PDA

View Full Version : Broken Lug Nut



Niko_Fx
07-26-2004, 09:42 AM
Ok here's the story and some pics:

Yesterday when I arrived home I saw that I had a huge nail in my tire, since it was late and a sunday I didn't feel like going to a tire place (Besides they close early on sundays). The tire was losing air very slow.

The next morning (Today) I woke up early to get that fixed (I'm working as a delivery guy through the summer and I start working at 11AM). The tire had almost ran completely out of air, so big deal I just had to get the spare and put it and drive to "Tire Kingdom" which is like 1 mile away from my house. When trying to unscrew the first lug nut it broke, it broke as if it was PLASTIC. My face = :eek: So it was impossible to take the tire off (Impossible with my tools obviously)

I went to wal-mart with my dad's car and got one of those "Tire inflator & Seal" cans cause I don't feel like paying 40 bucks to a tow truck to move my car 1 mile. So I fixed the tire and went to Tire Kingdom to get it professionally fixed and to change the lug nut for a newer one. In tire kingdom they said they couldn't do it, that they didn't have the tool for it.... OMG they change tires the whole day and they cannot find a way to get that fixed??? They said the lug nut was too broken and that the only way was breaking the rims or just getting rid of the drum brakes or who the heck knows... At the end they didn't even bother trying, they just told me to go to some speedshop in Fort Lauderdale which is like 30+ minutes away from Boca Raton.

I went to another place and they kinda told me the same thing but they recommended me a place which was very close, right there in Boca.

I went to that place and the guy said that he could do it but that he would probably have to damage the rim, like scratch it really bad or something. I said wth, there's nothing else we can do so just do what you can, I won't consider you responsable or anything for the rim's damage.

Later he called me, I went and picked it up, the rim was perfect, he found a way of taking the lug nut off without damaging the rim at all :) He also put me the 4 stock wheels cause I told him to do so cause I was afraid the other 15 lug nuts would break.

So I'm now driving with stock wheels, still need to get the other one fixed (Not at freaking tire kingdom though) and couldn't work today.

BTW the "Tire inflator and seal" thing is fantastic, I highly recommend you carry one can in your car cause accidents happen all the time.... you never know when you might need it.

What did you learn about this story??
Nothing really, just be careful with aftermarket crap and try to avoid nails on the road ;)

Oh and don't go to tire kingdom when you have a problem like this!!

Here are some pics.

Niko

johnnynumfiv
07-26-2004, 09:56 AM
What were you using to take the lug off?

Niko_Fx
07-26-2004, 10:33 AM
What were you using to take the lug off?

The regular tool (Sorry don't know the name of it in english) that comes with the car PLUS the key that I need to take those lugs off (The key came with the new rims and the new lug nuts)

I was just changing the tires the usual way....

UK CARS
07-26-2004, 12:02 PM
A little bit of grease will help problems in the future. ;)

Niko_Fx
07-26-2004, 12:07 PM
A little bit of grease will help problems in the future. ;)

I was just unscrewing the lug nut in the regular way, I've never ever needed any grease to do that.

Last time I rotated my tires they screwed the lug nuts with those air guns that they have... I don't own a damn F1, they should use the air gun to remove the lug nuts but not to screw them cause they end up too tight.

baddabang
07-26-2004, 12:27 PM
The regular tool (Sorry don't know the name of it in english) that comes with the car.


A Tire Iron? and were exactly did it break?

TheOne
07-26-2004, 12:29 PM
those airguns are actually good for unscrewing and screwing:). it might have been because the last person who put that tire didn't put the lug nut right....next time just use the force and just keep on tryin to unscrew the damaged lug nut, it'll break and go out without havin to damage your rims.(it has happened to me)

johnnynumfiv
07-26-2004, 12:34 PM
I always use the impact wrench to take off and put on the lugs, I've never had a problem. I think what cause it to break was that you were pushing down while you loosening it, and since the lug nuts are pretty long, the leverage from the wrench and the nut was to much and it snaped. I've had a bit in my impact hammer break because it was in cement and I pushed the impact hammer to one side and it snapped, same with drill bits.

Matra et Alpine
07-26-2004, 01:56 PM
The other possibility is that the nuts may have been too short for the studs. So as it was tightened it cracked the top. Worth measuring as you might at least be able to get refund and costs from the supplier :)

Also, when anyone uses impact wrench on your wheel nuts make sure they're competent. They can VERY easily over torque them !!

Niko_Fx
07-26-2004, 02:19 PM
A Tire Iron? and were exactly did it break?

