyes). I had him take another 30 seconds to remove it completely for the 3 mile drive home.

The locking lug nut was in fact snapped at the head. I think I'm done with locking lug nuts.

InTheAir

I wish I would have thought of that one earlier. At least it would have justified the wheel upgrade.

InTheAir

Once paid for, they are sig worthy.

Brave Heart

Jeff

Most times working on the car has its panic moments -- Sounds like you have have had your share already -- rest of the install should go like a breeze !!