Ugh, wheel lock and nut shattered to pieces.
11-10-13, 05:19 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Ugh, wheel lock and nut shattered to pieces.
So I'm taking my summer wheels off, get all of the lock nuts off and I'm working on the last one when both the key and the nut crack and shatter. Now I've got 3 wheels with only 4 nuts holding them on and one wheel that I can't get off because the lock nut is shattered and there is really nothing left to grab on to.
I made one feeble attempt with a slightly smaller socket and a rubber mallet to try to hammer the socket onto what was left but I couldn't get it on (maybe I need to forget the rubber and go with a big steel one and hope I don't miss...). Doesn't help about half of the original face of the nut is completely gone now. I also thought to try to clamp a vise onto what is left and tap it with the hammer until it comes off, or even clamp another vise perpendicular to the one clam[ed on the nut and hammer the end of that for more leverage... have yet to try that though. Biggest worry at this point with my home remedies would be shearing the bolt right off the hub in the process.
Anybody have any bright ideas for me to try before I take what's left of the car to a tire shop and let them (probably) mangle my wheels getting the thing off? I'm not super concerned about driving the thing around with 4 out of 5 of the nuts secured ... but should I be?
These rims are OE toyota 18s and have the flat seat with nuts that have washers, I can't seem to find any non OE replacement nuts (I'm not putting useless wheel locks back on after this), eg. McGard... they all seem to be bulge/cone?
I made one feeble attempt with a slightly smaller socket and a rubber mallet to try to hammer the socket onto what was left but I couldn't get it on (maybe I need to forget the rubber and go with a big steel one and hope I don't miss...). Doesn't help about half of the original face of the nut is completely gone now. I also thought to try to clamp a vise onto what is left and tap it with the hammer until it comes off, or even clamp another vise perpendicular to the one clam[ed on the nut and hammer the end of that for more leverage... have yet to try that though. Biggest worry at this point with my home remedies would be shearing the bolt right off the hub in the process.
Anybody have any bright ideas for me to try before I take what's left of the car to a tire shop and let them (probably) mangle my wheels getting the thing off? I'm not super concerned about driving the thing around with 4 out of 5 of the nuts secured ... but should I be?
These rims are OE toyota 18s and have the flat seat with nuts that have washers, I can't seem to find any non OE replacement nuts (I'm not putting useless wheel locks back on after this), eg. McGard... they all seem to be bulge/cone?
Last edited by BinaryJay; 11-10-13 at 05:22 PM.
11-10-13, 05:52 PM
#4
4 out of 5 nuts secured are still better than 3 which I experienced for at least a few hundred miles.
Damn dealership either forgot to put them back on or didn;t torque them right after replacing my rear calipers.
Damn dealership either forgot to put them back on or didn;t torque them right after replacing my rear calipers.
11-10-13, 05:57 PM
#5
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Thread Starter
I'm going to try calling the CAA (roadside assistance) tomorrow morning, I pay them every year and never need them for anything it would be great if they could just send somebody to do it for me... I'm sure their tow guys have to get lock nuts off wheels where the people don't have the keys sometimes and whatever they use to do that would probably work with a busted nut... maybe.
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11-10-13, 06:55 PM
#8
Oh jeeze! You broke a stud? It's okay, they cost no more than a few $ at the shops.... the OEM lock nuts SUCK when you let them sit too long, you usually need an impact gun to get'em out. You might be lucky trying alchemist's method.
Next time if it doesn't come off the first round, try PB blaster.
GL to you brother! I went through the same hassle, went back to Lexus 3 times because the key for the key lock broke all 3 times. I had to just eat it, purchase a 80$ impact gun and a $300 compressor, and some PB blaster, and break that sucker loose!
Next time if it doesn't come off the first round, try PB blaster.
GL to you brother! I went through the same hassle, went back to Lexus 3 times because the key for the key lock broke all 3 times. I had to just eat it, purchase a 80$ impact gun and a $300 compressor, and some PB blaster, and break that sucker loose!
11-10-13, 07:16 PM
#10
Moderator
Thread Starter
Oh jeeze! You broke a stud? It's okay, they cost no more than a few $ at the shops.... the OEM lock nuts SUCK when you let them sit too long, you usually need an impact gun to get'em out. You might be lucky trying alchemist's method.
Next time if it doesn't come off the first round, try PB blaster.
GL to you brother! I went through the same hassle, went back to Lexus 3 times because the key for the key lock broke all 3 times. I had to just eat it, purchase a 80$ impact gun and a $300 compressor, and some PB blaster, and break that sucker loose!
Next time if it doesn't come off the first round, try PB blaster.
