Topic: How to get a chewed up lug nut out?

[jfrabat]

OK, so my Jeep had those cheese lug nuts that have the outer platting (i dont even kow if that is the right word!) and then the core is a different material.  A couple of them got screwed up some time back, so I had 2 mismatching lug nuts, so I decided to buy a set of lug nuts to replace all those cheap nuts with some real ones (to stop having this problem), but I only made matters worse when one of the old nuts got stuck, and I sort of kind of rounded the darn thing trying to get it out (to no avail).  Any ideas on how to get this rounded nut out?

[Jesse-James]

nut splitter maybe? Might be tough to get in there with a center cap in place.

[Jeffy]

If your lug nuts are recessed into holes then you're only options are to:

• Weld a nut to the top of the lug nut.
• Hammer a socket onto the nut

Otherwise, Channel locks, Dremel or nut splitter.

[oldjeep]

Cheap 12 point socket just a tiny bit smaller than your rounded off lug.  Pound it on with a hammer.

Had the same problem with the crappy lugs that came with my kids rubicon wheels

[jfrabat]

I dont have a welder, so I think I will start with Oldjeep's advise and see if that works.  If it does not, I'll have to take it to a friend's place and weld a nut to the lugnut.

[jagular7]

Cheap 12 point socket just a tiny bit smaller than your rounded off lug.  Pound it on with a hammer.

Had the same problem with the crappy lugs that came with my kids rubicon wheels

Ditto.
 
If you don't care about the wheel, use a hole saw around the lug and remove the wheel. Then a pipe wrench on the rounded lug. I did this to get a XJ D30R for $20. He couldn't remove the aluminum wheel on 3 lugs. Tossed the damged wheel away in the recycling since it was aluminum.

[Got Wood?]

Several years ago a girl friend had a car which had one lug nut on each wheel that required a key type socket. She lost the socket so I went to the parts store and bought a set of what I would consider to be a reverse easy out. It is like a socket that has coarse left handed threads inside it that taper as they go deeper into the socket. You simply place the socket on the rounded nut and turn, as you turn the socket it digs into the nut and removes it(the trick is getting the rounded nut back out of the socket). On a side note an 18mm. socket will fit the factory lug nuts that have lost their cap.

[garydubf]

Should be able to rent that at your local tool supply!

[jfrabat]

I'll check at Advanced Auto Parts today and see if they have it...  Thanks for the tip!  If not, I'll get a 12 point socket set and go taht way.

[Jeffy]

I'll check at Advanced Auto Parts today and see if they have it...  Thanks for the tip!  If not, I'll get a 12 point socket set and go taht way.

Sears sells them.  I think they're called Nut-Outs or something like that.  The only thing I'd be worried about is if your lug nuts are cheap, the tops of the acorn might just rip off.

Looks like it would be reasonably easy to get the nuts off.

[jfrabat]

Sears sells them.  I think they're called Nut-Outs or something like that. 

I found them at Sears...  They were called Lug Out, and worked like a charm.  It took me about 30 seconds to get the lug out (plus another 5 minutes to get the lug nut out of the tool!  )