Lug bolt from hell. Now stripped/rounded...what to do?

BimmerNugget · 05-28-2018, 05:18 PM

I got my tires installed by a local tire shop back in January 2018. These bastards torqued the shit out of my lugs. Probably well over 1200 ft lbs.

I tried to do a brake job (new rotors and pads) this past weekend but I couldn't get any of the damn wheels off. I used a Craftsman electric impact wrench with 345 lb ft of torque, none of the lug bolts would budget.

So I thought to myself, maybe it's because this piece of shit craftsman impact wrench is too weak. So I went to Harbor Freight and got the Earthquake XT cordless electric impact wrench with "1200 lbs ft" of breakaway torque. I also got a 25 inch 1/2 inch drive breaker bar.

I was finally able to get 3 wheels off by using my new 1200 lb ft impact wrench from harbor freight. The last wheel (front passenger side) has one bolt that is stuck on like a MF. I used the big boy impact gun from Harbor Freight and it stripped it a little. So I stopped.

I headed back to harbor freight to grab a bolt extractor kit.

https://www.harborfreight.com/9-pc-3...set-67894.html

Now this bolt extractor kit (and most bolt extractors) are 3/8 inch drive, but my 25 inch breaker bar is 1/2 inch drive. I used a HUSKY brand 3/8 to 1/2" adapter and boom. We're in business.

The bolt extractor seems to work on that last rounded lug bolt but then out of no where, the HUSKY adaptor shears off. WTF!!!

View post on imgur.com

What do i do now? I heard some people can weld a socket onto the rounded lug but then it would destroy by wheel from the heat due to welding?

VXEric · 05-28-2018, 07:36 PM

pretty common for those to shear off. I've broken 4-5 of them. Get a wheel lock removal socket, hammer it on and use your 1/2" breaker bar with a pipe to get it the lugnut loose.

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-3-pc-...p-00947392000P

rsyed07 · 05-29-2018, 06:32 PM

I've had good luck with Kobalt adapters from Lowes. The harbor freight ones are trash. What I've done in a situation like that was use the lever of my jack attached to my 1/2" drive breaker bar to untorque wheel lug nuts. It's similar to using a pipe but with a lot more leverage since the lever is long.

BimmerNugget · 05-29-2018, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VXEric

pretty common for those to shear off. I've broken 4-5 of them. Get a wheel lock removal socket, hammer it on and use your 1/2" breaker bar with a pipe to get it the lugnut loose.

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-3-pc-...p-00947392000P

Hey guy,

Thanks for the advice and product link. I got a similar looking one from Sears today and it worked like a charm. 17mm lug bolt extractor with 1/2" drive. Used my impact wrench to shock it a few times, then used my breaker bar to get it off.

banglenot · 05-30-2018, 10:53 AM

Whenever the apes at the tire shop remount my tires the first thing I do when I get home is retorque the nuts to 90 ft lbs. Takes 10 minutes.

That way it's right, and I don't find myself jumping on a jack handle in the rain because of a mis-set air gun, or getting warped rotors because a couple of the nuts are at 150 ft lbs while others are at 50.

Also, I know if the apes cross threaded a lug nut with the air gun and can raise hell if they did.

05-28-2018, 05:18 PM	#1
BimmerNugget Crazy Frog 543 Rep 1,211 Posts Drives: L.L.Bean Bootmobile Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: 560 State Street iTrader: (0)	Lug bolt from hell. Now stripped/rounded...what to do? I got my tires installed by a local tire shop back in January 2018. These bastards torqued the shit out of my lugs. Probably well over 1200 ft lbs. I tried to do a brake job (new rotors and pads) this past weekend but I couldn't get any of the damn wheels off. I used a Craftsman electric impact wrench with 345 lb ft of torque, none of the lug bolts would budget. So I thought to myself, maybe it's because this piece of shit craftsman impact wrench is too weak. So I went to Harbor Freight and got the Earthquake XT cordless electric impact wrench with "1200 lbs ft" of breakaway torque. I also got a 25 inch 1/2 inch drive breaker bar. I was finally able to get 3 wheels off by using my new 1200 lb ft impact wrench from harbor freight. The last wheel (front passenger side) has one bolt that is stuck on like a MF. I used the big boy impact gun from Harbor Freight and it stripped it a little. So I stopped. I headed back to harbor freight to grab a bolt extractor kit. https://www.harborfreight.com/9-pc-3...set-67894.html Now this bolt extractor kit (and most bolt extractors) are 3/8 inch drive, but my 25 inch breaker bar is 1/2 inch drive. I used a HUSKY brand 3/8 to 1/2" adapter and boom. We're in business. The bolt extractor seems to work on that last rounded lug bolt but then out of no where, the HUSKY adaptor shears off. WTF!!! View post on imgur.com What do i do now? I heard some people can weld a socket onto the rounded lug but then it would destroy by wheel from the heat due to welding? __________________ www.youtube.com/watch?v=k85mRPqvMbE
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05-28-2018, 07:36 PM	#2
VXEric Private 28 Rep 62 Posts Drives: 2011 E90 335xi 6MT Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Philadelphia, PA iTrader: (1)	pretty common for those to shear off. I've broken 4-5 of them. Get a wheel lock removal socket, hammer it on and use your 1/2" breaker bar with a pipe to get it the lugnut loose. http://www.sears.com/craftsman-3-pc-...p-00947392000P
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05-29-2018, 06:32 PM	#3
rsyed07 Captain 175 Rep 595 Posts Drives: E46 330i, E92 13' 335is Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Central FL iTrader: (0)	I've had good luck with Kobalt adapters from Lowes. The harbor freight ones are trash. What I've done in a situation like that was use the lever of my jack attached to my 1/2" drive breaker bar to untorque wheel lug nuts. It's similar to using a pipe but with a lot more leverage since the lever is long.
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05-30-2018, 10:53 AM	#5
banglenot Private 38 Rep 85 Posts Drives: 2007 328xiT Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Ft Lauderdale and Connecticut iTrader: (0)	Whenever the apes at the tire shop remount my tires the first thing I do when I get home is retorque the nuts to 90 ft lbs. Takes 10 minutes. That way it's right, and I don't find myself jumping on a jack handle in the rain because of a mis-set air gun, or getting warped rotors because a couple of the nuts are at 150 ft lbs while others are at 50. Also, I know if the apes cross threaded a lug nut with the air gun and can raise hell if they did.
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