When lug nuts are too tight...this may happen to you too.

[BullElk]

Yesterday I decided I needed to replace the front pads on the '06 LX. I pulled out the locking lug key and tried to turn lug with lug wrench. Part of the lug broke off inside of the lug key. Rats.

So I take the LX to my 1st choice mechanic and he pulls out the "gets any lug off quick" kit. He tries and nothing. Won't budge. He then gets his impact chisel on it. Nothing. He decides to stop trying.

I go to the guy who put on my new tires about 3 months ago and who put the lugs on waaaay too tight in the first place. He had cars backed up everywhere and said I would need to leave it. I didn't. On to #3.

Went to #3 guy that I have never been to before. As soon as I walk up his German Shorthair opens the door for me but knows not to go out the door.

That guy did not have time either but finally decided to get his same "will work every time" lug kit out. Bangs away on it to drive the socket on the broken lug but no dice. Could not get the super tight lug to budge.

Went to #4 guy with a good reputation. He was a really nice guy seemingly wanting to help but said that his worker demolished the only "ain't nothing better to get off stuck lugs" socket the day before and his Snap-On guy wouldn't be back til Monday. But he did say go down the road to Majestic Tires. "He'll get it off for you"

Majestic Tires was #5. They specialize in offroad tires and suspension. I told the guy I had a stuck broken lock lug I needed off. He told his worker and here they go. The guy looked at it and said.."I'll get it off". He banged the socket on several times and tried several times, his partner got a bigger hammer and tried several times. Nothing. He went to get the guy in the back with the more professional work shirt. He showed up carrying his impact chisel. He sat there Indian style and hammered on that lug on and on until he got it off. He then had to hammer away at all four lock lugs with the impact chisel to get them off. Then they had to use their heavy duty impact gun to get the other lugs off and they were a chore. Unbelieveable. I then had four normal lugs there to replace the lock lugs from Hades.

While I was there they kindly rotated the tires. I went back inside and paid the guy a whopping $35 for lug removeal and a rotation. Those cats at Majestic Tires were determined to get the job done and were very patient and kind in the process. I then went home and changed the front pads and torqued all lugs to 100 ft.lbs.

 

[97 AZ LC]

Seeing the picture I feel like there was some Zen involved. That dog at #3 must be worth is weight in gold.

 

[elk]

I had this happen with the anti theft lugs on my Rock Warriors. A 1,000ft/lb impact gun, old socket and BFH go a long way to removing the lug nut. No more McGard lock nuts for me please.

 

[MongooseGA]

I had this happen with the anti theft lugs on my Rock Warriors. A 1,000ft/lb impact gun, old socket and BFH go a long way to removing the lug nut. No more McGard lock nuts for me please.

This. I HATE the splined lugs on the RWs. They're asking for trouble.

OP, did the stud never break while they were working that lug? I've had too tight lugs before, and generally the stud just sheared off. Replacement is relatively easy (should it occur). Heck, on my last LC I had 1 stud on every wheel snap when I first bought it.

 

[BullElk]

No, thankfully all studs fought the fight and won. My '99 LC has had several studs to twist right off.

 

[l3n0x]

Good news it came off (and came off somewhat intentional)

I had a Defender a couple years back, and one of the wheels almost fell of. After investigation it turned out that the most likely case was that PO had it on way too tight (steel wheel), and deformed it - So when after buying and changing tires I put it back on "normally" with a torque wrench, the nuts came loose after a couple 100 miles. Luckily I realized it before loosing the wheel and could baby it home. But I had to swap the hub and the wheel of course for a new one.

So moral of the story for me, even if this is unlikely with alloys - but who knows, maybe overstressing them could induce hairline cracks:
Use a torque wrench instead of jumping on the end of the 2ft lug wrench when tightening as sadly that's how most of the tire workshops do it in this part of the world.