[cmcfaul@aol.com]

simple task of taking a wheel off gas turned into a nightmare. The lugnut with the lock on it broke when taking off. All the lug nuts were ridiculously tight and it broke off. Worse, it happened on both sides (i heated the second side with a blowtorch first and it still broke).

i cut the stud off as close to the rim as possible and ground down about as much of the lug nut as i can (butchered the wheel in the process). Is there any method of getting the wheel off?

Totally stuck

Chris
89 Carerra
703-967-2990

[Jazzbass]

1/2" or 5/8" hole saw on a drill is about your only option now. You could have used a little heat and a lug nut removed socket if things still looked like the first photo and you would have walked away with nothing but a broken lug nut.

[Trak Ratt]

Personally I would have tried splitting the lug nut 1st. Might not be to late. Aluminum so.....

Hole saw sounds like a good idea.

[jsheiry]

I had this happen on 4 lug nuts on a 968 that was not very well taken care of...
After trying to drill with small bit and chiseling I found that even being careful I was screwing up the stud and the wheel.

The best method I found was to go buy a new (sharp) 3/4" hole saw, remove the pilot bit and it fits over the stud perfectly as a guide. It will eat up most of the lug without damaging the threads and then you have a small bit to chisel off the threads that once you get it pried up it will split easily.

The other thing I realized was that a good 6 point 19mm was much better for these alloy lug nuts, my 12 pointer was rounding the alloy lug all too easily. And using a breaker bar was better than an impact for not rounding these old deteriorating alloy lug nuts (practically turning to dust)

[Vicegrip]

As said a hole saw with the pilot bit removed and a Variable speed drill works wonders. Very easy to simply drill out the lug bolt without any damage to the wheel. Get comfortable and take your time. Taking 20 seconds to heat the lug nut with a basic propane torch works to keep you from getting into this condition in the first place. Rattle gun the lug nut at low power for 30 seconds. If no go heat the nut and dribble in some liquid wrench, PB blaster or the like. Let the nut cool a bit and rattle gun it again. Low power long time frame. If still stuck reheat and re-soak. I have never had to break a nut off. Rattttattatttarrattattatttatta. Torch.... soak....Rattattataatatataaaaattttaaattta-burriiip! Spun loose

[cmcfaul@aol.com]

will try the hole saw. thought these would disintegrate as their designed for wood.

started out cutting the nut and ended up with this mess.

Bought some Colbolt drill bits but they do next to nothing

chris

[Porsche tech]

I have drilled off numerous broken titanium lug nuts with the hole saw method without any damage to the wheel. Just make sure not to drill so deep as to actually cut into the wheel. Cut the head off a bolt and use that as the bit to put it into the drill.

[cmcfaul@aol.com]

off to home depo I go, to buy a hole saw.

will buy a couple as i think the teeth may grind off before the lug nut.

My impact gun is electric and not that powerful. i still have to get the two rear, keyed lug nuts off. may take it to a tire shop and have them try as i am sure i will end up breaking them. their big impact gun vs my half inch socket with a long extension should be the difference.

I heated the second one before trying to remove it...no luck. the keyed lugnuts are weaker then a regular lugnut.

Chris

[Vicegrip]

The key is not to deliver a high power impact on the lug nut. They are aluminum and soft. The key is to deliver a long string of impact shocks that are below the threshold of shearing the hexagonal portion of the lug nut off the conical base.

Heat and soak penetration oil into the area where the lug nut contact the rim. Drill a little hole in the top of the lug nut and run some pen oil into the nut itself. Heat and try a long run of low power impacts on the nut. Put more pen oil on the nuts and let them all cool off. Heat again and try again. Add pen oil often and let it soak. Time and heat is your friend. Impatient effort will likely result in failure of the nuts. Take your time!!!!!

For the ones that are already busted off. Use a hole saw that is only slightly larger than the lug bolt. You want to let the saw follow down the bolt. Stop often and remove the swarf as you go. The lug nut is made from metal that is FAR softer than the hole saw. I use hole saws to fish mouth steel tubing for roll cages. A hole saw will go through the lug nut (and rim if you ham fist it) like butter. Use water on the saw while you are drilling to help reduce clogging of the saw teeth. Stop often and check that the teeth are not clogged. A wad of aluminum in the saw teeth will slow the bit and make lots of unwanted heat and friction. It is better to sacrifice the lug bolts than the wheels. They are cheap and not too hard to replace. Angels cry when a cold forged Fuch rim dies. http://www.fuchsfelge.de/index.php?id=4&L=1

Take your time. I have never ever not been able to remove a hard stuck Porsche lug nut. Heat, pen oil, impact gun vibration but not torque and time all work for you.

[cmcfaul@aol.com]

Hole saw worked like a champ. tightened the bearing and what should have been an easy project is finished. now to do the other side.

still need a stud, or two and two lug nuts.

I did not mention i have a broken left hand (three broken bones in a cast) which adds a level of difficulty.

chris

Is it too early for a beer? need a celebratory beverage