GL to you brother! I went through the same hassle, went back to Lexus 3 times because the key for the key lock broke all 3 times. I had to just eat it, purchase a 80$ impact gun and a $300 compressor, and some PB blaster, and break that sucker loose!
I'll go to the hardware store tomorrow and get a small set of 12 point sockets and give it a go, I guess those work easier because they will fit over the end of a mismatched nut more easily. Once I get the stupid thing off I can just put my winter wheels on and not worry about getting replacement nuts for this until the spring.
All of the nuts for my winters are rusted to crap already and I'm starting to think I better replace those too... they must have given me the cheapest of the cheapest ones when I had Toyota throw the winters on after buying them, they are open ended and not even plated. Last thing I want is for them to rust on the stud and have the stud snap when I try to remove them in the spring. :|
Just had a new baby in September and the thought of my wife driving around with my two kids when the thing isn't 100% doesn't sit well with me even though I'm sure it's fine.
Last edited by BinaryJay; 11-10-13 at 07:20 PM.
11-10-13, 07:56 PM
#12
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Thread Starter
What do you mean? I'm pretty much under the impression that the socket is garbage after performing this operation and I won't care to get the lug out of the socket after anyway. Or do you mean I just turn around and walk right back into the store and say hey I'd like to use my lifetime warranty now, harhar.
11-10-13, 08:08 PM
#13
What do you mean? I'm pretty much under the impression that the socket is garbage after performing this operation and I won't care to get the lug out of the socket after anyway. Or do you mean I just turn around and walk right back into the store and say hey I'd like to use my lifetime warranty now, harhar.
11-10-13, 09:12 PM
#14
The stud is fine (at least I think so it's covered by what's left of the nut still), it's just the nut that is broken on the stud... the top of it and about 1/3 - 1/2 of the part that surrounds the stud is cracked off. The lock and the nut cracked at the same time... my wife's cousin was the one actually handling the wrench at the time so I can't really comment on what was going on when it happened all I heard was crack and there went my day - didn't get anything done today at all. =)
I'll go to the hardware store tomorrow and get a small set of 12 point sockets and give it a go, I guess those work easier because they will fit over the end of a mismatched nut more easily. Once I get the stupid thing off I can just put my winter wheels on and not worry about getting replacement nuts for this until the spring.
All of the nuts for my winters are rusted to crap already and I'm starting to think I better replace those too... they must have given me the cheapest of the cheapest ones when I had Toyota throw the winters on after buying them, they are open ended and not even plated. Last thing I want is for them to rust on the stud and have the stud snap when I try to remove them in the spring. :|
Just had a new baby in September and the thought of my wife driving around with my two kids when the thing isn't 100% doesn't sit well with me even though I'm sure it's fine.
I'll go to the hardware store tomorrow and get a small set of 12 point sockets and give it a go, I guess those work easier because they will fit over the end of a mismatched nut more easily. Once I get the stupid thing off I can just put my winter wheels on and not worry about getting replacement nuts for this until the spring.
All of the nuts for my winters are rusted to crap already and I'm starting to think I better replace those too... they must have given me the cheapest of the cheapest ones when I had Toyota throw the winters on after buying them, they are open ended and not even plated. Last thing I want is for them to rust on the stud and have the stud snap when I try to remove them in the spring. :|
Just had a new baby in September and the thought of my wife driving around with my two kids when the thing isn't 100% doesn't sit well with me even though I'm sure it's fine.
.I thought you snapped a stud, my bad my bad
When you say broke nut and bolt it confuses me a little hahaha!tsk tsk on your wife's cousin hahaha.... Make sure you purchase a new lock set on your way back home before removing the bolts
Anyone have any ideas on what better brand would have better nuts for the wheels?
11-11-13, 03:15 PM
#15
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Thread Starter
Nobody around seemed to have any 12 point sockets anywhere... last place I go to (of course) was Home Depot.. they had 2 sizes of sockets 19 and 21 that were 12 point husky... that's it. Bought both and got lucky the 19mm hammered onto the busted nut and I was able to remove it with a cheater bar in a total of like 30 seconds from start to finish (in the parking lot). Price was kind of a ripoff at 5 dollars a piece... but oh well. Definitely ruined the socket, I can't separate it from the lug at all any more and i can tell it's mangled... but for 5 bucks it's worth it, I was sure if I let a shop take it off they'd probably ruin the wheel and then charge me 40 bucks for the privilege.
Went to Toyota/Lexus and bought new regular lugs to replace the locks for a dollar each. Now I can finally get around to putting my winter wheels on hurrah.
Went to Toyota/Lexus and bought new regular lugs to replace the locks for a dollar each. Now I can finally get around to putting my winter wheels on hurrah.