What do you mean? :confused: Look at the picture..



those airguns are actually good for unscrewing and screwing. it might have been because the last person who put that tire didn't put the lug nut right....next time just use the force and just keep on tryin to unscrew the damaged lug nut, it'll break and go out without havin to damage your rims.(it has happened to me)

Trust me it was impossible to do it. Even the guys from Tire Kingdom refused to..

I hope there's not a next time, it was really a pain in the butt and I lost one day's job.



I think what cause it to break was that you were pushing down while you loosening it, and since the lug nuts are pretty long, the leverage from the wrench and the nut was to much and it snaped. .

Yeah that's exactly what happened. But that's the way I always unscrew them, by pushing down, sometimes even steping on it with mi foot. The whole problem is the damn key and the long lug nuts.



Also, when anyone uses impact wrench on your wheel nuts make sure they're competent. They can VERY easily over torque them !!

They probably did..




__

I'm planing on selling those rims anyways, so I'll just hang on to them 'till I sell them, the stock wheels are just fine, thank god I never sold them.

Egg Nog
08-02-2004, 06:16 PM
those airguns are actually good for unscrewing and screwing:)

Air wrenches are capable of doing both, but it's not really a good idea to use them for screwing. Lug nuts should be hand started to avoid crossthreading and torqued to the right specs. When an air wrench is used, you run the risk of overtightening or effectively ruining a wheel. Not really worth the risk considering that it hardly takes any time at all to put them on properly. :)

jagzed
08-22-2004, 08:52 AM
Hi Niko... I just had the same problem yesterday... I have a New Beetle and I tried to remove a flat tire but the security lug nut ripped off... my wrench just keeps turning inside... I have to find a mechanic... just for my information, how much did the guy charge for removing the damaged lug nut? Thanks... Jagzed

Niko_Fx
08-22-2004, 12:41 PM
Hi Niko... I just had the same problem yesterday... I have a New Beetle and I tried to remove a flat tire but the security lug nut ripped off... my wrench just keeps turning inside... I have to find a mechanic... just for my information, how much did the guy charge for removing the damaged lug nut? Thanks... Jagzed

He charged me like 42 Bucks I believe, but remember that he also changed the other 4 tires... so I don't know, it shouldn't be more than 40 bucks :)

US $

DodgeNitroBIRM
08-22-2004, 04:59 PM
Air wrenches are capable of doing both, but it's not really a good idea to use them for screwing. Lug nuts should be hand started to avoid crossthreading and torqued to the right specs. When an air wrench is used, you run the risk of overtightening or effectively ruining a wheel. Not really worth the risk considering that it hardly takes any time at all to put them on properly. :)


Actually, you can buy these things called Torq Sticks for your impact gun. They won't over tighten them, but I don't really trust them for tightening. If I use one, I let it tighten, then hold it again for 1.5 to 2 seconds. Haven't had a problem with undertightening with that method. But, personally, if you have the money, buy a great torq wrench. Notice I don't say good, you can buy a good one at Sears, but Craftsman tools are not really professional quality. They are great for the handy man and the 2 year beginer, though, but as far as a real technician goes, they are CRAP.

Snap-On Tools (www.snapon.com)
Mac Tools (www.mactools.com)
Tool sites for the professional.

Matra et Alpine
08-22-2004, 05:06 PM
.....They are great for the handy man and the 2 year beginer, though, but as far as a real technician goes, they are CRAP.

Snap-On Tools (www.snapon.com)
Mac Tools (www.mactools.com)
Tool sites for the professional.
And the rich :)

In the UK, Draper torque wrench comes out as the best in tests and is 1/4 the price of a Snap-On !!

DodgeNitroBIRM
08-22-2004, 05:26 PM
And the rich :)

In the UK, Draper torque wrench comes out as the best in tests and is 1/4 the price of a Snap-On !!

Snap on is on the expensive side, bought my impact gun for $310 (US) and the value hasn't gone down much. My tool man at the time charged me $20 per week and had it paid off before the next year. The only down side is the weight and toll it takes on my hand, but hasn't given me any problems mechanical except for the transmission (I only call it that because it selects the clockwise/counter-clockwise motion) kicking out every so often. But that doesn't happen too often and it only started doing it. I've had the impact for about 3 years now.

The only other reason I would reccomend them is because Craftsman doesn't like it when you use their tools for professional/dealership use. A story my shop teacher once told is that he was working at a dealership and his Craftsman 13MM open end/box end wrench broke. He took it back to Sears and they asked him if he worked at a dealership with the tools, he said yes and they told him the lifetime warrenty wouldn't cover it. So, he was left with a broken wrench and a lesson learned.

jagzed
08-23-2004, 10:15 AM
Thank you for your quick answer... hope it will work and that they won't have to drill...