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914World.com _ 914World Garage _ Stubborn lug bolts

Posted by: ematulac Aug 20 2005, 05:53 PM

I've got three of my four wheels changed, but all four lug bolts on the last wheel are just plain stuck. I've been spraying them with liquid wrench for the last 2 weeks. I've tried easing them off using an 18" breaker bar, extending it with a 30" galvanized pipe. None of them will budge.

Can I force them off with the breaker bar, or will I snap the heads off? Should I apply heat?

Help.

Posted by: rhodyguy Aug 20 2005, 06:03 PM

do you have an air impact wrench? pb or aerokroil.

k

Posted by: qa1142 Aug 20 2005, 06:05 PM

Front or rear?

Odd issue, be careful with heat, unless you plan to replace bearings

Posted by: ematulac Aug 20 2005, 06:09 PM

No impact wrench handy at the moment.

Front passenger side tire.

I had issues with the steering moving last week, but it's a non-issue today. The ones on the other tires were really tight, but I was eventually able to ease them off without resorting to anything drastic. These ones though, are friggin' tight. I can actually rock the car back and forth trying to remove them.

Posted by: Rand Aug 20 2005, 06:18 PM

Les Schwab would probably do it for free. If you aren't stuck on jackstands, I think it would be worth driving it to a shop and letting them hit it with an impact wrench.

Posted by: ematulac Aug 20 2005, 06:27 PM

I think I'll do just that. The majority of the nearby shops are closed for the day, or closing up. It will have to wait until tomorrow.

Thanks for all the advice.

Posted by: jonwatts Aug 20 2005, 06:31 PM

Take it someplace for a free brake inspection

Or, buy a longer pipe. If the other wheels are off the car put them back on since you might have to use enough force to push the car off the jackstands.

Posted by: Aaron Cox Aug 20 2005, 06:49 PM

bigger pipe, impact wrench... or your tire shop.

Posted by: ematulac Aug 20 2005, 06:57 PM

Can't wait to get that last wheel changed. The fuchs I got from skline polished up really nicely.

Attached image(s)

Posted by: wilchek Aug 20 2005, 07:00 PM

worst case scenerio break the bolts and replace the rotor. You can get a good used rotor here for 20 bucks. The logs will probably cost more. I know a friend who broke two lugs off on one wheel trying to change to snow tires. It ended up that he stressed the threads driving on the one wheel(maybe hit a curb or pot hole). It seems odd that they are all on one wheel. I would say if the impact gun does not work replace the rotor and lugs. I lost a wheel once a speed (40MPH in VW Thing), trust me spend the money to fix it if it looks strange at all. I ended up going down the highway sideways looking out the passenger window. Luckely got the car to a stop without being slammed by the people behind me.