Removing a rounded lug nut can be frustrating for any car enthusiast or mechanic. A rounded lug can be caused by over-tightening, corrosion, or just bad luck. Regardless of the cause, removing a rounded lug nut can be quite difficult. However, as long as you have the right tools and know-how, you can remove a rounded lug nut without wasting too much time. In this guide, we’ll cover how to remove a rounded lug nut.
There are several ways to remove a rounded lug nut and each method requires certain tools. Regardless of what tool or method you use, you should liberally apply penetrating oil to the rounded lug nut and the surface it’s on. Since lug nuts are exposed to the elements, they can corrode and seize over time. Seized lug nuts can be almost impossible to remove. However, penetrating oil can significantly loosen up the rust. After spraying it with penetrating oil, let it sit for a while to make the removal process more manageable.
When using a hammer and extractor set, pick a socket that’s one size smaller than the rounded lug nut. Since the extractor is smaller than the lug nut, you’ll need to hammer it in to slide it into place. Remember that you only need to slowly slide it into place, so you shouldn’t hammer it too hard.
After sliding the lug nut extractor onto the lug nut, attach a breaker bar or a long-handled wrench to the extractor. With enough elbow grease, you might be able to loosen the lug nut just by pushing down on the breaker bar in a counterclockwise rotation. If not, you might need to use a hammer to help rotate the breaker bar and loosen the seized lug nut.
When a lug nut is severely rounded, you can also use a chisel or angle grinder to create flat notches in the nut. This method can provide new points of contact where your socket or wrench can grip the nut. However, you should be careful when using a chisel or angle grinder because you can damage nearby vehicle components. Using these tools can also be impossible if the lug nut is located in a hard-to-reach part of the vehicle.
If a smaller size socket won’t fit the lug nut, you can heat it so that the metal softens. Once the lug nut is red hot, you might be able to hammer the lug nut extractor onto the rounded lug nut. Just remember that the blowtorch can heat surrounding components and melt certain coatings.
A nut splitter is a special tool used to cut lug nuts in half. Just like a bolt cutter, it uses a sharp piece of hard metal to cut steel. However, using a nut splitter is risky because it can also damage the stud, which is the part that the lug nut screws on. If you end up damaging the stud, then you’ll have to replace it.
Dealing with a rounded lug nut can be difficult and time-consuming, but it’s a challenge you can solve with the right tools and a little patience. Just remember to start with penetrating oil and then try the various methods mentioned earlier. If everything else fails, keep in mind that you can always reach out to a mechanic in your area.
Once you’ve removed the rounded lug nuts from your wheels, you certainly won’t want to put them back. Otherwise, you’ll have done all that work for nothing, and you’ll be stuck with the same problem the next time you need to remove them. Good thing you can buy a new set of lug nuts from CarParts.com.
CarParts.com offers a number of different lug nuts to suit different wheel types and vehicles. We have a variety of trusted aftermarket brands available. Use the built-in vehicle selector on our user-friendly site to guarantee that the lug nuts you buy will fit your vehicle. It takes only a few quick clicks to place your order through our convenient and secure checkout.
Replace your older lug nuts before they grow old and rounded. Order a new set of lug nuts at CarParts.com today.
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