Help! I broke a lug nut… how do I get it off now?

[Ghostyman]

I’m too strong for normal metals. That’s the lesson I learned from this.

I was cranking down my lug nuts and I broke one of them off. The nuts are “tuner style” with proprietary tool to take them off. It sheared off so part of the nut is still on the thread but the part of the nut that accepts the drive is not attached any more.

Any ideas on how to get the rest of the nut off?

I’ll post pictures when I’m home from work but I wanted some feedback to give me ideas. I’m pretty stumped on how I’m going to get this off.

I vaguely recall these might be Gorilla locks but I’m not sure.

Thanks for any help.


EDIT: Here's a picture of it. Upper right lug nut.

[jimy]

Its an easy fix. But you wont be able to do it. A wheel shop will have to take it off for you.

They have a kit that they wedge in there and force it to turn open.

[kouzie]

Happen to me not too long ago..
Not having the right tool I have to took car to a shop..

[jimy]

Or if you have patients. You can drill out the stud. Not such a good idea though.

[Ghostyman]

Yeah, I don't want to drill out the stud if I don't have to.

I don't mind taking it to a wheel shop but I'd prefer to do it myself if possible. Any idea on if these kits that the wheel shops use is available to consumers?

Good to know that this is a fairly common occurrence and wheel shops shouldn't have a problem with it.

[jimy]

Yeah, I don't want to drill out the stud if I don't have to.

I don't mind taking it to a wheel shop but I'd prefer to do it myself if possible. Any idea on if these kits that the wheel shops use is available to consumers?

Good to know that this is a fairly common occurrence and wheel shops shouldn't have a problem with it.

Kits are strictly for dealers or shops only. If consumers buy them, then buying wheel lock is useless.

[DjM_coupe]

x3...i had a chewed up nut on my wheel when i bought her...friend took it off at the dealer

[Ghostyman]

Kits are strictly for dealers or shops only. If consumers buy them, then buying wheel lock is useless.

Wheel locks are already useless against a determined thief. And anyone who buys a set of Gorilla locks has the same key that I do.

I'll be off to the shop tomorrow to get the lug nut taken off. The same wheel has a busted lug so I'll probably have that taken care of at the same time.

Then I just need to machine some 45mm discs to act as center caps and I'll be set.

[ATS666]

Anyone can buy the kits. I have 2 seperate kits just for this reason.

[Ghostyman]

Anyone can buy the kits. I have 2 seperate kits just for this reason.

Are we talking about the same type of kit? Where did you buy yours?

[MadSpleen85]

Are we talking about the same type of kit? Where did you buy yours?

That is what I was wondering. I used one of these kits in the shop at school when an old rusted lug snapped on us. Real easy fix but definitely not available to just anyone..

Being caught with one of these kits around here is the same as possessing burglarizing tools.

There was a wheel shop that was robbed last week, one of these kits is what they were after. Thanks to a smart manager, they only got part of the kit, he spread the pieces through two separate tool chests.

[92bently]

yeh i dont think anyone can get it, but i know snapon sells a wheel lock kit of some sort..i forget how much it was but i was looking into it for my shop, but i just got a full set of damaged bolt removers...they work just as well even with only a little bit of lug nut left.....

[jimy]

I know for sure that you can not buy this kit if you don't work for a shop or own a shop.

[LinX]

I had this happen to me once. Let me tell you, it was a BITCH drilling out the part that was stuck on. Not only did it take me a long ass time but I drilled into the stud and part of the rim. Here's the worst part though, right after I fixed one side, I broke another lug the same exact way on the other side. I nearly pulled my hair out.
The metals used on some of these gorilla locks is low quality and in reality everyone has those keys. I'd just take it to a shop if I were you.

[Ghostyman]

Took it to two shops but they weren't very confident about getting it out. The first one said they couldn't do it without messing up my rims and they recommended a second place. That place was just going to go at it with hand tools and it would take a while. I don't want to pay for labor I can do myself so I brought it home. I started drilling out the lug which was slow going. I'm going to see if I can use the drill to weaken the remaining part of the lug nut until I can get it off somehow. Otherwise it's back to my original plan of drilling out the center of the lug until I can break it off.

This is only annoying because I just got new spacers and a new set of rims that I want to use while I recondition my current rims.

Thanks for all the help.