Why do my simple jobs go to hell? I bought myself a new floor jack today with a 24" lift and now I don't have to deal with that little crappy one I've been using for years. On the second tire while breaking the lugs loose, one of the lugs broke into two pieces, which leaves the beveled portion on the lug and not a simple matter to remove. The lugs were tight as hell from the last rotation at the tire store and I had hell of a time getting them off. On the one that broke, I couldn't budge it with the breaker bar so added a pipe and it felt like it broke loose. The outside portion screwed off and left the main load bearing part on the lug bolt.
I tried to drill that part and got that fairly well done on both sides. That would have worked on regular nut, but not on a beveled lug nut. I still can't get it to turn with a hammer and punch. I messed with it until dark and called it a day. If I take the drilling any farther I will probably ruin the wheel.
I'm considering a plan B which is to drill the stud. At first i figured a heat treated stud would be too hard to drill, but a small test hole says it can be drilled. If I drill it with larger and larger bits to sufficient depth, I should be able to eventually get it off. Then I'll need to replace the lug bolt, if it works.
Oh, the lug nuts are Gorilla and I have the black locking ones (all of them) that require a key to remove. They have the factory type beveled face to the wheel which is larger OD. They have a neck that is smaller diameter section which is inherently weaker (smaller cross section) and that is where it broke.
I'll take a few pics tomorrow after Santa Claus has come and gone. It's too dark for pics now.
If anyone has advice for my circumstances, I'm interested to hear it.
One last thing...I never got to use my new floor jack yet.
I tried to drill that part and got that fairly well done on both sides. That would have worked on regular nut, but not on a beveled lug nut. I still can't get it to turn with a hammer and punch. I messed with it until dark and called it a day. If I take the drilling any farther I will probably ruin the wheel.
I'm considering a plan B which is to drill the stud. At first i figured a heat treated stud would be too hard to drill, but a small test hole says it can be drilled. If I drill it with larger and larger bits to sufficient depth, I should be able to eventually get it off. Then I'll need to replace the lug bolt, if it works.
Oh, the lug nuts are Gorilla and I have the black locking ones (all of them) that require a key to remove. They have the factory type beveled face to the wheel which is larger OD. They have a neck that is smaller diameter section which is inherently weaker (smaller cross section) and that is where it broke.
I'll take a few pics tomorrow after Santa Claus has come and gone. It's too dark for pics now.
If anyone has advice for my circumstances, I'm interested to hear it.
One last thing...I never got to use my new floor jack yet.
Last edited:
