Stuck lug nut

[NJSHO]

So I guess I cross threaded a lug nut or stud putting my wheels on at my last track outing. The lug is on the wheel fully torqued to 90 ft-lbs. I can loosen the lug about 3/4 of a turn pretty easily, then it gets really hard to move. My torque wrench was set to 90 ft-lbs and it was clicking once I got to the 3/4 turn point. I didnt want to put too much torque on these lugs since they are tuner style, have curved splines, and Im fairly sure Im gonna strip the spline or the key out. Anyone have any good ideas on how to get the lug off?
Heres a pics of the lugs for reference:

Not a whole lot to grab onto. How much of a pain is it going to be to drill this bad boy out?

 

[93rev2sev]

Don't use a torque wrench for loosening...anything. Use a breaker bar.

Anyway...You should be able to break the stud...those lug keys can take some abuse. Once you've broken the stud, simply replace it and the lug nut and you'll be fine. I think you risk spinning the lug in the hub before the key is likely to let loose.

The other way to go is to loosen all the other lugs and then (maybe) you can get a hacksaw blade between the wheel and the hub and cut that sucker...you should only need to score the lug...not cut all the way through it....use the breaker bar to "Finish Him!"

 

[SHOZ123]

I have lug nuts like that and would never use anything but a hand wrench. Even then the sockets are junk and broke one.

 

[Shoaz]

Don't use a torque wrench for loosening...anything. Use a breaker bar.

+1

Anyway...You should be able to break the stud...those lug keys can take some abuse. Once you've broken the stud, simply replace it and the lug nut and you'll be fine. I think you risk spinning the lug in the hub before the key is likely to let loose.

+1

I suspect the key and the lug will take quite a bit more than 90 ft-lbs or people would be stripping them left and right. I'd be very surprised if the threads didn't yield before the lug and key.

 

[93rev2sev]

Now that I think about it...

You might try breaking the lug by overtightening it...not loosening it. You don't want to spin the knurled shoulder in the hub.

 

[NJSHO]

That was probably one of the easier things Ive done. Rocked it back and forth a few times with my jack handle on a 1/2 ratchet and the stud just snapped. Pounded out the old stud pulled in a new stud and done. Just need a new set of lug nuts now.

 

[K-Dawg]

Don't forget to recheck the torque on the new lug(s) a couple times.

 

[NJSHO]

Anybody got 1 extra lug like pictured in the first post?

 

[rubydist]

Put some anti-seize on the studs - a lot of those tuner nuts aren't cleaned well and will rust badly on the threads...

 

[speed95]

I know most tire shops can get a lug off. I just went through this on my factory lock and lugnut. Except my lock snapped in half!

 

[rktmn]

Drilling it out won't take more than 10 minutes. Center punch the center and start with a smaller drill bit. Do not use a larger drill that the hole in the wheel or you will damage it.

The drill bit has to be big enough to cut the treads.

 

[cetroutt]

use an impact socket that's just a little smaller that than the nut and hammer it on then use a breaker bar to take it off. that's how i pulled the locking lug nuts of mine when i bought it. the PO had lost the key.